Representation of people in a spreadsheet

• US 9,129,234 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John, Knight, Mark, Comertoglu, Can
• Primary Examiner(s): STORK, KYLE R
• Application Number:
  US13/012,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20120192050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234, 715/243, 715/254, 715/255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A spreadsheet includes a native spreadsheet object that represents a person. The person object may be used within a spreadsheet just as any other spreadsheet objects are utilized. For example, the person object may be integrated with spreadsheet formulas and other spreadsheet objects such as charts, tables, pivot tables, sheets, and the like. Spreadsheet formulas may perform operations specific to a person object (e.g. send message, get contact information, get status, get other person specific information, sort, and the like). Common actions may be associated with the person object, such as initiating communication with the person represented by the person object (e.g. phone call, email, text message, collaboration invite, and the like). Social networking information may also be associated with a person object. For example, social networking posts may be included within a spreadsheet, a user may post to a social network from the spreadsheet, and the like.

Claims

1. A method for representing a person within a spreadsheet, comprising:

accessing a displayed spreadsheet that includes support for native objects comprising a person object and other native spreadsheet objects including chart objects and table objects, wherein the person object comprises fields including a name and a contact method;

determining when a spreadsheet operation involves the person object that is displayed within the spreadsheet including a graphical representation of the person object and a graphical status indicator of the person that indicates an availability of the person object, wherein the graphical status indicator is configured to change a color and a shape of the graphical representation of the person object based on the changes in the availability of the person;

configuring, in response to determining that the spreadsheet operation involves the person object, a view of the spreadsheet based on a person represented by the person object, wherein configuring the display comprises;

filtering and sorting objects of the spreadsheet based on the person represented by the person object, and

providing a context menu based on the person represented by the person object;

determining that a second data object in the spreadsheet is associated with the person object;

in response to determining that the second data object is associated with the person object, identifying a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule is defined based on a data category of the second data object; and

performing a spreadsheet operation involving the person object, wherein the spreadsheet operation;

treats the person object in a same manner as other native spreadsheet objects and are acted upon in a same manner as the other native spreadsheet objects, and

applies the predetermined rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fields of the person spreadsheet object further comprise a field for a social network to which the person belongs and at least two of:

organization information comprising a company and a manager, a birth date, and an interest.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a portion of the spreadsheet and associating the selected portion with the person object such that when the person that is represented by the person object views the spreadsheet, the person is provided with a view of the selected portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the spreadsheet operation involving the person object comprises displaying a post from a social network within the spreadsheet that is associated with the person object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the spreadsheet operation involving the person object comprises selecting an option within a graphical user interface of the spreadsheet that is used to post data to a social network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the person object within a formula that in response to a condition specified by the formula performs an action relating to the person object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the person object further comprises a location field that represents a location of the person.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of the following actions when data is dropped onto the person object:

sending a link to the data to the person;

sending the data to the person; and

posting the data to a network location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining when a post is made to a social network that is related to each of the person objects within the spreadsheet and displaying the posts within the spreadsheet.

10. A computer-readable storage medium device storing computer-executable instructions for representing a person within a spreadsheet, comprising:

accessing a spreadsheet that includes support for a person object and other native objects including a chart object and a table object, wherein the person object is a native spreadsheet object, wherein the person object comprises fields including a name, a contact method; and

a network location that is used to post information;

determining when a spreadsheet operation involves the person object that is displayed as a graphical representation within a cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the graphical status indicator is configured to change a color and a shape of the graphical representation of the person object based on the changes in an availability of the person;

configuring, in response to determining that the spreadsheet operation involves the person object, a view of the spreadsheet based on a person represented by the person object, wherein configuring the display comprises;

filtering and sorting objects of the spreadsheet based on the person represented by the person object; and

providing a context menu based on the person represented by the person object;

determining that a second data object in the spreadsheet is associated with the person object;

in response to determining that the second data object is associated with the person object, identifying a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule is based on a data category of the second data object; and

performing a spreadsheet operation involving the person object, wherein the spreadsheet operation;

treats the person object in a same manner as other native spreadsheet objects, and

applies the predetermined rule.

11. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 10, further comprising selecting a portion of the spreadsheet and performing at least one of:

sending the selected portion to the person that is associated with another person object; and

associating the selected portion with the another person object such that the person that is represented by the another person object is provided with a view of the selected portion when viewing the spreadsheet.

12. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 10, wherein performing the spreadsheet operation involving the person object comprises displaying a post from a social network within the spreadsheet.

13. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 10, wherein performing the spreadsheet operation involving the person object comprises selecting an option within a graphical user interface of the spreadsheet that is used to post data to a social network.

14. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 10, further comprising including the person object within a formula that in response to a condition specified by the formula performs an action relating to the person object.

15. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 10, wherein the person object further comprises a status field that displays an availability of the person.

16. A system for representing a person within a spreadsheet, comprising:

a network connection that is configured to connect to a network;

a processor, memory, and a computer-readable storage medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable storage medium and executing on the processor;

a client spreadsheet application;

a spreadsheet;

wherein the spreadsheet comprises support for person objects and other native spreadsheet objects including chart objects and table objects;

wherein the person object is a native spreadsheet object, wherein the person object comprises fields including a name, a contact method; and

a network location that is used to post information, wherein the person object comprises a status field that displays an availability of the person; and

a spreadsheet manager operating in conjunction with the spreadsheet application that is configured to perform actions comprising;

accessing the spreadsheet that is displayed;

determining when a spreadsheet operation involves a person object that is displayed within the spreadsheet including a graphical representation of the person object and a graphical status indicator of the person that indicates an availability of the person object based on the status field, wherein the graphical status indicator is configured to change a color and a shape of the graphical representation of the person object based on the changes in the availability of the person;

configuring, in response to determining that the spreadsheet operation involves the person object, a view of the spreadsheet based on a person represented by the person object, wherein configuring the display comprises;

filtering and sorting objects of the spreadsheet based on the person represented by the person object, and

providing a context menu based on the person represented by the person object;

determining that a second data object in the spreadsheet is associated with the person object;

in response to determining that the second data object is associated with the person object, identifying a predetermined rule, wherein the predetermined rule is based on a data category of the second data object; and

performing a spreadsheet operation involving the person object, wherein the spreadsheet operation;

treats the person object in a same manner as other native spreadsheet objects, and

applies the predetermined rule.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising selecting a portion of the spreadsheet and performing at least one of:

sending the selected portion to the person that is associated with another person object; and

associating the selected portion with the another person object such that the person that is represented by the another person object is provided with a view of the selected portion when viewing the spreadsheet.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein performing the spreadsheet operation involving the person object comprises at least one of:

displaying a post from a social network within the spreadsheet and posting data to a social network in response to an action performed involving the person object.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising including the person object within a formula that in response to a condition specified by the formula performs an action relating to the person object.