NOTIFICATIONS FOR RICH DATA TYPES

• US 20170124054A1
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John, Otero, Carlos Augusto, Rampson, Benjamin Edward, Rutherford, Allison, Canton, Christian, Becker, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 : Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 : Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for implementing notifications for rich data types in a spreadsheet application. Generally, a value being of a rich data type is as a type of value that has context and established relationships with other types of data. In particular, a rich data type is a data value having associated context, which may be units (e.g., inches, miles, meters, kilograms, seconds, joules, hertz, Fahrenheit, etc.) or other information about the data'"'"'s type (e.g., city, stock, NCAA football team, car, restaurant, school, etc.). Additionally, a value being of a rich data type further includes established relationships with other types of data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying inconsistencies within a formula of a spreadsheet, comprising:

receiving a formula, wherein the formula causes an operation to be performed on a first data value and a second data value;

identifying a first data unit associated with the first data value and a second data unit associated with the second data value;

determining that the first data unit is different than the second data unit;

based at least in part on determining that the first data unit and the second data unit are different, determining that the operation cannot be performed;

determining if a relationship between the first data unit and the second data unit exists;

based at least in part on a determination that the relationship exists;

converting at least one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value, wherein the third data value is associated with the one of the first data unit and the second data unit; and

performing the operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship is identified based on a reference table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least in part on a determination that the relationship does not exist;

providing a notification that the operation cannot be performed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert one of the first data value and the second data value into the third data value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically converting the first data value into the third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the second data unit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically converting the second data value into the third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the first data unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein converting one of the first data value and the second data value into the third data value further comprises:

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to one of the first data value and the second data value.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to;

receiving an indication that data is being entered into a cell of a spreadsheet;

identifying a pattern associated with the data;

based at least in part on the pattern, identifying at least one data type associated with the data;

based at least in part on the data type, identifying a plurality of data units associated with the data type; and

providing the plurality of data units as suggestions for completing entry of the data into the cell of the spreadsheet.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein receiving the indication comprises one of:

detecting typing into the cell;

detecting a paste function into the cell; and

detecting that a formula is populating the cell.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

provide a dropdown menu including the plurality of data units as suggestions.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the data type is identified based on one or more of:

a header associated with the cell and the related cell of the spreadsheet; and

a reference table.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein identifying the pattern comprises one of:

identifying a data value followed by a space;

identifying a data value followed by a space followed by a letter;

identifying a data value followed by a space followed by a unit;

identifying a data value followed by a space followed by a unit followed by one of “

per” and

“

/”

;

identifying one of more data units associated with one or more related cells of the spreadsheet; and

identifying one of a unit type and a data type within a header cell.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

based at least in part on the pattern, determining a likelihood that the data should be associated with each of the plurality of data units; and

determining a data unit of the plurality of data units with the highest likelihood; and

automatically completing the data in the cell with the data unit.

14. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a first data value into a cell of a spreadsheet, wherein the first data value is associated with a first data unit;

identifying at least a second data value in a related cell of the spreadsheet, the second data value associated with a second data unit;

determining that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value; and

providing a notification that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the related cell is within a same column as the cell.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a relationship between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

converting the first data value into a third data value associated with the second data unit.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a relationship between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

converting the second data value into a third data value associated with the first data unit.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert the first data value into the third data value associated with the second data unit.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert the second data value into the third data value associated with the first data unit.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically converting the first data value into the third data value in response to determining that the first data value and the second data value are inconsistent.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein determining that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value is based at least in part on determining that the first data unit is different than the second data unit.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein converting the first data value into the third data value further comprises:

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to the first data value.

23. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

identifying a first data value in a cell of a spreadsheet;

identifying at least a second data value in a related cell of the spreadsheet;

identifying at least one data type associated with the first data value and at least the second data value;

based at least in part on the data type, determining that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value; and

providing a notification that the first data value and the second data value are inconsistent.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification further comprises:

an explanation regarding why the first data value and the second data value are inconsistent.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification further comprises:

one or more suggested data values consistent with one of the first data value and the second data value.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a suggestion data value; and

replacing one of the first data value and the second data value with the selected data value.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the related cell is within a same column as the cell.

28. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a first data value into a cell of a spreadsheet, wherein the first data value is associated with a first data unit;

identifying at least a second data value in a related cell of the spreadsheet, the second data value associated with a second data unit;

determining that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value;

identifying at least one data type associated with the first data value and the second data value;

based at least in part on the data type, identifying a relationship between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

providing a notification that the first data value and the second data value are inconsistent.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

converting the first data value into a third data value associated with the second data unit.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

converting the second data value into a third data value associated with the first data unit.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the data type is identified based on one or more of:

the first data unit associated with the first data value;

a header associated with the cell and the related cell of the spreadsheet; and

a reference table.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the related cell is within a same column as the cell.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert the first data value into a third data value associated with the second data unit.

34. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert the second data value into a third data value associated with the first data unit.

35. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

automatically converting the first data value into the third data value in response to determining that the first data value and the second data value are inconsistent.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein determining that the first data value is inconsistent with the second data value is based at least in part on determining that the first data unit and the second data unit are different.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein converting the first data value into the third data value further comprises:

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to the first data value.