Multiple datapoint formats in spreadsheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12423511-B2
Application number	US-202318391091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2023
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein that allow multiple values to be stored and referenced individually in a spreadsheet or table cell. In an implementation, an application identifies a format of a cell in a spreadsheet with a format having multiple data points. The application receives multiple values corresponding to the multiple data points and stores each value of the multiple values in the cell as a separately referenceable value with respect to each other value of the multiple values. In some implementations, formulas in other cells or sub-routines can reference an individual one of the values in the cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
one or more processors operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media; and
a spreadsheet application comprising program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by the one or more processors, direct the computing apparatus to at least:
identify a format of a cell in a spreadsheet hosted by the spreadsheet application, wherein the format of the cell comprises multiple data points;
receive user input from a user via a user interface to the spreadsheet application, wherein the user input comprises a selection of an option to share, via a relay service remote with respect to the computing apparatus, a data object linked to the multiple data points in the cell with a second application, wherein the second application is not a spreadsheet application and resides on a second computing apparatus associated with a second user;
in response to the selection of the option to share, register the data object with the relay service, wherein the relay service tracks changes to instances of the data object and maintains synchronization of the data object across at least the spreadsheet application and the second application;
receive, from the relay service, an update to the data object based on an edit to an instance of the data object by the second user via a second user interface to the second application, wherein the update includes multiple values corresponding to the multiple data points;
store each value of the multiple values in text of the cell as a separately referenceable value with respect to each other value of the multiple values;
display at least a portion of the text of the cell such that at least one value of the multiple values is visible in the user interface of the computing apparatus;
determine that one value of the multiple values caused a change in a different cell; and
share the change to the different cell with the second application via the relay service.

2. The computing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spreadsheet comprises a group of cells that include the cell and wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to at least display the group of cells in the user interface and, in response to a selection of the cell, display an input module in the user interface through which to enter the multiple values into the cell.

3. The computing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the input module comprises multiple input elements corresponding to the multiple data points of the cell, wherein each one of the multiple input elements is configured to receive an individual one of the multiple values.

4. The computing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to at least:
determine that a formula defined in a different cell includes a reference to a data point of the multiple data points in the cell;
obtain a one value of the multiple values in the cell that corresponds to the data point referenced by the formula; and
calculate a result of the formula based at least on the one value.

5. The computing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to at least:
determine that a formula defined in a sub-procedure associated with the spreadsheet includes a reference to a data point of the multiple data points in the cell;
obtain a one value of the multiple values in the cell that corresponds to the data point referenced by the formula; and
calculate a result of the formula based at least on the one value.

6. The computing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the format of the cell comprises a custom schema defined in accordance with a standard notation, and wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to receive user input comprising the custom schema.

7. The computing apparatus of claim 6 wherein the standard notation comprises JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), and wherein the custom schema identifies a name for each of the multiple data points and a type for each of the multiple data points.

8. A method of operating a computing device comprising:
identifying a format of a cell in a spreadsheet hosted by a spreadsheet application, wherein the format of the cell comprises multiple data points;
receiving user input from a user via a user interface to the spreadsheet application, wherein the user input comprises a selection of an option to share, via a relay service remote with respect to the computing device, a data object linked to the multiple data points in the cell with a second application, wherein the second application is not a spreadsheet application and resides on a second computing apparatus associated with a second user;
in response to the selection of the option to share, register the data object with the relay service, wherein the relay service tracks changes to instances of the data object and maintains synchronization of the data object across at least the spreadsheet application and the second application;
receiving, from the relay service, an update to the data object based on an edit to an instance of the data object by the second user via a second user interface to the second application, wherein the update includes multiple values corresponding to the multiple data points;
storing each value of the multiple values in text of the cell as a separately referenceable value with respect to each other value of the multiple values;
displaying at least a portion of the text of the cell such that at least one value of the multiple values is visible in the user interface of the computing device;
determining that one value of the multiple values caused a change in a different cell; and
sharing the change to the different cell with the second application via the relay service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the spreadsheet comprises a group of cells that include the cell and the method further comprises displaying the group of cells in the user interface and, in response to a selection of the cell, displaying an input module in the user interface through which to enter the multiple values into the cell.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the input module comprises multiple input elements corresponding to the multiple data points of the cell, wherein each one of the multiple input elements is configured to receive an individual one of the multiple values.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining that a formula defined in a different cell includes a reference to a data point of the multiple data points in the cell;
obtaining a one value of the multiple values in the cell that corresponds to the data point referenced by the formula; and
calculating a result of the formula based at least on the one value.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining that a formula defined in a sub-procedure associated with the spreadsheet includes a reference to a data point of the multiple data points in the cell;
obtaining a one value of the multiple values in the cell that corresponds to the data point referenced by the formula; and
calculating a result of the formula based at least on the one value.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the format of the cell comprises a custom schema defined in accordance with a standard notation, and wherein the method further comprises receiving user input comprising the custom schema.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the standard notation comprises JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), and wherein the custom schema identifies a name for e

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Liddell Derek

Classifications

• H04L67/04

  specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F40/174

  Form filling; Merging · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title