Patent · US Expired

System and method for editing a spreadsheet via an improved editing and cell selection model

US6549878B1 · kind B1 · utility

116Cited by
18References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 31, 1998
Grant dateApr 15, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 31, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F40/18
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Editing cells within a spreadsheet to change the contents of a spreadsheet. To enter edit mode and alter the contents of a cell, the user first selects a cell by single clicking a mouse button while the mouse indicator is positioned above the cell. The user then initiates another single click when the mouse indicator is positioned above the selected cell. Once edit mode is active, the user may change the contents of the cell from within the web browser window as desired. Edit mode can be exited through one of three methods: an “exit and save” signal, an “exit and discard” signal, or a click and drag maneuver. The exit and save signal prompts the invention to save all changes to the cell that the user has made. The exit and discard signal prompts the invention to discard any changes made to the cell by the user, revert to the pre-edit mode contents of the edit cell, and exit edit mode. Finally, a click and drag maneuver not only exits edit mode, but selects a range of cells. The click and drag is performed by depressing a mouse button while the mouse indicator is positioned over the edit cell, moving the mouse while holding the mouse button depressed, and rel…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.