Storing objects in a spreadsheet
US6779151B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99945
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A spreadsheet application provides a rich programming and modeling environment. The spreadsheet application of the present invention does this by recognizing a new “object” data type in addition to the conventional spreadsheet data types: numbers, text, date, Boolean, and error. The object data type can be used to create an instance of an external object and store the object in a cell of a spreadsheet. Once an object has been created in a spreadsheet, the object can be invoked or accessed from any other cell or formula in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet application of the present invention provides several special object functions that operate to enable a user to create and invoke an object. A user can directly call functions from objects that are installed on a local or remote machine, by integrating an object function within a spreadsheet formula. Thus, the user is provided with a tool for integrating outside data services into a spreadsheet and may take advantage of pre-existing objects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.