US5303146A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and methods for improved scenario management in an electronic spreadsheet
Assignee: Borland Software Corp
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Filing: 1993-03-11
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Granted: 1994-04-12
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Expires: 2013-03-11
Abstract
Abstract An electronic spreadsheet of the present invention includes a scenario manager having a preferred interface and methods for creating and managing various versions or "scenarios" of a spreadsheet model. Methods are provided for specifying an area of the model to track (capture area) and capturing various versions (modifications) of the base model. Additional methods are provided for automatically identifying and reporting information cells which are affected ("changing" and "result" cells) from version to version. Preferred storage methodology is also described for maintaining multiple versions of a spreadsheet or data model.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph M. Ammirato
- 👤 Gavin Peacock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:56
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0487; G06F3/0489; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/177; G06F40/18; G06F40/197
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
In an electronic spreadsheet system for modeling user-specified information in a data model comprising a plurality of information cells, a method for automatically tracking different versions of the data model, the method comprising: (a) specifying a base set of information cells for the system to track changes; (b) creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one information cell from the specified base set; and (c) automatically determining cells of the data model which have changed by comparing cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
In an electronic spreadsheet system for modeling user-specified information in a data model comprising a plurality of information cells, a method for automatically tracking different versions of the data model, the method comprising: (a) specifying a base set of information cells for the system to track changes; (b) creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one information cell from the specified base set; and (c) automatically determining cells of the data model which have changed by comparing cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises: selecting a capture area comprising information cells which the system is to automatically track; and capturing as the base set information in the capture area which the user desires to serve as a reference against which new versions are compared.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said selecting a capture area includes selecting one of a spreadsheet cell block, a two-dimensional matrix of cells (page), and a three-dimensional matrix of cells (notebook).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said selecting a capture area includes determining a set of information cells selected to include cells which are to be modified by a user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes entering new values into at least one of the information cells from the base set.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes: comparing non-formula information cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set, whereby ones of the new version which have changed in value are identified as changing cells; and comparing formula information cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set, whereby ones of the new version which have changed in value are identified as result cells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes: (i) comparing non-formula information cells in the new version against corresponding ones in the base set, whereby ones of the new version which have changed in value are identified as changing cells; and (ii) of the information cells which are not changing cells, determining ones which change value as a result of the changes in the changing cells, whereby ones which have changed value are identified as result cells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7, wherein each said result cell includes a direct or an indirect reference to at least one changing cell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the determination of result cells in substep (ii) is limited to examining only to cells which store formulas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising: indicating said changing cells and said result cells to the user.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said indicating step includes: displaying the changing cells with a first screen highlight; and displaying said result cells with a second screen highlight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising: selectively disabling screen highlighting from desired ones of said changing and result cells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: (d) capturing the new version as a user-nameable scenario.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising: (e) repeating steps (b)-(d), whereby a plurality of scenarios is captured.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 14, further comprising: (f) storing the base set together with the plurality of captured scenarios on a storage device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 15, wherein step (f) includes: storing the information cells from the base set of the data model as a plurality of cell records; and for each new version created by the user, only storing records for the determined changing cells.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 16, wherein each said cell record stores cell information, cell position, and cell attributes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16, where each said record stored for a determined changing cell stores new cell information, cell position, cell attributes, and a version identifier.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for managing different versions of a data model, the system comprising: an electronic spreadsheet for expressing the data model as a plurality of interrelated information cells; means for specifying a reference set of said information cells which serves as a base case for the data model; means for creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one of said information cells in the reference set; and comparison means for determining which ones of the information cells in the new version have changed from the reference set.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for managing different versions of a data model, the system comprising: an electronic spreadsheet for expressing the data model as a plurality of interrelated information cells; means for specifying a reference set of said information cells which serves as a base case for the data model; means for creating a new version of the data model by modifying at least one of said information cells in the reference set; and comparison means for determining which ones of the information cells in the new version have changed from the reference set.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said means for specifying a reference set includes: input device means for entering a selected one of a block of cells, a spreadsheet of cells, and a plurality of spreadsheets.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said means for creating a new version includes: input means for entering new values into at least one of the information cells.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said comparison means includes: means for comparing each cell in the new version against a corresponding one in the reference set, whereby a non-formula cell having a changed value is identified as a changing cell.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 22, wherein said comparison means further includes: means for determining which ones of the information cells change in response to changes in said identified changing cells.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 23, further comprising: display means for highlighting changing and result cells.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 19, further comprising: input means for entering a user-specified name for each new version.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
78 words
In an electronic spreadsheet system, a method for storing different versions of a spreadsheet model, the method comprising: (a) maintaining a base version of the spreadsheet model as ordered information on a storage device; and (b) for each new version of the spreadsheet model: (i) determining portions of the new version which have changed when compared against the base version, and (ii) maintaining the new version by storing additional information for only those portions determined to have changed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
78 words
In an electronic spreadsheet system, a method for storing different versions of a spreadsheet model, the method comprising: (a) maintaining a base version of the spreadsheet model as ordered information on a storage device; and (b) for each new version of the spreadsheet model: (i) determining portions of the new version which have changed when compared against the base version, and (ii) maintaining the new version by storing additional information for only those portions determined to have changed.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said spreadsheet model maintains information in a plurality of information cells, wherein said ordered information includes a first set of data records describing information cells of the base version, and wherein said additional information includes a second set of data records describing information cells for only those portions of the new version determined to have changed.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 27, wherein each data record of the second set which describes an information cell is a version record storing a changed value for its cell.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 28, wherein each version record further includes a cell location.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 28, wherein each version record further includes an identifier associating the record with a specific new version.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 28, wherein version records for a new version are stored so that a specific new version may be inferred.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 31, wherein version records for a particular new version are grouped as a discrete subset so that the version may be inferred from the ordinal position of the subgroup relative to other subgroups.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 27, further comprising: (c) repeating step (b) for multiple new versions; and (d) storing additional information for each new version as a subsequent subset of said second set of data records.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said spreadsheet model maintains information in a plurality of information cells, and wherein the substep (i) includes comparing each information cell of the new version against a corresponding one of the base version, whereby a difference in value between the two cells is identified as a change.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5121499A
Cited
US5033009A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-04-11 | 1997-10-11 | 1998-04-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-11 | 2001-10-11 | 2002-04-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-11 | 2005-10-11 | 2006-04-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |