Method and apparatus for generating and performing operations on table type databases using icons

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein said selected operation is one of arithmetic, logical, function and user defined operations.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said tables includes a plurality of columns, a plurality of rows and a plurality of cells formed at intersections between said rows and said columns, said cells each contains data related to attributes of a column and a row which intersect each other forming said cell.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed between data contained in cells having the same position in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 3, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed between data contained in cells having different positions in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 3, wherein said operation is selected by displaying column icons representing columns of said at least two tables, displaying a pop-up menu when one of said columns is selected and permitting said user to select one of a plurality of menu items of said pop-up menu thereby indicating an operation to be performed on data in said one column.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 7, wherein said selected operation is one of arithmetic, logical, function and user defined operations.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 7, wherein each of said tables includes a plurality of columns, a plurality of rows and a plurality of cells formed at intersections between said rows and said columns, said cells each contains data related to attributes of a column and a row which intersect each other forming said cell.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 9, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed between data contained in cells having the same position in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 9, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed between data contained in cells having different positions in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 9, wherein said operation is selected by displaying column icons representing columns of said at least two tables, displaying a pop-up menu when one of said columns is selected and permitting said user to select one of a plurality of menu items of said pop-up menu thereby indicating an operation to be performed on data in said one column.

Claim 15

An information processing apparatus for permitting a user to perform operations between data of at least two tables, said data of said at least two tables being stored in memory connected to said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising: a display for displaying information; a terminal for permitting a user to input commands and information; an information processing unit for displaying on said display table icons each representing one of said at least two tables, permitting a user to move one of said table icons on said display to a position where the display of said one table icon overlaps the display of another of said at least two table icons and selected in operation to be executed between data of tables corresponding to said one table icon and said another table icon, automatically executing said selected operation when said one table icon is moved to a position overlapping said another table icon, generating a new table including data resulting from said selected operation and a new table icon representing said new table, and displaying on said display said new table icon representing said new table.

Claim 16

An information processing apparatus for permitting a user to perform operations between data of at least two tables, said data of said at least two tables being stored in memory connected to said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising: a display for displaying information; a terminal for permitting a user to input commands and information; an information processing unit for displaying on said display table icons each representing one of said at least two tables, permitting a user to move one of said table icons on said display to a position where the display of said one table icon overlaps the display of another of said at least two table icons and selected in operation to be executed between data of tables corresponding to said one table icon and said another table icon, automatically executing said selected operation when said one table icon is moved to a position overlapping said another table icon, generating a new table including data resulting from said selected operation and a new table icon representing said new table, and displaying on said display said new table icon representing said new table.

Claim 17

An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said selected operation is one of arithmetic, logical, function and user defined operations.

Claim 18

An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each of said tables includes a plurality of columns, a plurality of rows and a plurality of cells formed at intersections between said rows and said columns, said cells each contains data related to attributes of a column and a row which intersect each other forming said cell.

Claim 19

An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed by said information processing unit between data contained in cells having the same position in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 20

An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed by said information processing unit between data contained in cells having different positions in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 21

An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein by said information processing unit said operation to be selected by displaying column icons representing columns of said at least two tables, displaying a pop-up menu when one of said columns is selected and permitting said user to select one of a plurality of menu items of said pop-up menu thereby indicating an operation to be performed on data in said one column.

Claim 22

An information processing apparatus for permitting a user to perform operations between data of a plurality of tables, said data of said at least two tables being stored in memory connected to said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising: a display for displaying information; a terminal for permitting a user to input commands and information; an information processing unit for displaying on said display table icons each representing one of said tables, displaying on said display an operational icon representing an operation selected by a user to be performed between data of at least two tables, permitting a user to open an operational window by selecting said operational icon, permitting said user to move table icons on said display corresponding to said at least two tables to a position where the displays of said table icons corresponding to said at least two tables are within said operational window, automatically executing said selected operation represented by said operational icon between data of said at least two tables when said table icons corresponding to said at least two tables are moved to a position within said operational window, generating a new table including data resulting from said selected operation and a new table icon representing said new table, and displaying on said display said new table icon representing said new table.

Claim 23

An information processing apparatus for permitting a user to perform operations between data of a plurality of tables, said data of said at least two tables being stored in memory connected to said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising: a display for displaying information; a terminal for permitting a user to input commands and information; an information processing unit for displaying on said display table icons each representing one of said tables, displaying on said display an operational icon representing an operation selected by a user to be performed between data of at least two tables, permitting a user to open an operational window by selecting said operational icon, permitting said user to move table icons on said display corresponding to said at least two tables to a position where the displays of said table icons corresponding to said at least two tables are within said operational window, automatically executing said selected operation represented by said operational icon between data of said at least two tables when said table icons corresponding to said at least two tables are moved to a position within said operational window, generating a new table including data resulting from said selected operation and a new table icon representing said new table, and displaying on said display said new table icon representing said new table.

Claim 24

An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said selected operation is one of arithmetic, logical, function and user defined operations.

Claim 25

An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of said tables includes a plurality of columns, a plurality of rows and a plurality of cells formed at intersections between said rows and said columns, said cells each contains data related to attributes of a column and a row which intersect each other forming said cell.

Claim 26

An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed by said information processing unit between data contained in cells having the same position in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 27

An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said selected operation is automatically executed by said information processing unit between data contained in cells having different positions in said tables corresponding to said one and said another table icons.

Claim 28

An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein by said information processing unit permits said operation to be selected by displaying column icons representing columns of said at least two tables, displaying a pop-up menu when one of said columns is selected and permitting said user to select one of a plurality of menu items of said pop-up menu thereby indicating an operation to be performed on data in said one column.