Floating Data Objects in Spreadsheet Grid-Canvas Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spreadsheet solutions fail to efficiently move data or data objects from a grid-structured spreadsheet to another format without losing underlying formulas, leading to errors when trying to reinsert modified data objects, and do not allow for seamless manipulation and presentation of data in a professional or visually engaging way.
Innovation Solution
Implementing seamless grid and canvas integration in spreadsheet applications, allowing data objects to float on the grid without affecting the underlying structure, maintain references, and be easily moved between grid-structured spreadsheets and canvas-like interfaces, ensuring that both data and computational connections are preserved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If data objects are extracted from grid-structured spreadsheet for use in other documents, then the data can be presented in a more professional and visually engaging way, but the underlying formulas and computational functionality are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the grid structure that can be independently manipulated. This visual copy maintains references to the original grid data while allowing free movement and rearrangement on the canvas, preserving both the visual presentation quality and computational functionality through the reference mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reference mechanism as an intermediary between the visual copy and the original grid. This reference system allows the visual copy to maintain connections to the source data while being freely manipulable on the canvas, solving the contradiction between visual flexibility and data integrity.
2Ease of operation
If data objects are moved between grid-structured spreadsheet and canvas interface, then the data can be freely arranged and manipulated, but errors occur when trying to reinsert modified data objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an independent visual copy that can be freely manipulated on the canvas without affecting the original grid. When moving data back, the system uses the reference mechanism to properly reposition the visual copy while maintaining all computational relationships, preventing errors that would occur with direct manipulation of the original grid data.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference mechanism serves as an intermediary that manages the relationship between the visual copy and original grid during movement operations. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of maintaining references during reinsertion, ensuring data integrity while allowing flexible manipulation.
3Ease of operation
If a grid-structured spreadsheet is used, then data manipulation is easy and structured, but the visual presentation becomes less professional and engaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spreadsheet functionality into two independent parts: the original grid-structured spreadsheet for easy data manipulation and computation, and a separate visual copy for professional presentation. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific purpose without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual copy replicates the grid structure's functionality while providing a professional visual presentation. Users can manipulate data in the original grid and see changes reflected in the visual copy, achieving both ease of manipulation and professional presentation simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Seamless grid and canvas integration in a spreadsheet application is provided. One or more data items may be pulled from a grid-structured spreadsheet and may be allowed to “float” on the grid-structure spreadsheet without regard to the underlying grid. The floating object may be pushed or inserted back into the grid of the same or different spreadsheet at any location. A pulled data object also may be dropped onto a grid-less canvas user interface object and may be moved about on the canvas object in a free form manner. References between data and computations in the moved data object are structured and maintained so that the data object may be manipulated and increased/decreased without adversely affecting the underlying grid and such that both data and computational references between the data object and the underlying grid are maintained.