Infinite Canvas Table Objects for Flexible Spreadsheet Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional spreadsheet applications lack flexibility in formatting, moving, and resizing tables, as they are not encapsulated as single objects, limiting their independence and functionality.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an infinite canvas workspace where objects, including tables, can be individually formatted, moved, and resized, with each object providing standard spreadsheet functionalities and updating content automatically based on references to other cells, allowing for a more flexible and interoperable spreadsheet paradigm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tables are organized as subsets of rows and columns in a traditional spreadsheet grid, then spreadsheet functionalities such as data entry, formulas, and cell references are maintained, but the tables lack flexibility to be formatted, moved, resized, or scaled as single independent objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traditional spreadsheet grid structure by extracting tables as independent objects from the cell-based grid. Each table becomes a self-contained entity that can be manipulated separately, while still maintaining its internal cell structure for spreadsheet functionalities. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing tables to be moved, resized, and formatted as single objects without disrupting the underlying grid system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where tables are embedded within the spreadsheet workspace but maintain their own internal cell-based structure. The table object contains cells, rows, and columns internally, while externally it behaves as a single manipulable entity. This nesting allows tables to preserve spreadsheet functionalities internally while gaining object-based manipulation capabilities externally.
2Ease of operation
If all content is encapsulated in individual objects on an infinite canvas, then flexibility and independence of objects are improved, but the ability to provide standard spreadsheet functionalities across objects becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes table objects universal by enabling them to perform multiple functions: they can be manipulated as graphical objects (moved, resized, formatted) and simultaneously provide spreadsheet functionalities (data entry, formulas, cell references). This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by allowing a single object type to serve both ease of operation and spreadsheet functionality requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the object manipulation interface and the spreadsheet functionality engine. The table object acts as a mediator that receives graphical manipulation commands while internally maintaining cell structures that interface with the spreadsheet calculation engine. This intermediary structure allows independent object manipulation while preserving spreadsheet functionalities.
Data Source
AI summary
Providing an infinite or seemingly infinite canvas as a workspace is disclosed. In some embodiments, an ability to add to a displayed canvas and view simultaneously one or more table objects, each of which has associated with it an ability to define the content of a first cell by reference to one or more other cells such that the content of the first cell is updated automatically and without further human intervention if the content of one or more of the one or more other cells is changed, is provided.