Location Manager for Spreadsheet Data Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current spreadsheet technologies do not effectively integrate location information to enhance user interaction, such as filtering data, detecting data sources, and performing calculations based on user location, limiting their functionality in location-aware applications.

Innovation Solution

Integrating location information into spreadsheet formulas and operations to enable location-based filtering, data source detection, and triggering alerts, using a location manager to manage and convert location data, and allowing collaboration with nearby users and data sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If location information is integrated into spreadsheet formulas and operations, then user interaction and functionality are enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidcomplexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A location manager component is introduced as an intermediary between the spreadsheet application and the location data source. The location manager handles location data acquisition, conversion, and management, allowing the spreadsheet formulas to use location information without directly dealing with the complexity of location services. This mediator pattern resolves the contradiction by isolating the complexity in a dedicated component while enabling enhanced functionality throughout the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into distinct functional components: the spreadsheet application, the location manager, and various data sources. The location manager is further segmented into specific functions such as obtaining location data, converting location formats, and managing location-based operations. This segmentation allows each component to handle its specific task independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining enhanced adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If location data is obtained and converted using a location manager, then location-based filtering and detection are enabled, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation-based functionalityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The location manager obtains and converts location data in advance before the spreadsheet operations require it. By performing location data acquisition and conversion preliminarily, the system avoids time-consuming operations during critical spreadsheet processing moments, thus enabling location-based functionality while minimizing processing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If spreadsheet applications integrate with nearby data sources and users, then collaboration and data detection capabilities are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaboration capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The location manager is designed as a universal component that handles multiple functions: obtaining location data, converting location formats, detecting nearby data sources, and enabling collaboration with nearby users. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional component, the system achieves improved collaboration capability while managing system complexity through functional integration rather than proliferation of separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2652603B1Location aware spreadsheet actions
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2652603B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2652603B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2652603B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Location information is integrated with spreadsheet formulas and operations. Location information may be used in filtering data, detecting data sources, performing calculations, and the like. The data may be filtered by location, individuals, places, and other location based information. The location information may be integrated into native spreadsheet formulas to perform calculations, trigger alerts, or drive other spreadsheet business logic. The location information may also be used to detect and use nearby data sources that are published near the spreadsheet user.