Table Manager for Live Workbook Editing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data processing technologies struggle to efficiently allow multiple clients to live edit a workbook without altering the underlying data, particularly in cloud-based data warehouses, due to complexity in composing and issuing database queries.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a table manager that receives requests from clients to edit a workbook in exploration mode, applies exploration edits to the workbook without altering the underlying data, and presents these edits to other clients in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple clients edit a workbook simultaneously in a cloud-based data warehouse, then collaboration efficiency is improved, but system complexity and query composition difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a workbook service as an intermediary layer between clients and the cloud database. This service handles query composition, data synchronization, and edit coordination, shielding clients from system complexity while enabling efficient collaboration. The workbook service translates user edits into standardized database operations and manages real-time synchronization across multiple clients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a local copy of workbook data in each client's memory, allowing clients to edit data locally without directly querying the cloud database for every change. This copying mechanism reduces network traffic and database complexity while maintaining real-time collaboration through selective synchronization of changes to the cloud service.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex database queries are composed to access and manipulate data, then data access capability is improved, but user operation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The workbook service automatically generates and executes the necessary database queries based on user interface interactions. When users perform operations like filtering, sorting, or editing data, the service self-services by composing the appropriate SQL queries, executing them against the cloud database, and returning results. This eliminates the need for users to manually compose complex queries while maintaining full data access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The workbook service acts as a mediator that translates simple user interface operations into complex database queries. Users interact with intuitive controls rather than writing SQL, and the service handles the complexity of query composition, parameter binding, and result processing, thereby improving ease of operation without sacrificing data access capability.
3Reliability
If exploration edits are applied to display edits without altering underlying data, then data safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates an exploration copy of the underlying workbook data that can be freely edited without affecting the source data. This copy mechanism allows users to experiment with data transformations, filters, and edits in a safe environment. The exploration copy is maintained in memory or temporary storage, and any edits are applied only to this copy unless explicitly committed back to the underlying data source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data model into at least two distinct layers: the underlying persistent data source and the exploration working copy. This segmentation allows independent manipulation of each layer. The workbook service manages the relationship between these segments, enabling users to switch between viewing original data and exploring edited versions without compromising data safety or requiring complex transaction management.
Data Source
AI summary
Live editing a workbook with multiple clients including receiving, by a table manager, a request by a first client on a first client computing system to edit a workbook in an exploration mode that displays edits to the workbook without altering the workbook; receiving, by the table manager from the first client, an exploration edit targeting the exploration of the workbook; applying, by the table manager, the exploration edit to the exploration of the workbook; and presenting, by the table manager to a second client on a second client computing system, the application of the exploration edit to the exploration of the workbook.