Table Data Sorting and Merging for EDA Interface Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
User interfaces in software applications, particularly those used in electronic design automation, face challenges in managing and presenting massive volumes of data from circuit simulations, which hinders user productivity due to inefficiencies in data sorting and visualization.
Innovation Solution
A system that sorts and merges table rows and columns based on user requests, allowing for stable sorting, merging of consecutive cells with the same values, and displaying cell values in a visible area, while also enabling data plotting and binning for efficient data management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If data is presented in traditional tabular format without sorting and merging, then all data is displayed, but the user interface becomes cluttered and difficult to analyze
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges consecutive rows that have identical values in specified columns into single consolidated rows. This reduces visual clutter and improves readability while preserving all underlying data through indicators that show merged row counts and enable expansion to view individual records when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic table formatting that automatically adjusts based on user interactions. The table can be sorted by different columns, merged to different extents based on column selection, and expanded/collapsed dynamically. This allows the interface to adapt to user needs while maintaining data accessibility.
2Productivity
If all simulation data is displayed in the interface, then complete data is available, but user productivity decreases due to information overload
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the table display into merged units based on identical values in specified columns. Instead of showing every individual row, data is grouped into consolidated rows that represent multiple underlying records. This segmentation reduces the visual complexity of the interface while maintaining access to all data through expansion capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If rows are sorted by multiple columns, then data organization is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary sorting by the first specified column before applying merge operations. This preliminary organization establishes a baseline structure that facilitates subsequent merging and reduces the computational complexity of multi-column sorting by handling the primary grouping first, then applying secondary organization as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a system for displaying cells of a table. During operation, the system can receive a sort-and-merge request for sorting the rows of the table using a sort column. Next, the system can sort the rows of the table based at least on cell values in the sort column to obtain a sorted table. The system can then merge a set of consecutive cells in a merge column of the sorted table to obtain a merged cell, wherein the set of consecutive cells are associated with the same cell value. Note that the sort column and the merge column can be the same column, or they can be different columns. Next, the system can display the merged cell and other cells in the sorted-and-merged table. Displaying a cell can involve positioning the cell's value in a visible area of the cell.