Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-02
2001-12-04
Black, Thomas (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327592
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for inputting a plurality of data and a method for calculating these data into a data structure as a table, and outputting calculated results.
This application is based on Patent Application No. Hei 9-194821 filed in Japan, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional data calculators can be classified into two types: a spread-sheet type in which a working table is managed so as to maintain dependence relationships between data by editing the values of cells in the table and by editing a method for calculating values of the cells based on positional information of the cells, and a non-limited processing type in which calculation of data structures is possible by editing the data structures and inputting a calculation method but dependence relationships are not maintained.
The former spread-sheet type calculator comprises a cell data editing section for realizing input, display, and revising operations of a working table and values of the cells in the working table; a calculation method editing section for realizing input, display, and revising operations of a method for performing a calculation between cells by using positional information of the cells; a managing section for managing a cell network in which the cells are regarded as nodes and the calculation method is regarded as an ark, and for maintaining dependence relationships between data structures as inputs or outputs of calculation; and a calculating section for performing calculations between the cells.
When cell data and a calculation method are respectively provided from the cell data editing section and the calculation method editing section to the managing section, the managing section calculates the data of a cell as an output of a calculation according to the calculation method by using the newest data of a cell as an input of the calculation, and displays a calculated result via the cell data editing section.
FIG. 17
is a block diagram showing a structural example of conventional spread-sheet type data calculator
201
. As shown in the figure, data calculator
201
consists of cell data editing section
202
, calculation method editing section
203
, managing section
204
, calculating section
205
, and working-table/cell-network storage section
206
. The working-table/cell-network storage section
206
stores a cell network and a working table, and is managed by the managing section
204
.
The cell data editing section
202
realizes a display operation (see arrow
2
A in FIG.
17
), an input operation (see arrow
2
B), and a revising operation (see arrow
2
C) with respect to cell data, and if cell data are changed by an input or revising operation, the changed cell data is communicated to managing section
204
(see arrow
2
H).
When a change of cell data is communicated (see arrow
2
H), the managing section
204
updates the cell network stored in the cell network storage section (see arrow
2
M). After that, the managing section detects cells which must be recalculated, a necessary calculation method, and the data of the cells used for calculation, by referring to the cell network (see arrow
2
L), and provides detected information to calculating section
205
as recalculation information (see arrow
2
K).
In calculating section
205
, necessary calculations are performed according to the recalculation information. Cell data as calculated results are given to managing section
204
(see arrow
2
J), and managing section
204
informs cell data editing section
202
of the cell data (see arrow
2
G). In this way, cell data editing section
202
displays the new cell data in a display section (not shown) (see arrow
2
A).
The calculation method editing section
203
realizes a display operation (see arrow
2
D), an input operation (see arrow
2
E), and a revising operation (see arrow
2
F). When the calculation method is changed according to an input or revising operation, the new calculation method is communicated to managing section
204
(see arrow
2
I).
In this way, managing section
204
updates the cell network (see arrow
2
M), and then detects cells which must be recalculated, a necessary calculation method, and data of the cells used for calculation, by referring to the cell network (see arrow
2
L), and provides detected information to calculating section
205
as recalculation information (see arrow
2
K).
In calculating section
205
, necessary calculations are performed according to the recalculation information. Cell data as calculated results are given to managing section
204
(see arrow
2
J), and managing section
204
informs cell data editing section
202
of the cell data (see arrow
2
G). In this way, cell data editing section
202
displays the new cell data in the display section (see arrow
2
A).
FIG. 18
is a diagram showing an example of the display screen in the conventional spread-sheet type data calculator as shown in FIG.
17
. This example relates to two branch offices (Tokyo and Osaka) of a company and shows results of calculations in which sales volume per an employee is calculated for each branch office based on data relating to the sales volume and the number of employees in both branch offices for the present and previous year.
In the display screen as shown in
FIG. 18
, selected cell display label
401
for indicating a cell for which data or a calculation method is edited; selected cell edit entry
402
for performing input, edit, or display of cell data or a calculation method; and working table
411
are displayed.
The working table
411
has a structure of a two-dimensional array of cells, and comprises line headers
404
, column headers
403
, and scroll bars
408
and
410
. A user can select a cell (i.e., selected cell)
409
to be edited by using a pointing device like a mouse, a cursor key of a keyboard, or the like. A display effect like a shade is added to selected cell
409
so as to be identifiable at a glance. When each of tables
405
-
407
is made using an area of working table
411
, an optional function which modifies the display of the ruled lines is used so as to make the structure of the tables easily recognizable.
The index indicating coordinate values of selected cell
409
is always displayed in selected cell display label
401
. A user can edit the table by selecting a cell and editing a value or a formula relating to the cell via the selected cell edit entry
402
. In the example of
FIG. 18
, cell
409
(the position thereof is “D
14
”)is selected, and formula “=D
4
/D
9
” is input. In this way, calculated result “6” is displayed in selected cell
409
.
Here, the formula “=D
4
/D
9
” indicates that selected cell
409
is set to be a value obtained by dividing the value of cell D
4
by the value of cell D
9
. The cells D
4
and D
9
appearing in this formula can be designated using the relative coordinates with respect to the selected cell
409
. In this example, cell D
4
indicates a cell existing in the same column as selected cell
409
and ten lines above the line of cell
409
, while cell D
9
indicates a cell existing in the same column as selected cell
409
and five lines above the line of cell
409
. That is, the calculation method of the value of cell D
14
can be defined using relative coordinates such as “dividing the value of a cell ten lines above the target cell by the value of a cell five lines above the target cell”. In this way, the value of each cell of table
407
of the sales volume per an employee, the third table in
FIG. 18
, (that is, the values of the cells belonging to a rectangular area defined by three horizontal cells and three vertical cells, specified by two corner cells C
13
and E
15
) can be calculated using the same calculation method. Therefore, by copying the relevant calculation method from a cell to another cell in turn, calculation methods used for these nine cells can easily be designated.
In the spread-sheet type calculato
Black Thomas
Foley & Lardner
Le Uyen
NEC Corporation
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