18391091. MULTIPLE DATAPOINT FORMATS IN SPREADSHEETS simplified abstract (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)

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MULTIPLE DATAPOINT FORMATS IN SPREADSHEETS

Organization Name

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Inventor(s)

Derek Liddell of Renton WA (US)

MULTIPLE DATAPOINT FORMATS IN SPREADSHEETS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18391091 titled 'MULTIPLE DATAPOINT FORMATS IN SPREADSHEETS

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a system that allows multiple values to be stored and referenced individually in a spreadsheet or table cell.

  • The application identifies the format of a cell with multiple data points.
  • Multiple values corresponding to the data points are stored in the cell as separately referenceable values.
  • Formulas in other cells or sub-routines can reference individual values in the cell.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in various fields such as finance, data analysis, and project management where complex data structures need to be managed efficiently.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of efficiently storing and referencing multiple values within a single cell in a spreadsheet or table, making data manipulation and analysis more streamlined and organized.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved data organization, enhanced data analysis capabilities, and increased efficiency in managing complex data structures.

Potential Commercial Applications

A potential commercial application of this technology could be in the development of advanced spreadsheet software for businesses and organizations that rely heavily on data analysis and management.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of custom functions or scripts in spreadsheet software to manipulate data within cells, but the specific method of storing and referencing multiple values individually in a cell may be a novel innovation.

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology handle large datasets with multiple values in each cell?

The patent application does not provide details on how the system manages large datasets with multiple values in each cell. Further information on scalability and performance with large datasets would be beneficial.

Are there any limitations to the types of data that can be stored and referenced in a cell using this technology?

The patent application does not address any potential limitations on the types of data that can be stored and referenced in a cell. Understanding any constraints or restrictions on the data types would be important for users looking to implement this technology in their workflows.


Original Abstract Submitted

Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein that allow multiple values to be stored and referenced individually in a spreadsheet or table cell. In an implementation, an application identifies a format of a cell in a spreadsheet with a format having multiple data points. The application receives multiple values corresponding to the multiple data points and stores each value of the multiple values in the cell as a separately referenceable value with respect to each other value of the multiple values. In some implementations, formulas in other cells or sub-routines can reference an individual one of the values in the cell.