US 11,699,032 B2Granted

Data set lookup with binary search integration and caching

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsPrashant Anand Shirolkar, George Randell Dong, Henry Nathan Shomber, Jeffrey James Duzak

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for identifying a target value in a data set are presented. A request for a first target value in a data array may be received, wherein the request comprises first reference value. The data array may comprise a plurality of values and a plurality of value types included in one or more tables in a computer-implemented spreadsheet application. An index comprising a plurality of sorted reference numbers corresponding to a plurality of values in the data array may be generated based on the request. The index may be searched, and based at least on the search, the first reference value may be identified. In additional examples, the index may be cached and utilized to process additional target value requests that reference an overlapping range value with the first request.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for identifying a target value in a data set, the computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying a data array;
receiving a request for a first target value in the data array, the request including parameters specifying both:
a reference value with a first value type, and
a range of cells;
determining that the displayed data array is sorted in a first order according to a second value type;
generating in memory, while maintaining the displayed data array in the first order, an index comprising a plurality of row numbers from the data array corresponding to the range of cells included in the request, wherein the index has a same quantity of row numbers as a quantity corresponding to the range of cells included in the request;
sorting the plurality of row numbers in the index by a corresponding value of the first value type in the data array;
searching the sorted index for the reference value to locate a row number in the data array corresponding to the reference value in the data array;
identifying the first target value in the data array based on the row number corresponding to the reference value;
and
visually emphasizing the first target value in the displayed data array.

8 more elements

A system for identifying a target value in a data set, the system comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code;
and
one or more processors, functionally coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to:
display a data array;
receive a request for a first target value in the data array, the request including parameters specifying both:
a reference value with a first value type, and
a range of cells;
determine that the displayed data array is sorted in a first order according to a second value type;
generate in memory, while maintaining the displayed data array in the first order, an index comprising a plurality of row numbers from the data array corresponding to the range of cells included in the request, wherein the index has a same quantity of row numbers as a quantity corresponding to the range of cells included in the request;
sort the plurality of row numbers in the index by a corresponding value of the first value type in the data array;
search the sorted index for the reference value to locate a row number in the data array corresponding to the reference value in the data array;
identify the first target value in the data array based on the row number corresponding to the reference value;
and
visually emphasizing the first target value in the displayed data array.

11 more elements

A computer-readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, assists with identifying requested information from data represented in a spreadsheet application, the computer-readable storage device including instructions executable by the one or more processors for:

displaying a data array;
receiving a request for a first target value in the data array, the request including parameters specifying both:
a reference value with a first value type, and
a range of cells;
determining that the displayed data array is sorted in a first order according to a second value type;
generating in memory, while maintaining the displayed data array in the first order, an index comprising a plurality of row numbers from the data array corresponding to the range of cells included in the request, wherein the index has a same quantity of row numbers as a quantity corresponding to the range of cells included in the request;
sorting the plurality of row numbers in the index by a corresponding value of the first value type in the data array;
searching the sorted index for the reference value to locate a row number in the data array corresponding to the reference value in the data array;
identifying the first target value in the data array based on the row number corresponding to the reference value;
and
visually emphasizing the first target value in the displayed data array.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.