Eric L Patterson

US Patent:

6828988, Dec 7, 2004

Filed:

Feb 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/794691

Inventors:

Margaret G. Hudson - North Bend WA
Tuan Huynh - Seattle WA
Kent R Lowry - Seattle WA
Eric W. Patterson - Issaquah WA
Marcella Rader - Bellevue WA
Mariya Tikunova - Redmond WA

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 314

US Classification:

345711, 345715, 345714

Abstract:

An interactive tooltip provides access to help information and enhanced editing capabilities. The interactive tooltip is especially useful for a user editing a function within a spreadsheet formula. The present invention integrates HTML-like interactivity with a conventional tooltip to provide a new interface for working with the associated data. The interactivity of the tooltip provides additional levels of help or documentation when requested and provides additional editing navigation functionality within the associated data. The present invention provides a tooltip in close proximity to the associated data, while the associated data is being edited. In the case of a spreadsheet, a tooltip will be provided when the user begins editing a function within a spreadsheet cell. The help facility of the present invention recognizes that the user has begun entering a function, when the user has entered an equals sign (identifying a formula), a known function name, and a parenthesis (indicating the beginning of an argument set). The help facility then references a function database and determines the required argument set.

US Patent:

7117430, Oct 3, 2006

Filed:

Feb 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/794595

Inventors:

Keith Mears - Seattle WA, US
May Novack - Kirkland WA, US
Eric W. Patterson - Issaquah WA, US
Marcella Rader - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 15/00

US Classification:

715503, 715504

Abstract:

An error checker identifies spreadsheet errors by traversing a spreadsheet cell-by-cell and comparing each cell's contents to a list of error rules. When a cell's contents satisfy an error rules, then the cell is identified as containing a potential spreadsheet error. The error checker identifies potential spreadsheet errors and marks the cells containing the potential errors with an error indicator. A drop-down menu is provided that includes an element identifying the error rule that was invoked by the cell's contents and may include one or more recommended actions to resolve the identified error.

US Patent:

7127672, Oct 24, 2006

Filed:

Aug 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/646131

Inventors:

Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US
Robert Wayne Coffen - Redmond WA, US
Michael J. McCormack - Snohomish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06N 3/00

US Classification:

715503, 715509

Abstract:

An electronic spreadsheet is provided for automatically creating, expanding, and validating lists of cells. A list is created by receiving a user request for selecting a cell range, identifying a list range for the selected cell range, determining a header row for the list range, and generating a border for surrounding the list range. A list is expanded by determining that one or more cells are adjacent to the list and automatically expanding the list to include the new cells. A list is validated by determining a data type of data entered into the list and comparing the data type of the data entered into the list to a list data type. If, as a result of the comparison, the data type of the data entered into the list does not match the list data type, then the data type of the data entered into the list is invalid.

US Patent:

7225189, May 29, 2007

Filed:

Feb 19, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/782074

Inventors:

Michael J. McCormack - Snohomish WA, US
Robert W. Coffen - Redmond WA, US
Richard L. Dickinson - Seattle WA, US
Sumit Chauhan - Sammamish WA, US
Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US
Paul A. Hafner - Redmond WA, US
Larry Tseng - Sammamish WA, US
Xiaohui Pan - Bellevue WA, US
Michael J. Eatough - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/00

US Classification:

707 10, 715503

Abstract:

Methods and systems provide for bi-directional communication between a spreadsheet application worksheet and a database data source that allows modified data to be written from a spreadsheet application to source data in a database data source from which the original pre-modified data was obtained. Offline data changes in a spreadsheet application are cached by a data provider application and are published to a remote data source when the spreadsheet application is synchronized with the data source. Error conditions and data conflicts resulting from new or modified data published to a database data source from a spreadsheet application worksheet are reported to a user of the spreadsheet application worksheet through a data provider application to allow the user an opportunity to resolve error conditions and data conflicts between the user's data changes and other data changes made to the same source data contained in the database data source.

US Patent:

7533340, May 12, 2009

Filed:

Oct 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/962361

Inventors:

Margaret G. Hudson - North Bend WA, US
Tuan Huynh - Seattle WA, US
Kent R. Lowry - Seattle WA, US
Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US
Marcella Rader - Bellevue WA, US
Mariya Tikunova - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/048

US Classification:

715711

Abstract:

An interactive tooltip provides access to help information and enhanced editing capabilities. The interactive tooltip may be useful for a user editing a function within a spreadsheet formula. The present invention may integrate HTML-like interactivity with a conventional tooltip to provide a new interface for working with the associated data. The interactivity of the tooltip may provide additional levels of help or documentation when requested and may provides additional editing navigation functionality within the associated data. Embodiments of the present invention may provide a tooltip in close proximity to the associated data, while the associated data is being edited. In the case of a spreadsheet, a tooltip may be provided when the user begins editing a function within a spreadsheet cell. The help facility may recognize that the user has begun entering a function.

US Patent:

7788259, Aug 31, 2010

Filed:

Jul 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/490762

Inventors:

Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US
Kristin Michele Tolle - Redmond WA, US
Alexander Martynov - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/30
G06F 15/16
G07G 1/00

US Classification:

707726, 705 10, 709207

Abstract:

A user interface is provided for allowing a user to quickly and easily connect to data and other informational sources. A user can use a user interface to interact with a collection of connection files to quickly and easily connect to various data sources and other informational sources. The user interface is configured to make data sources available at a glance, providing a user with a convenient and comprehensive display of the data sources. The user interface is designed to be a simplified experience for data import that is helpful to both novice and more experienced users in that the data is presented simply without a lot of extraneous information.

US Patent:

8605090, Dec 10, 2013

Filed:

Jun 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/445393

Inventors:

Anupam Garg - Redmond WA, US
Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06T 11/20

US Classification:

345440

Abstract:

Methods and systems are provided for modifying a chart. Chart elements are provided to a user pictorially. Each picture represents a chart modification. The chart elements are used to modify the formatting of a standard chart according to user preferences. The modified chart document is then displayed to the user including user desired formatting.

US Patent:

8638333, Jan 28, 2014

Filed:

Oct 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/574256

Inventors:

Anupam Garg - Redmond WA, US
Eric W. Patterson - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06T 11/20

US Classification:

345440

Abstract:

Methods and systems are provided for modifying a chart. Chart elements are provided to a user pictorially. Each picture represents a chart modification. The chart elements are used to modify the formatting of a standard chart according to user preferences. The modified chart document is then displayed to the user including user desired formatting.