Method and system for assigning screen designation codes

Abstract

A method and system for assigning screen designation codes is disclosed. A method of assigning screen designation codes includes assigning a first screen designation code to a first spreadsheet object, wherein the first screen designation code is associated with a first display screen of a multi-component display. A second screen designation code is assigned to a second spreadsheet object, wherein the second screen designation code is associated with a second display screen of the multi-component display. The first and second screen designation codes are operable to implement a simultaneous display of the first spreadsheet object on the first display screen and the second spreadsheet object on the second display screen.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 049,271, filed Feb. 6, 2002, naming Gabriel D. Engel and Pita Witehira as inventors, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and having attorney docket number PURE-P012, which claims the benefit of International Patent Application Number PCT / NZ00 / 00162, filed Aug. 18, 2000, which claims the benefit of New Zealand Patent Number 337333, filed Aug. 19, 1999. Each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Reference throughout this specification shall be made to use of the present invention in relation to the display of data in spreadsheets. However, it should be appreciated that aspects of the present invention can be used in relation to displaying data presented in other formats, perhaps graphically or in some other format for displaying in particular relational data.[0003]There are ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for creating a visual effect in software that allows users to display and interact with data on multiple screens. This is achieved by assigning screen designation codes to different groups of data, which determine which physical screen the data is displayed on. The screens can be liquid crystal displays, and the software can be a spreadsheet program or other types of software. The invention allows users to see more data and interact with it more easily and comfortably. It can also be used in error tracking, for example, to show where errors occurred or what cells are affected. The invention can be implemented by adding customized software or recording media with instructions on it. Overall, the invention provides a more efficient and effective way to display and interact with data on multiple screens.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, this is still unsatisfactory.

While the user can choose which spreadsheet to view, the user cannot see the effect that changing a cell on one spreadsheet has on another cell on the other spreadsheet.

Another problem is that it can take some time for a user to locate a particular cell.

Unfortunately, these attempts are still unsatisfactory.

One problem with this system is that although there may be inter-relational data, there is no physical feel of the relationship between the cells.

However, positioning the spreadsheets beside each other on the screen does not provide an intuitive feel of the relationship of the cells to each other.

Another problem that occurs is that often the single cell has two lots of data assigned to it.

This is understandably frustrating, particularly when a person is desirous of quickly viewing and assessing the relationship between a number of cells to each other.

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