Patents by Inventor Charles D. Ellis

Charles D. Ellis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10169318
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zeng, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 9792273
    Abstract: A spreadsheet application or other application supporting formulaic cells that automatically provides support for a number of diverse formulaic functions. The automatically provided diverse formulaic functions include a function returning the value of the formula logic if the logic can be evaluated without an error. Another function finds a value in a formulaic cell that is in the same row as a particular value from the first column and the same column as a particular value in the first row. Other functions allow a selection of a set of multiple lookup rows and columns for matching the values used as variables in the function. The spreadsheet application is further configured to automatically supply other functions in addition to those described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Roy Simkhay, Charles D. Ellis, Alexander Babanov, David F. Gainer, Daniel P. Cory, Matthew J. Androski, Andrew J. Becker, Jeremy R. Pankratz, Monica McAmis, Simon Loftus Peyton Jones
  • Publication number: 20170097924
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zeng, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 9507496
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zeng, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 9317495
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and calling workbook models via remote function calls. According to the system, a client computer executes a spreadsheet program for creating a workbook model. The workbook model may be published to a server computer along with data defining a function name and the cells that should be used as inputs and outputs to the model. The system also includes a server computer that receives and responds to remote function calls directed toward workbook functions. When a function call is received at the server computer for a workbook function, the server computer populates the cells in the workbook identified as inputs with input parameters received with the function call and recalculates the workbook. The data contained in the output cells is then returned as a reply to the remote function call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Dan Y. Khen, Charles D. Ellis, Liviu Asnash, Eran Megiddo, Ira Levin, Simon Peyton-Jones
  • Publication number: 20140229813
    Abstract: A spreadsheet application or other application supporting formulaic cells that automatically provides support for a number of diverse formulaic functions. The automatically provided diverse formulaic functions include a function returning the value of the formula logic if the logic can be evaluated without an error. Another function finds a value in a formulaic cell that is in the same row as a particular value from the first column and the same column as a particular value in the first row. Other functions allow a selection of a set of multiple lookup rows and columns for matching the values used as variables in the function. The spreadsheet application is further configured to automatically supply other functions in addition to those described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roy Simkhay, Charles D. Ellis, Alexander Babanov, David F. Gainer, Daniel P. Cory, Matthew J. Androski, Andrew J. Becker, Jeremy R. Pankratz, Monica McAmis, Simon Loftus Peyton Jones
  • Publication number: 20140195887
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zeng, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 8745482
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zeng, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 8726143
    Abstract: A spreadsheet application or other application supporting formulaic cells that automatically provides support for a number of diverse formulaic functions. The automatically provided diverse formulaic functions include a function returning the value of the formula logic if the logic can be evaluated without an error. Another function finds a value in a formulaic cell that is in the same row as a particular value from the first column and the same column as a particular value in the first row. Other functions allow a selection of a set of multiple lookup rows and columns for matching the values used as variables in the function. The spreadsheet application is further configured to automatically supply other functions in addition to those described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Roy Simkhay, Charles D. Ellis, Alexander Babanov, David F. Gainer, Daniel P. Cory, Matthew J. Androski, Andrew J. Becker, Jeremy R. Pankratz, Monica McAmis, Simon Loftus Peyton Jones
  • Publication number: 20130339832
    Abstract: Table styles provide a way to format an entire spreadsheet table quickly and easily. According to described implementations, table styles can be created and customized for repeated use in a spreadsheet application. As a result, a user does not have to manually modify multiple formatting options for each table included in one or more spreadsheets. A graphical user interface is also described that provides simple user access to existing table styles that can be modified according to the user's requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Roy Simkhay, David F. Gainer, Tom J. Hoke, Benjamin C. Chamberlain, Paavany Jayanty, Charles D. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8584004
    Abstract: A framework for enabling users to create User Defined Functions (UDFs), which can run simultaneously without using multiple calculation threads, is provided. A calculation engine continues a remainder of calculation operations independent of a pending asynchronous function upon starting to run the asynchronous function without waiting to receive a result. The result value is introduced to the computation at a later time during the calculation cycle, when it is received or completed by the calculation engine. When the results are received, downstream operations such as dependent functions are calculated without changing a flow of dependencies within the operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chris L. Rae, Charles D. Ellis, Jeffrey J. Duzak
  • Patent number: 8578399
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and calling workbook models via remote function calls. According to the system, a client computer executes a spreadsheet program for creating a workbook model. The workbook model may be published to a server computer along with data defining a function name and the cells that should be used as inputs and outputs to the model. The system also includes a server computer that receives and responds to remote function calls directed toward workbook functions. When a function call is received at the server computer for a workbook function, the server computer populates the cells in the workbook identified as inputs with input parameters received with the function call and recalculates the workbook. The data contained in the output cells is then returned as a reply to the remote function call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Y. Khen, Charles D. Ellis, Liviu Asnash, Eran Megiddo, Ira Levin, Simon Peyton-Jones
  • Patent number: 8549392
    Abstract: Table styles provide a way to format an entire spreadsheet table quickly and easily. According to described implementations, table styles can be created and customized for repeated use in a spreadsheet application. As a result, a user does not have to manually modify multiple formatting options for each table included in one or more spreadsheets. A graphical user interface is also described that provides simple user access to existing table styles that can be modified according to the user's requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Roy Simkhay, David F. Gainer, Tom J. Hoke, Benjamin C. Chamberlain, Paavany Jayanty, Charles D. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20130013995
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and calling workbook models via remote function calls. According to the system, a client computer executes a spreadsheet program for creating a workbook model. The workbook model may be published to a server computer along with data defining a function name and the cells that should be used as inputs and outputs to the model. The system also includes a server computer that receives and responds to remote function calls directed toward workbook functions. When a function call is received at the server computer for a workbook function, the server computer populates the cells in the workbook identified as inputs with input parameters received with the function call and recalculates the workbook. The data contained in the output cells is then returned as a reply to the remote function call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Y. Khen, Charles D. Ellis, Liviu Asnash, Eran Megiddo, Ira Levin, Simon Peyton-Jones
  • Patent number: 8161372
    Abstract: Individual cells within a spreadsheet may contain an extensible value as defined by an extensible value type. The extensible value type is a user defined value type that is incorporated into the spreadsheet as a supported data type. Generally, the extensible data types provide support for types that are not internally defined by a spreadsheet. When the extensible value type is defined, an associated set of functions are developed to operate on the type. These functions are added to the set of base functions supported by the spreadsheet. The functions, therefore, behave in a substantially similar manner to the set of base spreadsheet functions. The extensible values that are contained within the cells may be acted upon in the same way that supported base types are acted upon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, Matthew J. Androski, Robert G. Hawking, Simon Peyton Jones
  • Patent number: 7933862
    Abstract: A method of conditionally formatting a display of data is disclosed that involves providing a preliminary display automatically showing the intended consequences of the condition applied to the data prior to making the condition actually apply to the data. This is especially useful in analysis of spreadsheet data by conditionally formatting certain data. The method involves identifying one or more parameters of the data to be conditionally formatted on the display, selecting a predetermined condition; and automatically applying temporarily the predetermined condition to the parameter(s), displaying a temporary preview on the display of the predetermined condition applied to data that meet the predetermined condition. The method also provides the capability to preliminarily change the conditions and parameters applied to the data and automatically provide appropriate previews of the effect of such application of changed conditions on the displayed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin C. Chamberlain, Brandon G. Weber, Bruce Cordell Jones, Charles D. Ellis, Christopher M. Street, David E. Gainer, Eric B. Vigesaa
  • Publication number: 20100325526
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zhen, Dave McDonald
  • Publication number: 20100312748
    Abstract: Cube functions may be used to obtain data from a multidimensional database. The cube functions may be contained within one or more cells of a spreadsheet. These cube functions behave similarly to the standard functions that may be included within a spreadsheet. Exemplary cube functions include obtaining: a cube member, a cube value, a cube set, a ranked member, a KPI, a member property and a count relating to a set. The cube functions within the spreadsheet may access the cube data from one or more multidimensional databases. Using the cube formulas in individual cells allows the user to add/delete rows and/or columns from within the spreadsheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Howard J. Dickerman, Brian W. Boon, Charles D. Ellis, Kaicheng Hu, Robert G. Hawking
  • Patent number: 7849395
    Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and user interfaces for organizing data displayed within a data application. Specifically, the present invention provides methods and systems for arranging the display of the data by a format applied to one or more portions of the data. The formats comprise different visual characteristics of the displayed data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application organizes the data by the fill color of the cell, the font color of the data within the cell, or the type of icon inserted into the cell. The organizations comprise any type of rearrangement of the data. In exemplary embodiments, the data application sorts or filters the displayed data according to the format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Ellis, David F. Gainer, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Yonghong Zhen, Dave McDonald
  • Patent number: 7807042
    Abstract: A system and method for automated patch clamp analysis of biological tissue such as cellular membrane. A biological membrane is applied to a porous semiconductor substrate, and laser energy is imparted thereon. Voltage clamped electrodes detect current across the membrane to indicate ion channel activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Auburn University
    Inventors: Vitaly J. Vodanoy, Solomon Yilma, Charles D. Ellis, Bogdan M. Wilamowski, Thomas Hasling