Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Mingchi Stephen Mak

Akhil Arora

Herbert Ong

Paul J Rank

Brian A Cameron

David J Proulx

Methods and Systems in accordance with the present invention provide a file format for storing spreadsheets compactly on PDAs. PDAs only contain a limited amount of computer memory due to their small size and processing ability. To reduce memory constraints caused by PDA spreadsheet applications, the present invention reduces memory allocated for file storage by optimizing the compression of individual spreadsheet files within a database record storage system. This method and system in accordance with the present invention uses a collection of records to represent a spreadsheet file.

Method and apparatus for a file format for storing spreadsheet compactly

A generic conversion framework that allows developers to develop custom plug-in conversion algorithms and/or merge algorithms (referred to as pluggable modules). In one embodiment, document merging may be split into two processes including a document differencing process and a document merging process. The converter, differencing and merger processes may be implemented as separate pluggable modules, allowing multiple, independent passes of implementations of the differencing process and the merge process. The framework may accept document converter plug-in modules, merger plug-in modules and/or differencing plug-in modules to be added, updated or replaced as needed. In one embodiment, the modules may be plugged into the framework dynamically at runtime. In one embodiment, a plug-in module of one type may be used with two or more different modules of another type.

Generic infrastructure for converting documents between formats with merge capabilities

An invention is provided for displaying two-dimensional data on small screen devices. The invention includes providing a first data set display section on a screen, which is capable of presenting a list of entries in a first data set. In addition, a second data set display section is provided on the screen. The second data set display section is capable of presenting a particular entry from a second data set associated with a selected entry from the first data set. In operation, a new entry from the second data set is presented in the second data set display section in response to receiving a navigation command related to the second data set. The new entry is associated with the selected entry from the first data set.

System and method for displaying two-dimensional data on small screen devices

Converting document formatted for use on servers to and from documents formatted for use on small devices, including synchronizing two or more versions of the document. A user may edit documents formatted for use on small devices and the documents may be synchronized with documents on the server to keep the documents up to date. In one embodiment, an n-way merge process may restore document formatting, styles and/or data features that may have been lost from one or more documents when converting from an office format to a small device format. In one embodiment, the server may provide an office productivity environment, and the documents on the server may be office documents.

Synchronization of documents between a server and small devices

An invention is provided for presenting time related data on small screen devices is disclosed. The invention includes examining a plurality of time related data entries to obtain a start time and an end time for each time related data entry, and generating a time bar based on the time related data. The time bar includes a plurality of pixels, wherein a predefined block of pixels represents a particular period of time. The time bar also includes a plurality of indicia, such as hour numbers, indicating a plurality of times. The start time and the end time of each time related data entry are correlated to pixels on the time bar, and an intensity of pixels on the time bar between the start time and the end time of each time related data entry is changed.

System and method for presenting time related data on a small screen device

Converting a document in a small device format and merging the converted document with an original version of the document in an office productivity format. A document on a server may be converted to a small device format. Some information may be dropped from the document during conversion. The converted document may be transferred to a small device for editing. The edited document may be transferred back to the server for synchronization with the original document. After transferal, the edited document may be converted back to the original document format on the server and analyzed to determine differences between the edited document and the original document. The determined differences may be applied to the original document to merge the small device document with the original document. Information that was lost during the original conversion of the document may be restored to the merged document during the conversion/merge process.

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Belmont, CA, United States of America

Mingchi Stephen Mak