Calculation of spreadsheet data

Abstract

A workbook includes a spreadsheet having cells arranged in columns and rows. The cells include input cells and output cells. The output cells include a formula to be calculated. Calculation of the spreadsheet is divided into multiple tasks. The tasks are assigned among computing nodes within a computing cluster for concurrent calculation of the spreadsheet.

1 . A computing system for controlling a calculation of a spreadsheet workbook, the computing system comprising:
 a communication device for communicating across a communication network;   a processor communicatively connected to the communication device; and   memory storing program instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the computing system to:
 define a spreadsheet workbook including spreadsheet data, the spreadsheet data defining formulas for calculation; 
 receive a user input requesting calculation of the formulas on a computing cluster including computing nodes; 
 send a request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook on the computing cluster, the request including an identification of the spreadsheet workbook; and 
 receive results of the calculation of the formulas. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory storing program instructions further causes the computing system to:
 receive the spreadsheet workbook from the client computing system;   store the spreadsheet workbook in a data library after receipt; and   send the spreadsheet workbook from the data library to a computing node after receiving the request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook; and   wherein the instructions causing the computing system to receive the request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook further comprises causing the computing system to receive an identification of the location of the spreadsheet workbook in the digital library, an identification of input cell locations in the spreadsheet workbook, and an identification of output cell locations in the spreadsheet workbook.   
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein receiving the spreadsheet workbook from the client computing system occurs before receiving the request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein allocating the tasks among the available computing nodes includes determining a number of processors on each of the available computing nodes, and dividing the tasks among the computing nodes based on the number of processors. 
     
     
         5 . A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of calculating a spreadsheet workbook including spreadsheet data, the method comprising:
 defining the spreadsheet workbook including the spreadsheet data, the spreadsheet data defining formulas for calculation;   receiving a user input requesting calculation of the formulas on a computing cluster including computing nodes;   sending a request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook on the computing cluster, the request including an identification of the spreadsheet workbook; and   receiving results of the calculation of the formulas.   
     
     
         6 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5 , the method further comprising sending the spreadsheet workbook including spreadsheet data to a data library for storage after defining the spreadsheet data. 
     
     
         7 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein sending a message requesting calculation comprises sending a message including the identification of the input cells and the output cells in the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         8 . The computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein sending the message requesting calculation does not include sending a copy of the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         9 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein receiving an input comprises detecting a selection of a button from a user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein sending a message requesting calculation of output data further comprises sending a list of tasks to be performed by a computing cluster. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein receiving output data further comprises updating the spreadsheet workbook as output data is received. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein updating the spreadsheet workbook is performed dynamically to display output data as it is received. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5 , the method further comprising:
 determining that calculation of output data should be performed at a scheduled time;   prompting for the scheduled time;   receiving the scheduled time after prompting; and   wherein sending the message includes sending the scheduled time.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein receiving output data occurs after the scheduled time. 
     
     
         15 . A method of calculating a spreadsheet workbook, the method comprising:
 defining a spreadsheet workbook including spreadsheet data, the spreadsheet data defining formulas for calculation;   receiving a user input requesting calculation of the formulas on a computing cluster including computing nodes;   sending a request to calculate the spreadsheet workbook on the computing cluster, the request including an identification of the spreadsheet workbook; and   receiving results of the calculation of the formulas.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising storing the spreadsheet workbook in a remote data library after defining the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein sending the request further comprises sending an identifier of a location of the spreadsheet workbook in the data library, an identification of a location input cells within the spreadsheet workbook, and an identification of a location of output cells within the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein sending the request further comprises sending a copy of the spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sending the results of the calculation to a client computing system after receiving the results. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein sending the results of the calculation occurs dynamically as each result is received.