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GooglePatent applicationAI & softwareInterest 6/10

Google patents spreadsheet feature that writes formulas from your examples

Google has filed a patent for a system that watches how you type in a spreadsheet cell and automatically creates a formula based on your input. It decides when to show you the suggested formula by checking how long you have been typing and how complex the data is, allowing you to accept or reject the suggestion.

Why it mattersThis could make using spreadsheets easier for people who do not know how to write complex formulas by hand.

In the filing’s own words

Techniques are described herein for automatically synthesizing programs that include one or more functions in a spreadsheet programming language. A method includes: receiving first user input in a first cell in a spreadsheet; automatically synthesizing a program using the first user input in the first cell as a first example, where the program includes at least one function in a spreadsheet programming language and, when the program is executed, the program generates output that matches the first example; determining at least one additional cell in the spreadsheet that is related to the first cell; determining that a display triggering condition is satisfied; and in response to the determining that the display triggering condition is satisfied, displaying, in each of the at least one additional cell, an output of the program corresponding to the additional cell.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method implemented by one or more processors, the method comprising: receiving first user input in a first cell in a spreadsheet; determining an amount of time spent providing the first user input in the first cell; determining a level of complexity of the first user input; determining that a display triggering condition is satisfied based on (i) the amount of time spent providing the first user input exceeding a threshold amount of time, and (ii) the level of complexity of the first user input; in response to determining that the display triggering condition is satisfied, automatically synthesizing a program using the first user input as an example, wherein the program comprises at least one function in a spreadsheet programming language that is implemented by a spreadsheet application; displaying a prompt in a user interface associated with the spreadsheet that provides an option for a user to accept or reject the program that is automatically synthesized; receiving, via the user interface, a rejection of the program from the user; and in response to receiving the rejection of the program from the user, modifying the display triggering condition for subsequent user interactions with the spreadsheet.

Facts

Company
Google (GOOGLE LLC)
Official title
USER INTERFACE(S) RELATED TO SYNTHESIZING PROGRAMS IN A SPREADSHEET PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
Publication number
US20260278259A1
Application number
19673726
Filed
May 11, 2026
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Inventors
14
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 40/18 Physics & computingG06F 8/31 Physics & computingG06F 8/33 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.