Microsoft patents tool that finds hidden links between spreadsheet columns
Microsoft has filed a patent for a system that automatically detects hidden connections between different columns of data in a table. It works by slightly changing the data values to test if a relationship still holds, filtering out false connections to show only strong links.
In the filing’s own words
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for automatically inferring implicit relationships between columns of an input table. For example, the systems and methods discussed herein infers semantically-accurate functional inter-column relationships with a unified framework that includes speed up options. The systems and methods discussed herein leverage principled statistical tests based on hypothetical analysis that slightly “perturbs” values in an input table to determine the strength of a potential functional relationship between some subset of the input table columns. Based on this determined strength, the systems and methods discussed herein reject potential functional relationships that are likely false-positive while retaining potential functional relationships that are likely true-positive.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for automatically inferring functional relationships between table columns comprising: receiving an input table comprising a plurality of columns; determining a plurality of functional relationship candidates representing potential relationships among the plurality of columns in the input table; determining probability scores for the plurality of functional relationship candidates by perturbing the input table and ascertaining whether one or more of the plurality of functional relationship candidates holds; identifying a subset of the plurality of functional relationship candidates with probability scores above a predetermined threshold; and generating a display associated with the input table that illustrates the subset of the plurality of functional relationship candidates.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- INFERRING IMPLICIT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TABLE COLUMNS
- Publication number
- US20260300608A1
- Application number
- 19094447
- Filed
- Mar 28, 2025
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 6
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 40/10 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in AI & software
- Microsoft patents method to check AI answers against verified facts Oct 20, 2026
- Microsoft patents AI that presents PowerPoint slides for you Sep 3, 2026
- Microsoft patents method to check if LLM answers are based on real data Sep 10, 2026
- Microsoft patents system to blend multiple AI agents into one chat Oct 1, 2026
- Microsoft patents system that answers questions using your screen history Oct 15, 2026
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.