System and method for performing calculations using a portable electronic device

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing calculations is provided so that a paradigm of a tape is utilized in a calculator application that executes on a computing platform and which is configured to enable a user to see and interact with multiple virtual tapes that each show numerical values and operators. Each tape functions as a user-accessible memory and a memory value may be recalled from any one tape and that value placed on any other tape. The calculator application is configured to enable the user to enter a sequence of values and operators which are all displayable on a given tape, as well as support the user's ability to edit any value or operator that was previously entered on that tape. Calculations are updated to reflect the user's edits on both the tape currently being edited and any other tape that uses the edited tape as a memory.

1 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed on an electronic device, implement a calculator application configured for performing a method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a sequence of values and operators which comprise a calculation that are entered by a user on a keypad implemented by the calculator application via a user interface;   implementing a virtual tape for storing the sequence and being displayed on the user interface to show at least portions of the stored sequence responsively to user selection, the displayed virtual tape being arranged as a user-accessible memory so that user-selected data or a user-selected calculated result in the displayed virtual tape is linkable to one or more respective virtual tapes in a plurality of virtual tapes, the linking comprising enabling the user-selected data or user-selected calculated result to be shown on a linked virtual tape when displayed or used by a calculation on a linked virtual tape, each of the virtual tapes i) being alternatively displayed one at a time via the user interface responsively to user selection, and ii) including a visible graphic device, the visible graphic device resembling a watermark and providing information to uniquely identify a given virtual tape when displayed on the user interface;   configuring the user interface to enable live editing of the values or the operators in the stored sequence on the displayed virtual tape;   responsively to the live editing, dynamically updating the calculation on the virtual tape and dynamically updating the calculations on any linked virtual tape; and   showing the updated calculation on the displayed virtual tape.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 1  including a further step of arranging each of the plurality of virtual tapes to store a sequence of values and operators for a respective plurality of calculations, the sequence of values and operators for the respective plurality of calculations being received via user input on the keypad. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 1  including a further step of utilizing each of the plurality of virtual tapes as a user-accessible memory, the user-accessible memory being recallable by the user through the user interface for inclusion as a recalled value in calculations on any of the plurality of virtual tapes. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 1  including an additional step of configuring the user interface for accepting one of textual comment or annotation from the user, the textual comment or annotation being shown on the virtual tape. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 4  in which the user interface is configured so that annotations may be associated on a line-by-line basis with values. 
     
     
         6 . An electronic device, comprising:
 storage adapted for storing instructions that when executed during runtime on the electronic device implement a calculator application using a plurality of virtual tapes, each of the virtual tapes being used by the calculator application to store and display calculations comprising a sequence of values and operators entered by a user through a user interface exposed by the calculator application;   control circuitry adapted for configuring the plurality of virtual tapes as a plurality of respective user-accessible memories that are each linkable, under control of a user through the user interface, to one or more virtual tapes in the plurality of virtual tapes, each of the virtual tapes i) being configured so that the stored sequence is viewable by the user on the user interface according to user selection, and ii) including a visible graphic device, the visible graphic device resembling a watermark and providing information to uniquely identify a given virtual tape, each of the user-accessible memories being configured for storing user-selected data or a user-selected calculated result as a memory value that is includable as a recalled value in the one or more linked virtual tapes, the selecting of the one or more virtual tapes being performed through the user interface; and   input/output circuitry adapted for receiving input from a user through the user interface implemented by the calculator application during runtime and, responsively to a selection by the user, displaying the one or more linked virtual tapes one at a time, the displaying including showing the unique identifying watermark and the recalled value,   and wherein the control circuitry is further adapted for dynamically updating the recalled value in the one or more linked virtual tapes whenever the memory value changes.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 6  in which the input/output circuitry is further adapted for exposing a live editing functionality to the user through the user interface so that values or operators in the calculations are selectively changed through editing by the user and recalculating the memory value responsively to the editing. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7  in which the user interface includes a touchscreen and in which the input/output circuitry is further adapted for enabling the user to scroll through the selected virtual tape using the touchscreen. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 6  in which the memory value is the last value on a virtual tape. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 6  in which the input/output circuitry is further adapted for exposing functionality through the user interface to input a name for one or more of the virtual tapes in the plurality.