U.S. patent application number 16/594697 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-06 for systems and methods for electronic trading that permit principal/broker trading.
The applicant listed for this patent is BGC Partners, Inc.. Invention is credited to Andrew C. Gilbert, Andrew Stergiopoulos, William P. Tselepis.
Application Number | 20200043095 16/594697 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26725234 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-06 |
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20200043095/US20200043095A1-20200206-D00009.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20200043095 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gilbert; Andrew C. ; et
al. |
February 6, 2020 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC TRADING THAT PERMIT
PRINCIPAL/BROKER TRADING
Abstract
Electronic trading systems and methods which facilitate
principal/broker trading are provided. In a first aspect of the
invention, a database relating to trading participants in the
trading system is designed to indicate which traders utilize a
principal/broker relationship and what, if any, limitations are
placed on the activity of the broker, trading commands submitted by
the broker, and counterparties in a transaction with the broker. In
another aspect of the invention, trading commands and executed
trades involving principals/brokers may be presented to other
traders using special designations. The ability to enter certain
trading commands by, and in response to, brokers may be limited. In
a further aspect of the invention, anonymous trading features may
prevent traders from knowing whether another trader is a broker or
principal, may restrict traders from being able to block trading
with brokers, and may permit brokers to configure anonymous trading
parameters.
Inventors: |
Gilbert; Andrew C.; (New
York, NY) ; Stergiopoulos; Andrew; (New York, NY)
; Tselepis; William P.; (New Providence, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BGC Partners, Inc. |
Wilmington |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
26725234 |
Appl. No.: |
16/594697 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14537116 |
Nov 10, 2014 |
10438286 |
|
|
16594697 |
|
|
|
|
13947337 |
Jul 22, 2013 |
8886561 |
|
|
14537116 |
|
|
|
|
10047607 |
Jan 14, 2002 |
8494949 |
|
|
13947337 |
|
|
|
|
60295300 |
Jun 1, 2001 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 40/04 20060101
G06Q040/04 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A method comprising: displaying, by at least one computer
processor, at a computing device a configuration interface screen
that allows a user of the computing device to specify at least one
configuration setting for a principal, the at least one
configuration setting comprising an indication of whether or not
the principal is willing to trade with a second party, wherein the
principal has a broker acting on behalf of the principal, wherein
the broker is unable to modify the at least one configuration
setting, wherein the at least one configuration setting further
comprises an indication of whether or not the principal is willing
to trade with a third party, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the at least one computer processor, from the third
party an order comprising a bid to buy a financial instrument or an
offer to sell a financial instrument; determining, by the at least
one computer processor, whether or not the principal is willing to
trade with the third party based at least in part on the at least
one configuration setting, wherein determining whether or not the
principal is willing to trade with the third party comprises
determining that the principal is willing to trade with the third
party; and in response to the determination that the principal is
willing to trade with the third party, presenting, by the at least
one computer processor, the order received from the third party at
the workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the
broker that the order received from the third party is available
for trading by the broker on behalf of the principal, wherein the
at least one configuration setting further comprises a warning
limit, the warning limit comprising at least one of a buy side
limit and a sell side limit, further comprising determining, by the
at least one computer processor, whether or not the warning limit
is exceeded by the order received from the third party, and wherein
the at least one configuration setting further comprises a trade
execution setting, the trade execution setting specifying an action
to be taken after a determination that the warning limit is
exceeded, the trade execution setting comprising a setting selected
from the group consisting of automatic rejection of the whole
trade, automatic acceptance of the full trade, automatic acceptance
of only part of the trade, manual acceptance of the full trade, and
manual acceptance of only part of the trade; receiving, by the at
least one computer processor, from the second party an order
comprising a bid to buy a financial instrument or an offer to sell
a financial instrument; determining, by the at least one computer
processor, whether or not the principal is willing to trade with
the second party based at least in part on the at least one
configuration setting received from the user, wherein determining
whether or not the principal is willing to trade with the second
party comprises determining that the principal is not willing to
trade with the second party; and in response to the determination
that the principal is not willing to trade with the second party,
the at least one computer processor (i) generating commands for
withholding presentation of the order at a graphical user interface
of a mobile device in use by the broker, or (ii) generating
commands for displaying the order at the graphical user interface
of the mobile device to the broker in a manner that indicates to
the broker that the order is not available for trading by the
broker on behalf of the principal.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether or not the
warning limit is exceeded comprises determining that the warning
limit is exceeded, the method further comprising: determining, by
the at least one computer processor, that the trade execution
setting is automatic acceptance of the full trade; and executing,
by the at least one computer processor, a trade between the
principal and the third party for the order received from the third
party based at least in part on the determination that the trade
execution setting is automatic acceptance of the full trade.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether or not the
warning limit is exceeded comprises determining that the warning
limit is exceeded, the method further comprising: determining, by
the at least one computer processor, that the trade execution
setting is automatic acceptance of only part of the trade; and
executing, by the at least one computer processor, a trade between
the principal and the third party for only part of the order
received from the third party based at least in part on the
determination that the trade execution setting is automatic
acceptance of only part of the trade.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether or not the
warning limit is exceeded comprises determining that the warning
limit is exceeded, the method further comprising: determining, by
the at least one computer processor, that the trade execution
setting is one of manual acceptance of the full trade or manual
acceptance of only part of the trade; requesting, by the at least
one computer processor, via the workstation from the broker
acceptance of a full trade or partial trade based at least in part
on the determination that the setting is one of manual acceptance
of the full trade or manual acceptance of only part of the trade;
receiving, by the at least one computer processor, from the broker
via the workstation acceptance of the full trade or partial trade;
and executing, by the at least one computer processor, a trade
between the principal and the third party for the full order or
only part of the order received from the third party based at least
in part on the determination that the trade execution setting is
one of manual acceptance of the full trade or manual acceptance of
only part of the trade and the received acceptance of the full
trade or partial trade from the broker.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises displaying the order in a particular
color.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein to display the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises to display the order in a particular
font.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein to display the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises to flash the order.
9. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to a
determination that a party to a trade specifies to maintain
anonymity of an identity of the party to the trade, generating
electronic commands for causing commands for blocking the identity
of the party from being displayed on a graphical user interface of
a mobile device of another party to the trade.
10. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and memory to
store instructions that, when executed by the at least one
processor, configure the at least one processor to: display at a
computing device a configuration interface screen that allows a
user of the computing device to specify at least one configuration
setting for a principal, the at least one configuration setting
comprising an indication of whether or not the principal is willing
to trade with a second party, wherein the apparatus is configured
to have a broker act on behalf of the principal, wherein the broker
is unable to modify the at least one configuration setting, wherein
the at least one configuration setting further comprises an
indication of whether or not the principal is willing to trade with
a third party, and wherein the instructions when executed by the at
least one processor further configure the at least one processor
to: receive from the third party an order comprising a bid to buy a
financial instrument or an offer to sell a financial instrument;
determine whether or not the principal is willing to trade with the
third party based at least in part on the at least one
configuration setting, wherein to determine whether or not the
principal is willing to trade with the third party comprises to
determine that the principal is willing to trade with the third
party; and in response to the determination that the principal is
willing to trade with the third party, present the order received
from the third party at the workstation to the broker in a manner
that indicates to the broker that the order received from the third
party is available for trading by the broker on behalf of the
principal, wherein the at least one configuration setting further
comprises a warning limit, the warning limit comprising at least
one of a buy side limit and a sell side limit, and wherein the
instructions when executed by the at least one processor further
configure the at least one processor to determine whether or not
the warning limit is exceeded by the order received from the third
party, and wherein the at least one configuration setting further
comprises a trade execution setting, the trade execution setting
specifying an action to be taken after a determination that the
warning limit is exceeded, the trade execution setting comprising a
setting selected from the group consisting of automatic rejection
of the whole trade, automatic acceptance of the full trade,
automatic acceptance of only part of the trade, manual acceptance
of the full trade, and manual acceptance of only part of the trade;
receive from the second party an order comprising a bid to buy a
financial instrument or an offer to sell a financial instrument;
determine whether or not the principal is willing to trade with the
second party based at least in part on the at least one
configuration setting, wherein to determine whether or not the
principal is willing to trade with the second party comprises to
determine that the principal is not willing to trade with the
second party; and in response to the determination that the
principal is not willing to trade with the second party, (i)
generate electronic commands to cause commands to withhold
presentation of the order at a graphical user interface of a mobile
device in use by the broker, or (ii) generate electronic commands
to cause commands to display the order at the graphical user
interface of the mobile device to the broker in a manner that
indicates to the broker that the order is not available for trading
by the broker on behalf of the principal.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to determine whether or not
the warning limit is exceeded comprises to determine that the
warning limit is exceeded, and wherein the instructions when
executed by the at least one processor further configure the at
least one processor to: determine that the trade execution setting
is automatic acceptance of the full trade; and execute a trade
between the principal and the third party for the order received
from the third party based at least in part on the determination
that the trade execution setting is automatic acceptance of the
full trade.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to determine whether or not
the warning limit is exceeded comprises to determine that the
warning limit is exceeded, and wherein the instructions when
executed by the at least one processor further configure the at
least one processor to: determine that the trade execution setting
is automatic acceptance of only part of the trade; and execute a
trade between the principal and the third party for only part of
the order received from the third party based at least in part on
the determination that the trade execution setting is automatic
acceptance of only part of the trade.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to determine whether or not
the warning limit is exceeded comprises to determine that the
warning limit is exceeded, and wherein the instructions when
executed by the at least one processor further configure the at
least one processor to: determine that the trade execution setting
is one of manual acceptance of the full trade or manual acceptance
of only part of the trade; request via the workstation from the
broker acceptance of a full trade or partial trade based at least
in part on the determination that the setting is one of manual
acceptance of the full trade or manual acceptance of only part of
the trade; receive from the broker via the workstation acceptance
of the full trade or partial trade; and execute a trade between the
principal and the third party for the full order or only part of
the order received from the third party based at least in part on
the determination that the trade execution setting is one of manual
acceptance of the full trade or manual acceptance of only part of
the trade and the received acceptance of the full trade or partial
trade from the broker.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to display the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises at least one of: to display the order in
a particular color, to display the order in a particular font, to
flash the order, and not to flash the order.
15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein displaying the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises displaying the order in a particular
color.
16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to display the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises to display the order in a particular
font.
17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to display the order at the
workstation to the broker in a manner that indicates to the broker
that the order is not available for trading by the broker on behalf
of the principal comprises to flash the order.
18. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising instructions that
when executed, in response to a determination that a party to a
trade specifies to maintain anonymity of an identity of the party
to the trade, generating electronic commands for causing commands
for blocking the identity of the party from being displayed on a
graphical user interface of a mobile device of another party to the
trade.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium to store instructions
that, when executed by at least one, configure the at least one
processor to: display at a computing device a configuration
interface screen that allows a user of the computing device to
specify at least one configuration setting for a principal, the at
least one configuration setting comprising an indication of whether
or not the principal is willing to trade with a second party,
wherein the apparatus is configured to have a broker act on behalf
of the principal, wherein the broker is unable to modify the at
least one configuration setting, wherein the at least one
configuration setting further comprises an indication of whether or
not the first party is willing to trade with a third party, and
wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one
processor further configure the at least one processor to: receive
from the third party an order comprising a bid to buy a financial
instrument or an offer to sell a financial instrument; determine
whether or not the principal is willing to trade with the third
party based at least in part on the at least one configuration
setting, wherein to determine whether or not the principal is
willing to trade with the third party comprises to determine that
the principal is willing to trade with the third party; and in
response to the determination that the principal is willing to
trade with the third party, present the order received from the
third party at the workstation to the broker in a manner that
indicates to the broker that the order received from the third
party is available for trading by the broker on behalf of the
principal, wherein the at least one configuration setting further
comprises a warning limit, the warning limit comprising at least
one of a buy side limit and a sell side limit, and wherein the
instructions when executed by the at least one processor further
configure the at least one processor to determine whether or not
the warning limit is exceeded by the order received from the third
party, and wherein the at least one configuration setting further
comprises a trade execution setting, the trade execution setting
specifying an action to be taken after a determination that the
warning limit is exceeded, the trade execution setting comprising a
setting selected from the group consisting of automatic rejection
of the whole trade, automatic acceptance of the full trade,
automatic acceptance of only part of the trade, manual acceptance
of the full trade, and manual acceptance of only part of the trade;
receive from the second party an order comprising a bid to buy a
financial instrument or an offer to sell a financial instrument;
determine whether or not the principal is willing to trade with the
second party based at least in part on the at least one
configuration setting, wherein to determine whether or not the
principal is willing to trade with the second party comprises to
determine that the principal is not willing to trade with the
second party; and in response to the determination that the
principal is not willing to trade with the second party, (i)
generate electronic commands to cause commands to withhold
presentation of the order at a graphical user interface of a mobile
device in use by the broker, or (ii) generate electronic commands
to cause commands to display the order at the a graphical user
interface of a mobile device to the broker in a manner that
indicates to the broker that the order is not available for trading
by the broker on behalf of the principal.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19,
wherein to determine whether or not the warning limit is exceeded
comprises to determine that the warning limit is exceeded, and
wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one
processor further configure the at least one processor to:
determine that the trade execution setting is automatic acceptance
of the full trade; and execute a trade between the principal and
the third party for the order received from the third party based
at least in part on the determination that the trade execution
setting is automatic acceptance of the full trade.
21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19,
wherein to determine whether or not the warning limit is exceeded
comprises to determine that the warning limit is exceeded, and
wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one
processor further configure the at least one processor to:
determine that the trade execution setting is automatic acceptance
of only part of the trade; and execute a trade between the
principal and the third party for only part of the order received
from the third party based at least in part on the determination
that the trade execution setting is automatic acceptance of only
part of the trade.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/537,116, filed Nov. 10, 2014, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/947,337, filed
Jul. 22, 2013, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,886,561), which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/047,607, filed
Jan. 14, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,494,949, This application which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/295,300, filed
Jun. 1, 2001, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference
herein in its their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to processes for electronic trading
systems. More particularly, this invention relates to systems and
methods for electronic trading that permit principal/broker
trading.
[0003] With the expansion of the use and capabilities of computer
infrastructure there has been a corresponding progression of
buyer/seller transactions away from classical "open outcry
auctions" toward electronic trading systems. Computer-based
electronic trading systems have been used in a variety of markets
including, for example, stocks, bonds, currency, commodities and
futures markets. The use of electronic trading systems offers many
advantages over conventional methods for trading including
increased speed of price dissemination and trade execution, reduced
transaction costs, potential for trading across multiple markets
simultaneously, reduced probability of erroneous trades, enhanced
compliance with credit limits, reduction of risk exposure, and the
potential to provide controlled anonymous trading.
[0004] In an electronic trading system, a trader desiring to make a
trade may directly access a trading system, typically using a
trading system workstation, personal computer, dumb terminal
connected to a network, or any other suitable device, and submit
trading commands to participate in an electronic transaction. For
example, a first trader may submit a bid to buy a certain quantity
(or size) of a given item at a specified price using a workstation
that is part of the electronic trading system. In response to this
bid, a second trader may sell a certain quantity and "hit" the bid
by pressing a suitable button or entering a command on another
workstation connected to the trading system. If the second trader
meets certain requirements, the second trader then causes a trade
to be executed upon hitting the first trader's bid.
[0005] Despite the advantages afforded by electronic trading
systems, some traders cannot or do not wish to operate electronic
trading system workstations. They may lack the computer equipment
or competency required to operate a workstation, or may simply not
wish to perform the related duties. Instead these traders may act
as a principal trader and call a broker trader of an electronic
trading system and verbally relay their requested transaction.
Alternatively, a principal trader may use instant messaging or
electronic mail (e-mail) communications to convey information to a
broker trader regarding a requested transaction. All of these types
of communications require that a broker trader receiving the
communications submit corresponding trading commands into an
electronic trading system. Thus, there may exist principal traders,
who direct the trading actions of broker traders, and broker
traders who actually utilize the electronic trading system to
engage in trading.
[0006] Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide systems
and methods for electronic trading that permit principal/broker
trading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This and other objects of the invention are accomplished in
accordance with the principles of the present invention by
providing systems and methods for electronic trading that permit
principal/broker trading.
[0008] In accordance with the invention, these systems and methods
provide a variety of features in an electronic trading system to
facilitate principal/broker trading using the electronic trading
system. The systems and methods provide a plurality of workstations
which present trading information to traders on a display screen
and enable those traders to respond to that trading information to
complete a trade. Trading is controlled using a processor that is
coupled to the plurality of workstations. In a first aspect of the
invention, a database containing information relating to traders in
the trading system is designed to indicate which participants
utilize a principal/broker relationship and what, if any,
limitations are placed on the activity of the broker trader, such
as on types of trading commands submitted by the broker trader, and
counterparties in a transaction with the broker trader. In another
aspect of the invention, trading commands and executed trades
involving principals/brokers may be presented to other traders
using a specific designation on the display screen. Similarly, the
ability of broker traders to enter certain trading commands, and
the ability of other traders to enter certain trading commands in
response to broker traders, may be limited. In a further aspect of
the invention, anonymous trading features may prevent traders from
knowing whether another trader is a broker or principal, may
prevent traders from being able to block trading with broker
traders, and may permit broker traders to configure anonymous
trading parameters for their principals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Further features of the invention, its nature and various
advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to
like parts throughout, and in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of hardware that
may be used to implement the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a market cell screen display
that may be presented in accordance with certain embodiments of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a trading interface that may be
presented in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a trade history interface that
may be presented in accordance with certain embodiments of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a process for configuring trader
workstations and processing bids and offers in accordance with
certain embodiments of the present invention;
[0015] FIGS. 6A-6C are flow diagrams of a process for processing
hits and lifts (or takes) and reconfiguring trader workstations in
accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention;
and
[0016] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a configuration interface that
may be used to configure trader workstations in accordance with
certain embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention is now described in connection with
FIGS. 1-7. Although the present invention is described below in
connection with a bid/offer, hit/take trading system, it should be
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many of the
features of the present invention may be used with any other
suitable trading, information display, and/or data processing
system that enables the buying and selling of all items in an
electronic environment for trading.
[0018] Turning first to FIG. 1, an example of hardware 100 that may
be used to implement one embodiment of the present invention is
shown. As illustrated, hardware 100 may include an electronic
trading system 101 comprising one or more local workstations 102
and one or more remote workstations 104 that may be used by traders
to view trading data and enter trading commands. Workstations 102
and 104 may be any suitable means for presenting data and, in
preferred embodiments of this invention, accepting input. For
example, workstations 102 and 104 may be personal computers, laptop
computers, mainframe computer terminals, dumb terminals, data
displays, Internet browsers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs),
two-way pagers, wireless terminals, portable telephones, etc., or
any combination of the same.
[0019] To orchestrate trading between traders using workstations
102 and 104, the workstations preferably submit commands to, and
receive data to be displayed from, a processor 106 that is also
part of system 101. In alternative embodiments, however,
workstations may communicate with additional processors, or include
processors to orchestrate trading in a distributed fashion without
requiring processor 106. In yet other embodiments, processor 106
may be connected to an external trading system (not shown) that
controls trading by the traders. Processor 106, and any additional
processors, may be any suitable circuitry or devices capable of
processing data such as microprocessors, personal computers,
network servers, mainframe computers, dedicated computer systems,
etc.
[0020] Processor 106 may include or be coupled to a database for
storing information relating to traders (whether acting as
principal or broker), items traded, trades executed, and/or any
other suitable information. This database may be implemented using
any suitable hardware and/or software.
[0021] As shown, processor 106 may be connected to workstations 102
and 104 by networks 108 and 110 of system 101, respectively. Each
of networks 108 and 110 may be any suitable data network for
communicating data between workstations 102 and 104 and processor
106, such as a local area network, a wide area network, the
Internet, an intranet, a wireless network, a hard wired connection,
a dial-up network, etc., or any combination of the same. In an
arrangement of hardware 100 without processor 106, workstations 102
and 104 may be linked together by networks 108 and 110
directly.
[0022] As also shown in FIG. 1, a telephone network 120 may be
provided that comprises a principal telephone 122 and a broker
telephone 124 connected by a telephone line 126. Telephone network
120 may be used to enable a principal at a remote location to
communicate with a broker at a workstation 102. The broker would
receive trading instructions from the principal and then input
required information into workstation 102. This may be useful when
the principal does not have access to a workstation 102 or 104 or
when the principal only has access to a display-only workstation
102 or 104. Obviously, telephone network 120 may be implemented as
a private telephone network, a public telephone network, a wireless
telephone network, or any suitable combination of the same.
[0023] Similarly, as further shown in FIG. 1, computer
communication network 128 may be provided. Computer communication
network 128 may include user computers 130 and 134 and data network
132. User computers 130 and 134 may be used to provide instant
messaging, e-mail, "voice over IP," video conferencing, and any
other suitable communication functions. Computers 130 and 132 may
be personal computers, laptop computers, mainframe computer
terminals, dumb terminals, data displays, Internet browsers,
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), two-way pagers, wireless
terminals, portable telephones, etc., or any combination of the
same. Data network 132 may be any suitable data network for
communicating data between computers 130 and 134, such as a local
area network, a wide area network, the Internet, an intranet, a
wireless network, a hard wired connection, a dial-up network, etc.,
or any combination of the same, and may be the same network as any
of networks 108 and 110.
[0024] As still further shown in FIG. 1, a connection 142 from
processor 106 to back office computers 136, 138, and 140 of trading
entities (e.g., banks, investment firms, trading firms, etc.) may
also be provided. Connection 142 may facilitate trading history
information, credit information, and any other suitable data being
transferred between processor 106 and computers 136, 138, and 140.
For example, trade data may be sent from processor 106 to back
office computer 136 to initiate subsequent clearing of a trade from
a trader employed by the owner of computer 136 and operating one of
workstations 104. Computers 136, 138, and 140 may be any suitable
circuitry or devices capable of processing data such as
microprocessors, personal computers, network servers, mainframe
computers, dedicated computer systems, etc. Connection 142 may be
any suitable data network for communicating data between processor
106 and computers 136, 138, and 140, such as a local area network,
a wide area network, the Internet, an intranet, a wireless network,
a hard wired connection, a dial-up network, etc., or any
combination of the same, and may be the same network as any of
networks 108, 110, and 132.
[0025] When used to implement a bid/offer, hit/take trading system
as described above or connect to an external bid/offer, hit/take
trading system, hardware 100 may enable a trader to submit a bid to
buy, or an offer to sell, an item at one of workstations 102 and
104. This bid or offer (both passive trading commands) may then be
communicated to processor 106, where the bid or offer can be ranked
and stored in a bid-offer queue. The ranking may be based upon time
of submission, price, or any other suitable criterion. The bid or
offer may then be presented to other traders via other workstations
102 and 104 dependent upon its ranking in the bid-offer queue. Once
displayed, the bid or offer can then be hit or taken (both
aggressive trading commands) by one or more of the other traders so
that a trade of the item can proceed to execution.
[0026] An example of a display 200 for presenting a bid and offer
201 to a trader is shown in FIG. 2. As illustrated, bid and offer
201 may include portions indicating a description of the underlying
instrument 202, a bid price 204, an offer price 206, a bid size
208, and an offer size 210. In accordance with the present
invention, these portions of bid and offer 201 may be highlighted
with one or more colors, or in any other suitable manner, to
indicate various traits of the bid and offer. For example, portions
204 and 208 may be colored purple to indicate that a counterparty
principle trader is using a broker trader to submit the
corresponding bid or offer to the trading system. As another
example, portions 204 and 208 may be colored red to indicate that a
counterparty switch of the bidder has been turned off by the trader
and, thus, is not tradable by the trader as explained below in
connection with FIGS. 5-7.
[0027] Turning to FIG. 3, an interface 300 is shown that may be
used to submit and respond to bids and offers presented in display
200 in accordance with the present invention. Interface 300 may be
presented on a trader's workstation in response to the trader
clicking on any of portions 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 of bid and
offer 201. When presented, interface 300 may then indicate
information about the bid and offer clicked-on by the trader in a
display 301. As shown, for example, upon the trader clicking on
portion 204 of bid and offer 201, interface 300 may be presented
with the instrument "usg 05Y" indicated in display 301. Display 301
may also indicate the current bid price for the instrument (i.e.,
"99.12+") and the current bid size for the instrument (i.e.,
"10").
[0028] As also shown in FIG. 3, a variety of buttons and entry
fields may be incorporated into interface 300. At the center of
interface 300, a numeric keypad 302 is displayed. As illustrated,
numeric keypad 302 provides buttons for numbers zero through nine,
ten, twenty-five, fifty, and one hundred. Numeric keypad 302 also
contains a plus button ("+"), a minus button ("-"), a decimal point
button ("."), a backspace button ("BKS"), and a delete button
("DEL"). Interface 300 also provides a buy button 304, a sell
button 306, a cancel buy button 308, a cancel sells button 310, a
bid button 312, an offer button 314, a cancel bids button 316, a
cancel offers button 318, cancel all buttons 320, cancel all for
all instruments buttons 322, a price entry field 324, price up and
down buttons 326, bid price up and down buttons 328, offer price up
and down buttons 334, a size entry field 330, and size up and down
buttons 332.
[0029] In order to submit a bid or offer for the instrument
indicated in display 301 using interface 300, a trader may first
set a bid or offer price and a bid or offer size by entering the
appropriate values in fields 324 and 330, respectively, using up
and down buttons 326, 328, 332, and/or 334 and/or using keypad 302.
Once the desired price and size for the bid or offer have been
specified, the trader may then submit the bid or offer by pressing
bid button 304 or the offer button 314.
[0030] In order to hit a bid or lift (or take) an offer for the
instrument indicated in display 301 using interface 300, a trader
may first specify a size in field 330 using up and down buttons 332
and/or 334 and/or using keypad 302. Once the desired size has been
specified, the trader may then hit the bid or lift (or take) the
offer for the specified size by pressing sell button 306 or buy
button 304, respectively.
[0031] In the event that a trader desires to cancel a bid, an
offer, a hit, or a lift (or take), the trader may press any
corresponding one of buttons 308, 310, 316, 318, 320, and 322.
[0032] Because limitations may be placed by an administrator of
trading system 101 or by a broker trader operating one of
workstations 102 or 104 (or by the broker trader's employer or
principal, as the case may be), interface 300 may prevent a trader
from submitting bids and offers and/or from acting on certain bids
and offers posted by another trader, when the trader is acting as a
broker. If limitations are to be imposed, the trader will have to
provide a designation to the trading system 101 when the trader is
acting as a broker trader. Such limitations may be based upon the
identity of a potential counterparty. Controls to implement such
limitations may be included in a set-up screen of interface 300, or
may be transmitted from processor 106 to interface 300 depending on
who wants to place the limitation. Similar limitations may be
applied to the behavior of a trader acting as a principal. For
example, a trader acting as a principal may be permitted to hit
bids of broker traders only when those broker traders are
representing certain principals.
[0033] Displays and interfaces similar to those illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3 are described in more detail in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/745,651, filed Dec. 22, 2000, which is
hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a trade history interface 400 that may be
presented in connection with the display of FIG. 2 and/or the
interface of FIG. 3 in accordance with the present invention.
Alternatively, all views may be tiled on the screen or may be seen
all at once. As shown, interface 400 may present information on
trades executed in one or more markets of trading system 101 (FIG.
1). For each trade, this information may include a type 401 for the
trade, a size 402 for the trade, a trader name 404 for the trade,
an instrument name 406 for the trade, a price/rate trade price 408
for the trade, a settlement price 410 for the trade, a trade
posting time 412 for the trade, a trade date 414 for the trade, a
settlement date 416 for the trade, a trade side 418 for the trade,
a trade reference number 420 for the trade, an end date 422
associated with a contract being traded, a counterparty name 424
for the trade, and comments 426 for the trade.
[0035] Because certain trades may have either a trader name 404 or
a counterparty name 424 that is of a trader acting as a broker
rather than that of a trader acting as a principal (i.e., the
client of the broker), a trader or the operator of trading system
101 may desire not to have information for those trades displayed
in interface 400. In such instances the information may be blocked
from being displayed at least until the portions of the information
corresponding to the broker are replaced with information relating
to the principal, when such information is known. Similarly,
special messages may be displayed to alert a trader that a
counterparty is acting as a broker so that the trader can decide
whether to confirm that the broker has the authority to complete
the trade. For example, trader name 404 or counterparty name 424
may indicate "Bank A--verify trade with desk." In this example,
"Bank A" may be the name of the principal of the broker. As another
example, trader name 404 or counterparty name 424 may simply
indicate "Call desk to verify trade."
[0036] In certain instances, traders using trading system 101 may
desire to trade anonymously. This may be the case because one or
more of the traders is concerned that he or she will not receive
the true market price when trading, but rather inflated prices, for
example. Systems and methods for anonymous electronic trading are
disclosed in detail in U.S. provisional application No. 60/223,028,
filed Aug. 4, 2000, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/853,430
filed May 10, 2001 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein
in its entirety.
[0037] Turning to FIG. 5, a process 500 for configuring a
workstation 102 or 104 (FIG. 1) and processing bids and offers that
may be executed in processor 106 (FIG. 1) in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention is shown. As illustrated at
step 502, process 500 may first allow a trader to select how the
workstation is to react when a bid or offer is hit or lifted,
respectively, and when execution of a trade would exceed a warning
limit of one of the traders in the trade. The workstation may be
configured to automatically accept the full trade, automatically
accept only the part of the trade that would not exceed the warning
limits of both traders, automatically reject the whole trade,
manually accept the full trade after prompting the trader, or
manually accept only the part of the trade that would not exceed
the warning limits of both traders after prompting the trader. The
options of manually accepting the full trade and manually accepting
only part of the trade may not be available at workstations 102 or
104 (FIG. 1) in order to speed trading, simplify trading, or limit
decision making by traders with respect to counterparty risk.
Alternatively, the manual options may be available and the
automatic options may not be available in some embodiments of the
invention.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 7, an example of an interface 700 that
facilitates selection of one of these options is shown. As
illustrated, by selecting one of the options from drop-down menu
702, a trader can select how the workstation is to react when
execution of a trade would exceed a warning limit of at least one
of the traders. Although this selection is shown in interface 700
as being made by selecting one of the options from drop-down menu
702, selection of one of these options may be made in any suitable
manner.
[0039] Turning back to FIG. 5, process 500 may enable each trader
to set counterparty switches for the other traders at step 504.
These counterparty switches enable a trader to indicate whether the
trader wants to be able to trade with each other trader. A trader
may indicate that the trader does not want to trade with another
trader, for example, because the other trader backed out of a trade
on a previous occasion, because the other trader trades only in
small sizes, or for any other reason.
[0040] As can be seen in FIG. 7, a trader trading at a workstation
102 or 104 on behalf of Institution A may select whether to trade
with certain counterparty institutions by selecting which of check
boxes 704, 706, 708, 710, and 712 to check. Where a check box is
checked, the corresponding institution is preferably set to "ON" so
that bids and offers from that institution are presented to the
trader.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, once a trader has set the counterparty
switches for the other traders, the trader at step 506 may
optionally set warning limits for each counterparty having a
counterparty switch that is set to "ON." Through interface 700 of
FIG. 7, for example, the trader may set warning limits by
specifying values in fields 714, 716, 718, 720, 722, 724, 726, 728,
730, and/or 732. These values may be a total dollar amount of buy
and sell side transactions, a total dollar amount of buy side only
transactions, a total dollar amount of sell side only transactions,
a count of the total number of buy and sell side transactions, a
count of the total number of buy side only transactions, a count of
the total number of sell side only transactions, any other suitable
values or combinations of values that are related to order
submission of the counterparty and/or any other characteristic of
the trader, or any other suitable values or combinations of values
that are independent of order submissions of the counterparty and
any other characteristic of the trader. Although interface 700 is
illustrated with fields 714, 716, 718, 720 and 722 in a buy column
734 and fields 724, 726, 728, 730, and 732 in a sell column 736,
the present invention may be implemented with only a single column
for total buy and sell transactions or for only one of buy and sell
transactions.
[0042] Although steps 502, 504 and 506 are illustrated in process
500 of FIG. 5 in a specific order, these steps may be executed in
any suitable order or in parallel if desired.
[0043] When a trader is acting as a broker for a principal, it may
be necessary for the broker to configure the settings illustrated
in FIG. 7. Alternatively, the principal trader may be able to
configure these settings in advance through the trading system 101
(FIG. 1) administrator or broker trader's employer, for example,
and prohibit the broker trader from altering these settings. In
certain embodiments of the invention, traders may be prohibited
from turning off the counterparty switch of counterparties using
brokers. Alternatively, the traders may be prevented from knowing
which counterparties are using brokers.
[0044] After a trader has specified warning limits at step 506 of
FIG. 5, process 500 may next wait for new bids and offers to be
entered at step 508. As explained above, bids and offers may be
entered at workstations 102 or 104 (FIG. 1) using an interface 300
as illustrated in and described in connection with FIG. 3. Once a
new bid or offer has been entered, process 500 may next receive the
bid or offer at step 510. At step 512, process 500 may then
determine whether the counterparty switches both to and from the
passive side (i.e., the counterparty submitting the bid or offer
that was received at step 510) are set to "ON." If both the
counterparty switches to and from the passive side are set to "ON,"
process 500 may then display the bid or offer as available (i.e., a
bid or offer that the trader may hit or take (or lift)) at step
514. Otherwise, process 500 may display the bid or offer as not
available or may not display the bid or offer at all at step 516. A
bid or offer may be displayed as being available or not available
by displaying the bid or offer in a corresponding color (e.g.,
available bids or offers in green and unavailable bids or offers in
red), by displaying the bid or offer in a corresponding font (e.g.,
available bids or offers in bold and unavailable bids or offers in
italics), by flashing or not flashing the bid or offer (e.g.,
available bids or offers flashing and unavailable bids or
offers/not flashing), by only displaying a bid or offer if it is
available, or in any other suitable manner.
[0045] Turning now to FIGS. 6A-6C, a process 600 for processing
hits and lifts (or takes) in response to available bids and offers
that may be executed in processor 106 (FIG. 1) in accordance with
preferred embodiments of the present invention is shown. As
explained above, hits and lifts (or takes) may be entered using
interface 300 illustrated in and discussed in connection with FIG.
3, for example. Process 600 may begin by waiting for a hit or lift
(or take) to be entered on an available bid or offer at step 604.
Once a hit or lift is received, process 600 receives the new hit or
lift at step 606. The bid or offer for which the hit or lift was
received may then be set to inactive at step 608. The bid or offer
is set to inactive in order to prevent the bid or offer from being
hit or lifted by another trader while process 500 is determining
whether execution of the trade corresponding to the hit or lift of
the bid or offer can be executed.
[0046] Next, at step 610, process 600 may check the warning limits
for each of the traders in the trade. In the case where both a buy
side warning limit and a sell side warning limit is specified by a
trader, step 610 will first select the appropriate limit for each
trader. For example, if a trader A hits a bid by a trader B, and
traders A and B both set up both a buy side warning limit and a
sell side warning limit, for trader A, the sell side warning limit
will be checked and for trader B, the buy side warning limit will
be checked. In the event where the sell side warning limit has been
disabled and a trader has hit or lifted a bid, the trade may be
treated as either exceeding the warning limit check or as not
exceeding the warning limit check, depending on the settings of the
trading system 101 (FIG. 1).
[0047] If the trade would not exceed the warning limit of either
trader, at step 612, process 600 may branch to step 616 to execute
the trade and then return to step 604. Alternatively, if the trade
would exceed the warning limit of either trader, process 600 may
proceed to step 620 (FIG. 6B) via links 614 and 618 (FIG. 6B).
[0048] At step 620, process 600 may then determine if either trader
selected automatic rejection of the whole trade in configuring
workstations 102 and 104 (FIG. 1). If either trader did select
automatic rejection, then process 600 may take the AR branch and
restore the bid or offer to active at step 622 so that the bid or
offer may be acted upon by other traders. Once a bid or offer has
been restored to active at step 622, process 600 may then proceed
to step 648 (FIG. 6C) via links 624 and 646 (FIG. 6C).
[0049] If neither trader is configured for automatic rejection,
then process 600 may determine at step 626 whether both traders
selected automatic acceptance of only part of the trade, or whether
one trader selected automatic acceptance of only part of the trade
and the other trader selected automatic acceptance of the full
trade. If not, process 600 may proceed to step 632. If so, process
600 may take the AP branch and, at step 628, split the bid or offer
into a bid or offer for the size that would not exceed either
warning limit and a bid or offer for the remaining size. Process
600 may then execute the bid or offer for the size that would not
exceed the warning limit at step 630, and proceed to step 648 (FIG.
6C) via links 624 and 646 (FIG. 6C).
[0050] At step 632, process 600 may determine whether both traders
are configured for automatic acceptance of the full trade. If so,
process 600 may then take the AF branch and executes the trade at
step 630 and proceed to step 648 (FIG. 6C) via links 624 and 646
(FIG. 6C). Otherwise, process 600 may proceed to step 634.
[0051] At step 634, process 600 may determine whether either trader
is configured for manual acceptance of only part of the trade or
whether one trader is configured for automatic acceptance of only
part of the trade and the other trader is configured for manual
acceptance of the full trade. If yes, then process 600 may take the
MP branch and proceed to step 636 whereupon each trader that is
configured for manual acceptance of either only part of the trade
or the full trade is asked whether that trader would like to
execute a partial trade.
[0052] Next, at step 638, process 600 may determine whether each
trader prompted at step 636 elected to execute a partial trade. If
so, then process 600 may branch to step 628 and perform that step
and the subsequent steps in process 600 as described above.
Otherwise process 600 may branch to step 622 and perform that step
and the subsequent steps in process 600 as described above.
[0053] If process 600 determines at step 634 that neither trader is
configured for manual acceptance of only part of the trade and that
one trader is not configured for automatic execution of only part
of the trade and/or the other trader is not configured for manual
acceptance of the full trade, then process 600 may take the MF
branch and proceed to step 640. Then each trader configured for
manual acceptance of the full trade is asked whether that trader
would like to execute the full trade.
[0054] Next, at step 644, process 600 may determine whether each
trader prompted at step 640 elected to execute the full trade. If
so, process may branch to step 630 and perform that step and the
subsequent steps in process 600 as described above. Otherwise,
process 644 may branch to step 622 and perform that step and the
subsequent steps in process 600 as described above.
[0055] Although FIG. 6B illustrates a process 600 that tests for
and processes automatic rejection (AR), automatic partial
acceptance (AP), automatic full acceptance (AF), manual partial
acceptance (MP), and manual full acceptance (MP), the present
invention may be implemented without testing for these
configuration selections and only perform tests, and subsequent
processes, for configuration selections that are available.
[0056] Upon completing either step 622 or step 630, process 600 may
proceed to step 648 (FIG. 6C) via links 624 and 646 (FIG. 6C) and
then display a prompt asking the passive side trader if that trader
would like to turn off the counterparty switch for the current
counterparty (the aggressor).
[0057] After performing step 648 of FIG. 6C, process 600 then may
determine at step 650 whether the passive side trader elected to
turn "OFF" the counterparty switch at step 648. If so, then process
600 may turn "OFF" the corresponding counterparty switch at step
652. Once the switch has been turned "OFF" at step 652 or if the
passive side trader did not elect to turn off the counterparty
switch, process 600 may then display a prompt to the aggressive
side trader asking whether the aggressive side trader would like to
turn "OFF" the counterparty switch corresponding to the passive
side trader. If the aggressive side trader elected to turn "OFF"
the passive side trader at step 654, process 600, at step 656, may
branch to step 658 whereupon the corresponding counterparty switch
is set to "OFF." Otherwise, process 600 may return to step 604
(FIG. 6A) via links 660 and 602 (FIG. 6A).
[0058] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present
invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments,
which are presented for purposes of illustration and not of
limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the
claims.
* * * * *