U.S. patent application number 16/511548 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-13 for systems and methods for quoting a two-sided trading orders.
The applicant listed for this patent is BGC PARTNERS, INC.. Invention is credited to Andrew C. Gilbert, Andrew Stergiopoulos.
Application Number | 20200051168 16/511548 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25529433 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-13 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200051168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gilbert; Andrew C. ; et
al. |
February 13, 2020 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR QUOTING A TWO-SIDED TRADING ORDERS
Abstract
Systems and methods for instantly quoting a two-sided market.
Using these systems and methods, a trader can use various trading
interfaces to initiate two-sided market orders based on a value
submitted and a pre-set spread amount as configured by the
trader.
Inventors: |
Gilbert; Andrew C.;
(Califon, NJ) ; Stergiopoulos; Andrew; (New York,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BGC PARTNERS, INC. |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
25529433 |
Appl. No.: |
16/511548 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09982709 |
Oct 18, 2001 |
10354322 |
|
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16511548 |
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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. An apparatus comprising: a display device; at least one
processor to: render on the display device a bid size, a bid price,
an offer size and an offer price for an instrument; detect
selection of the bid price or the offer price for the instrument;
render a dialog window on the display device with a bid button, an
offer button, a bid size field pre-populated with the bid size, a
bid price field pre-populated with the bid price, an offer size
field pre-populated with the offer size, and an offer price field
pre-populated with the offer price; automatically reposition a
pointer immediately above the bid button of the dialog window, in
response to determining that the bid price was selected;
automatically reposition a pointer immediately above the offer
button of the dialog window, in response to determining that the
offer price was selected; detecting entry of another bid price or
offer price; automatically populating the bid price field with a
new bid price in response to detecting the entry, the new bid price
being based on a pre-set spread amount and the entered offer price;
and automatically populating the offer price field with a new offer
price in response to detecting the entry, the new offer price being
based on the pre-set spread amount and the entered bid price;
detect a selection of the bid button or the offer button; and
generate a bid command and an offer command for the instrument
simultaneously, in response to the selection of the bid button or
the offer button.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect a selection of the bid button and
submit a bid for the instrument to an electronic network, in
response to the selection of the bid button.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect a selection of the offer button and
submit an offer for the instrument to an electronic network, in
response to the selection of the offer button.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect input of a change in the bid price of
the dialog window.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect input of a change in the offer price
of the dialog window.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect input of a change in the offer price
of the dialog window.
8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect a selection of the bid button and
submit a bid and corresponding offer for the instrument to an
electronic network, in response to the selection of the bid
button.
9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to detect a selection of the offer button and
submit an offer and a corresponding bid for the instrument to an
electronic network, in response to the selection of the offer
button.
10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is
configured to rearrange buttons on the dialog window.
11. A method comprising: rendering, by at least one processor, on a
display device a bid size, a bid price, an offer size, and an offer
price for an instrument; detecting, by the at least one processor,
a selection of the bid price or the offer price for the instrument;
rendering, by the at least one processor, a dialog window on the
display device with a bid button, an offer button, a bid size field
pre-populated with the bid size, a bid price field pre-populated
with the bid price, an offer size field pre-populated with the
offer size, and an offer price field pre-populated with the offer
price; automatically repositioning, by the at least one processor,
a pointer immediately above the bid button of the dialog window, in
response to determining that the bid price was selected; and
automatically repositioning, by the at least one processor, a
pointer immediately above the offer button of the dialog window, in
response to determining that the offer price was selected;
detecting entry of another bid price or offer price; automatically
populating the bid price field with a new bid price in response to
detecting the entry, the new bid price being based on a pre-set
spread amount and the entered offer price; and automatically
populating the offer price field with a new offer price in response
to detecting the entry, the new offer price being based on the
pre-set spread amount and the entered bid price; detecting, by the
at least one processor, a selection of the bid button or the offer
button; and generating, by the at least one processor, a bid
command and an offer command for the instrument simultaneously, in
response to the selection of the bid button or the offer
button.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, a selection of the bid button and submit a bid
for the instrument to an electronic network, in response to the
selection of the bid button.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, a selection of the offer button and submit an
offer for the instrument to an electronic network, in response to
the selection of the offer button.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, input of a change in the bid price of the
dialog window.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, input of a change in the offer price of the
dialog window.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, input of a change in the offer price of the
dialog window.
17. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, a selection of the bid button and submitting,
by the at least one processor, a bid and corresponding offer for
the instrument to an electronic network, in response to the
selection of the bid button.
18. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, by the at
least one processor, a selection of the offer button and
submitting, by the at least one processor, an offer and a
corresponding hid for the instrument to an electronic-network, in
response to the selection of the offer button.
19. The method of claim 11, further comprising rearranging, by the
at least one processor, buttons on the dialog window.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to systems and methods for electronic
trading of a item or instrument sold in an electronic market. More
particularly, this invention provides configurable trading
interfaces for electronic trading of a item or instrument sold in
an electronic market.
[0002] As electronic trading becomes more popular, an increasing
number of traders are in need of new systems and methods to enter
trade commands in a quick, efficient, and accurate manner. In one
method of electronic trading, bids and offers for a particular item
are submitted independently by a trader to a trading system, those
bids and offers are then displayed by the trading system to other
traders, and the other traders may then respond to the bid by
submitting sell (or hit) or buy (or lift or take) commands to the
system. This method of electronic trading is often referred to as
one-sided market trading.
[0003] Many implementations of this one-sided method of electronic
trading, while generally accurate, lack in desired speed mainly
because traders are forced to enter bids and offers independently
for a particular item. This dual process causes much delay for
traders because the traders must follow several steps prior to
accomplishing a two-sided market trade. For example, many traders
using typical trading systems are required to (1) click on an issue
of choice, (2) click on a bid button, (3) use the keyboard to enter
a price and size for the trade, (4) click on an offer button, and
(5) use the keyboard to enter a price and size for the trade. This
one-sided market trading approach is very time consuming.
[0004] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide
systems and methods that enable a trader to execute two-sided
market trades quickly, efficiently, and accurately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with this and other objects of the invention,
systems and methods provide configurable trading interfaces that
allow a trader to instantly quote a two-sided market. A two-sided
market is a market where a trader places one order, and, places a
second order based on the execution of the first order. Thus, a
trader may place a bid order and, upon execution of the bid
order--i.e., the bid is matched by an offer order and a sale is
made the trader then immediately places an offer order on the
market that corresponds to the acquired item or instrument. In
accordance with this invention, the trader can use various trading
interfaces to initiate two-sided market orders based on a value
submitted and a pre-set spread amount as configured by the
trader.
[0006] In order to initiate a two-sided market trading command
using the present invention, a trader may enter the command using a
command-line interface, click on a component of a bid or offer in a
market cell, enter the command using a graphical interface, or may
click on a piece of data in a data window. After initiating a
command from a command-line interface, a market cell, or a data
window, the present invention may verify the entry by presenting a
graphical interface. This interface may be the same graphical
interface that may be used to enter a trading command. In addition
to displaying the graphical interface, a mouse pointer may be
redirected to a portion of the graphical interface to speed up
entry of the trading command. After initiating the command, but
before completing the command, a trader may then alter the
parameters of the command either to complete entry of the
parameters or to correct one or more incorrect entries.
[0007] To enable customization of the graphical interface to a
trader's preferences, settings controls are provided. These
controls may enable the trader to set a preferred order type, cause
the graphical interface to automatically close after a trade
command has been entered or canceled, display a history of trade
commands, set the trade item type, set how bid and offer
information is displayed, set how default prices, sizes, and
limits, and set position and color preferences.
[0008] As will be apparent upon reading the Detailed Description of
the Preferred Embodiments, various features of the present
invention may be implemented with any type of trading system for
the trading of any type of item. For example, as illustrated
herein, the invention may be used with a bid/offer or buy/sell
trading system for trading of financial instruments, such as bonds.
Likewise, as another example, the invention may be used with a
matching system, wherein bids and offers are submitted by various
traders and matched, for the trading of other items, such as
materials and supplies for manufacturing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention
will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying-drawings,
in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout,
and in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a market cell that may be
generated in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0011] FIGS. 2 and 3 are illustrations of dialog windows that may
be generated in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0012] FIGS. 4 and 5 are illustrations of system settings windows
that may be generated in accordance with certain embodiments of the
present invention;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a display settings window that
may be generated in accordance with certain embodiments of the
present invention;
[0014] FIGS. 7a through 7d is a flow diagram of a main process that
may be used to perform the functions illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and
3 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a settings process that may be
used to configure settings illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 in accordance
with certain embodiments of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a two-sided market process that
may be used to generate prices for instantly quoting a two-sided
market in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 10 is an illustration of an entry window that may be
used to select items to be traded using the dialog window of FIGS.
2 and 3 in accordance with certain embodiments of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an entry window process that
may be used to interface the entry window of FIG. 10 with the
dialog window of FIGS. 2 and 3 in accordance with certain
embodiments of the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a system that may be used to
implement the processes and functions illustrated in FIGS. 1-11 in
accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The present invention relates to systems and methods for
instantly quoting a two-sided market.
[0021] Currently, if a trader wishes to enter a bid and an offer
order, he must do so independently. This is an arduous task,
especially in a fast moving market. In accordance with the present
invention, it is possible to allow a trader to enter a two-sided
market order instantly. Systems and methods provide configurable
trading interfaces to automate the submission of a two-sided market
order.
[0022] The technique of the present invention for instantly
submitting a two-sided market order uses a pre-set spread amount,
configured by the trader, and an entered value to generate a bid or
offer value, depending on which value is entered. For example, if a
trader enters a bid price, the trader may indicate to submit a bid
and offer order for a particular item, where the offer price may be
automatically generated from the bid price and the pre-set spread
amount. If a trader enters an offer price, the trader may indicate
to submit a bid and offer order for a particular item, where the
bid price may be automatically generated from the offer price and
the pre-set spread amount. Accordingly, this invention prevents the
need for traders to enter independent bid and offer orders for a
particular item.
[0023] Turning to FIGS. 1-6, examples of screen displays that may
be presented in certain embodiments of the present invention are
illustrated. FIG. 1 shows a market cell 100 that may be used to
display one or more bid and/or one or more offer 101 for an item to
be traded. As illustrated, bid and offer 101 indicates a price 102
which a buyer is willing to pay for a selected item 103 at a given
size 106 (i.e., a number of the item) and a price 104 which a
seller is willing to accept for selected item 103 at a given size
108.
[0024] Each component of a market shown in market cell 100 may be
marked with a color, or in any other suitable manner, to indicate
features of that component. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the
entire area of fields 102, 103, 104, 106, and 108 may be colored,
or only the symbols in those fields may be colored, to assign a
meaning to each field. As a further example, a specific color may
be assigned to field 102 to indicate that a price in the field is a
bid price. Preferably, a trader is able to specify the color
assigned to each component of a trade. The fields, or symbols
contained therein, may be continuously colored or may be shown in a
chosen color when a mouse pointer is passed over each field or used
to click on each field.
[0025] In order to bid for, offer to sell, buy, and/or sell an item
through market cell 100, a trader may submit a trading command
indicating the action to be taken using various approaches. For
example, in preferred embodiments, a trader may submit the trading
command using a command-line interface, by clicking on components
of bid and offer 101, and/or using a graphical interface.
[0026] When using a command-line interface, a trading command may
be entered in any non-graphical interface desired. For example, a
trader may submit a trading command by pressing buttons on a
keyboard. Likewise, a trader could use a voice recognition system
to enter commands verbally, or a trader could use some combination
of voice recognition, keyboard, and pointing device.
[0027] A trader may also indicate a desire to bid, offer, buy,
and/or sell an item by clicking on different portions of a bid and
offer 101 for that item in market cell 100. For example, if the
trader clicks on bid price 102, the trader may indicate to submit a
bid for the item. If the trader clicks on offer price 104, the
trader may indicate to submit an offer for the item. If the trader
clicks on bid size 106, the trader may submit a command to sell the
item. And, if the trader clicks on offer size 108, the trader may
submit a command to buy the item.
[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention may allow a
trader to instantly quote a two-sided market based on a pre-set
spread amount as configured by the trader. For example, if the
trader enters or clicks on bid price 102, the trader may indicate
to submit a bid and offer order for the item, where the offer price
104 may be automatically generated from the bid price 102 and a
pre-set spread amount as configured by the trader. If the trader
enters or clicks on offer price 104, the trader may indicate to
submit a bid and offer order for the item, where the bid price 102
may be automatically generated from the offer price 104 and a
pre-set spread amount as configured by the trader.
[0029] Further, preferred embodiments of the present invention may
allow a trader to use different levels of mouse button entries to
initiate a trading command. That is, for flexibility, this
invention may allow a trader to determine how many clicks on
components of bid or offer 101 using a button of a mouse are
required before the trader either bids for, offers to sell, buys,
and/or sells an item corresponding to the market cell. For example,
for maximum speed and slightly more risk, the trader may choose
that a market be acted upon after a single click on a component of
bid or offer 101. Likewise, a trader may choose to use a double
click on a market before it is acted upon.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a graphical interface
for submitting one-sided trading commands. As shown, the graphical
interface comprises a dialog window 200 with various buttons and
entry fields 202-245. Using these buttons and entry fields, a
trader may submit a bid command, an offer command, a buy command,
or a sell command for an item corresponding to a market cell 100.
Preferably, each traded item uses a unique dialog window 200.
Dialog window 200 may be opened automatically and/or manually
before, during, and/or after a trade, and may allow a trader to
submit a trade command at any time. The dialog window may be
repositioned on a trader's display and/or fixed in place. The
trader, preferably, will keep the window associated with a
particular item below the market cell 100 for the same tradable
item. The number of dialog windows 200 that can be kept open at any
one time is preferably unlimited.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, dialog window 200 may comprise a variety
of on-screen buttons and entry fields. Generally, a button, as
displayed in box 200, may be "pushed" by placing a pointing
device's pointer over the button and pressing a switch on the
pointing device, as is commonly known in the art. At the center of
window 200, a numeric keypad 202 may be displayed. The numeric
keypad 202 may provide buttons for numbers zero through nine, and
may contain buttons for numbers ten, twenty-five, fifty, and one
hundred or any other suitable or desirable values. The numeric
keypad 202 may also contain a plus button ("+"), a minus button
("-"), a decimal point button ("."), a backspace button ("BKS"),
and a delete button ("DEL")
[0032] In addition to displaying a numeric keypad as described
above, dialog window 200 may also provide a user with a buy button
204, a sell button 206, a cancel buys button 208, a cancel sells
button 210, a bid button 212, an offer button 214, a cancel bids
button 216, a cancel offers button 218, cancel all button 220,
cancel all for all instruments button 222, a price entry field 224,
price up and down buttons 226, bid price up and down buttons 228,
offer price up and down buttons 234, a size entry field 230, and
size up and down buttons 232. Dialog window 200 may contain a
preference field 236 that allows a user to specify preferred types
of orders, a close-on-action box 238 that causes dialog window 200
to be automatically closed after specified actions are performed, a
configure keypad button 240 that allows a user to arrange the
keypad for dialog window 200, a close button 242 that closes the
dialog window 200 on demand, a settings button 241, and a display
history button 243 that causes a history list of order entries to
be displayed when pressed. Finally, dialog window 200 may contain a
2-Way button 244 and a 2-Way box 245. 2-way button 244 causes a
two-sided market trading dialog box, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to
display and may allow the trader to enter two-sided trades. By
selecting box 245, the trader may enable two-sided trading as the
default mode of trading. If two-sided trading is set as the default
mode, all orders will be initiated as two-sided market orders.
[0033] Preference field 236 may be used to indicate the user's
preferred trade type and may allow the user to select any type of
trade that a particular exchange or trading system supports.
Although FIG. 2 provides specific examples of trade types (e.g.,
good-till-canceled (GTC), limit, all-or-none (AON), stop, and
market-if-touched (MIT)), the invention may be implemented with any
type of trade.
[0034] Configure keypad button 240 may allow a trader to arrange
buttons appearing in dialog window 200 to be anywhere a trader
prefers by first pressing the configure keypad button 240, by then
dragging the buttons to new positions, and finally by clicking on
button 240 again. Also, the configuration or re-configuration of
buttons can change the function of those buttons depending on the
type of trading desired or what type of item is being traded.
[0035] Although any of the approaches described herein to
submitting a trading command may be used independently of the
others, two or more approaches may also be used substantially
simultaneously. For example, when using a command-line interface,
an entry verification feature of the present invention may display
a graphical interface to confirm a trader's intentions after a
command-line trade command has been entered. Similarly, as another
example, after clicking on a component of a bid and offer 101 in a
market cell 100, an entry verification feature of the present
invention may display a graphical interface to a trader to allow
the trader to alter and/or confirm the command being submitted.
[0036] To speed entry of a trading command when using various
approaches to submit a trading command substantially
simultaneously, the present invention preferably includes a pointer
warping feature that redirects the focus of the pointing device
pointer to another location of the trader's display. In accordance
with this feature, for example, when a trader clicks on a bid price
102 ($100.21 as depicted in FIG. 1) in a market cell 100, a dialog
window 200 may pop-up (if not already open), and a pointer that is
being used by the trader may be immediately redirected to a bid
button 212 to save the trader the time of repositioning the pointer
to that location. Once in the new location, the trader may then use
the pointer to confirm and/or modify the trade command and then
submit the trade command using bid button 212. Although this
feature of the present invention is described in connection with a
pointing device pointer, this feature may be implemented using any
suitable graphical interface pointer, cursor, or similar
object.
[0037] Assume instead that, in the previous example, the trader
wants to increase bid price 102 to $100.22. When the appropriate
trade submission approaches are used substantially simultaneously,
the trader may click anywhere on the displayed bid and offer 101,
and thereby cause dialog window 200 to appear. At this point, the
trader may press bid button 212 once and thereby cause bid price
102 ($100.21 as illustrated in FIG. 1) to appear in price entry
field 224. To increase bid price 102 from $100.21 to $100.22, the
trader may then press price up button 226, or press bid price up
button 228. When dealing with an offer, the trader may press price
up button 226 or press offer price up button 234. Because time is
typically of the essence, the trader will preferably use bid price
up button 228 or offer price up button 234 because it is closer to
bid button 212. Finally, to submit the bid, the trader may click on
bid button 212 again to submit the bid. Alternatively, if the
trader didn't want to alter the price, the trader could have double
clicked immediately on bid button 212.
[0038] After any trade command is entered by pressing bid button
212, offer button 214, buy button 204, or sell button 206, the
mouse pointer may then be maintained in its position above the
just-pushed button in case the trader wants to repeat entry of the
same trade command shortly thereafter.
[0039] As indicated above, a trader may never need to type a full
price infield 102. Instead, a trader may configure the dialog
window to automatically post in price entry field 224 either the
current bid or offer price or a pre-programmed-increment-better bid
or offer price of a bid or offer that the trader clicks on.
Alternatively, a trader may point to each individual number or
quantity (i.e., 0-9, 10, 25, 50, or 100) in keypad 202 and, in
effect, input the desired price (or size) using a mouse.
[0040] In order to enter a size for a bid, offer, buy, or sell
command, a trader may either choose to use a pre-programmed default
size or adjust the size of a trade in size entry field 230. When
the trader is either bidding or offering, size entry field 230
preferably will initially always show a pre-set size amount as
configured by the trader. To increase or decrease the size, the
trader may either push the size up or size down buttons 232, or
delete the size and enter a new size using the keypad 202.
[0041] Preferably, by default, size entry field 230 is filled with
a selected bid or offer size and highlighted when dialog window 200
is opened in response to a trader clicking on the selected bid or
offer size. By highlighting the size entry field 230, a trader may
change the size by simply pushing any of the buttons on keypad 202
without first highlighting and/or deleting numbers in that field.
Once a desired size is entered, a trader may then push sell button
206 or buy button 204 and submit an order to sell or buy the size
appearing in size entry field 230.
[0042] Another way for a trader to bid is to choose an item and a
size and then press bid button 212 without designating a price. By
entering a bid in this manner, the trader simply joins the best bid
that appears on the trader's screen for that item. Although this
approach to entering a bid is extremely easy and fast, a trader is
risking that in the moment just prior to pressing bid button 212,
the bid price appearing on the screen may change and thus force a
trader to use the new price. Should this occur, a trader may press
the cancel bids button 216 and re-enter a desired bid using the
method described above.
[0043] As mentioned above, an entry verification feature of the
present invention may be used substantially simultaneously with a
command-line interface or a click on bid or offer interface to
cause a graphical interface to be presented after a trader submits
a command-line trade command or clicks on a component of a bid or
offer. For example, if using a command-line interface, a trader
submits a command to bid at a certain price for a certain size, a
dialog window 200 may automatically appear (if not already shown),
price and size fields 224 and 230 may be populated with the certain
price and the certain size, and the pointer may be warped to just
above bid button 212. The trader can then press bid button 212 to
confirm the command or alter the price and/or size as described
above.
[0044] Although the illustrations above are discussed in connection
with bidding for and buying of an item, it should be obvious to
those of ordinary skill in the art that the same features of the
present invention are available in the offering for and selling of
an item. Offer and sell buttons may be used instead of bid and buy
buttons to offer and sell, respectively, an item.
[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a graphical
interface for submitting trading commands. As shown, the graphical
interface comprises many of the same features as illustrated in
FIG. 2. FIG. 3, as opposed to FIG. 2 however, may be used for
two-sided market trading, and the additional features in FIG. 3 are
added to facilitate two-sided market trading. As shown, the
graphical interface comprises a dialog window 300 with various
buttons and entry fields 302-344. Using these buttons and entry
fields, a trader may simultaneously initiate a bid command and an
offer command for an item corresponding to a market cell 100.
Preferably, each traded item uses a unique dialog window 300.
Dialog window 300 may be opened automatically and/or manually
before, during, and/or after a trade, and may allow a trader to
submit a trade command at any time. The dialog window may be
repositioned on a trader's display and/or fixed in place. The
trader, preferably, will keep the window associated with a
particular item below the market cell 100 for the same tradable
item. The number of dialog windows 300 that can be kept open at any
one time is preferably unlimited.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, dialog window 300 may comprise a variety
of on-screen buttons and entry fields. Generally, a button, as
displayed in box 300, may be "pushed" by placing a pointing
device's pointer over the button and pressing a switch on the
pointing device, as is commonly known in the art. At the center of
window 300, a numeric keypad 302 may be displayed. The numeric
keypad 302 may provide buttons for numbers zero through nine, and
may contain buttons for numbers ten, twenty-five, fifty, and one
hundred or any other suitable or desirable values. The numeric
keypad 302 may also contain a plus button ("+"), a minus button
("-"), a decimal point button ("."), a backspace button ("BKS"),
and a delete button ("DEL")
[0047] In addition to displaying a numeric keypad as described
above, dialog window 300 may also provide a user with a buy button
304, a sell button 306, a cancel buys 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 button 320, and
cancel all for all instruments button 322. To facilitate two-sided
trading, dialog window 300 preferably provides a user with a bid
price entry field 324, bid price up and down buttons 325, an offer
price entry field 326, offer price up and down buttons 327, a bid
size entry field 329, bid size up and down buttons 330, an offer
size entry field 331, and offer size up and down buttons 332. In
accordance with these fields and buttons, for example, when a
trader enters a bid price 102 or an offer price 104, the trader may
instantly quote a two-sided market. For example, if a trader enters
a bid price, the trader may indicate to submit a bid and offer
order for a particular item, where the offer price may be
automatically generated from the bid price and the pre-set spread
amount. If a trader enters an offer price, the trader may indicate
to submit a bid and offer order for a particular item, where the
bid price may be automatically generated from the offer price and
the pre-set spread amount.
[0048] Dialog window 300 may contain a preference field 336 that
allows a user to specify preferred types of orders, a
close-on-action box 338 that causes dialog window 300 to be
automatically closed after specified actions are performed, a
configure keypad button 340 that allows a user to arrange the
keypad for dialog window 300, a close button 342 that closes the
dialog window 300 on demand, a settings button 341, and a display
history button 343 that causes a history list of order entries to
be display when pressed. Finally, dialog window 300 may contain a
1-Way button 344. 1-way button 344 causes a one-sided trading
dialog box, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to display and may allow the
trader to enter one-sided trades.
[0049] Preference field 336 may be used to indicate the user's
preferred trade type and may allow the user to select any type of
trade that a particular exchange or trading system supports.
Although FIG. 3 provides specific examples of trade types (e.g.,
good-till-canceled (GTC), limit, all-or-none (AON), stop, and
market-if-touched (MIT)), the invention may be implemented with any
type of trade.
[0050] Configure keypad button 340 may allow a trader to arrange
buttons appearing in dialog window 300 to be anywhere a trader
prefers by first pressing the configure keypad button 340, by then
dragging the buttons to new positions, and finally by clicking on
button 340 again. Also, the configuration or re-configuration of
buttons can change the function of those buttons depending on the
type of trading desired or what type of item is being traded.
[0051] Although any of the approaches described herein to
submitting a trading command may be used independently of the
others, two or more approaches may also be usedsubstantially
simultaneously. For example, when using a command-line interface,
an entry verification feature of the present invention may display
a graphical interface to confirm a trader's intentions after a
command-line trade command has been entered. Similarly, as another
example, after clicking on a component of a bid and offer 101 in a
market cell 100, an entry verification feature of the present
invention may display a graphical interface to a trader to allow
the trader to alter and/or confirm the command being submitted.
[0052] To speed entry of a trading command when using various
approaches to submit a trading command substantially
simultaneously, the present invention preferably includes a pointer
warping feature that redirects the focus of the pointing device
pointer to another location of the trader's display. In accordance
with this feature, for example, when a trader clicks on a bid price
102 ($100.21 as depicted in FIG. 1) in a market cell 100, a dialog
window 300 may pop-up (if not already open), and a pointer that is
being used by the trader may be immediately redirected to a bid
button 312 to save the trader the time of repositioning the pointer
to that location. Once in the new location, the trader may then use
the pointer to confirm and/or modify the trade command and then
submit the trade command using bid button 312. Although this
feature of the present invention is described in connection with a
pointing device pointer, this feature may be implemented using any
suitable graphical interface pointer, cursor, or similar
object.
[0053] Assume instead that, in the previous example, the trader
wants to increase bid price 102 to $100.22. When the appropriate
trade submission approaches are used substantially simultaneously,
the trader may click anywhere on the displayed bid and offer 101,
and thereby cause dialog window 300 to appear. At this point, the
trader may press bid button 312 once and thereby cause bid price
102 ($100.21 as illustrated in FIG. 1) to appear in bid price entry
field 324. To increase bid price 102 from $100.21 to $100.22, the
trader may then press bid price up button 325, or press bid price
up button 328. When dealing with an offer, the trader may press
offer price up button 327 or press offer price up button 334.
Because time is typically of the essence, the trader will
preferably use bid price up button 328 or offer price up button 334
because it is closer to bid button 312. Finally, to submit the bid,
the trader may click on bid button 312 again to submit the bid.
Alternatively, if the trader didn't want to alter the price, the
trader could have double clicked immediately on bid button 312.
[0054] After any trade command is entered by pressing bid button
312, offer button 314, buy button 304, or sell button 306, the
mouse pointer may then be maintained in its position above the
just-pushed button in case the trader wants to repeat entry of the
same trade command shortly thereafter.
[0055] To speed entry of a trading command when using various
approaches to submit a trading command substantially
simultaneously, the present invention preferably includes a
two-sided market trading feature that automatically generates a
value based on a submitted value and a pre-set spread amount as
configured by the trader. In accordance with this feature, for
example, when a trader enters a bid price 324, an offer price 326
may be generated based on the bid price 324 submitted and pre-set
spread amount as configured by the trader. These values may then be
used to initiate a bid and offer order for a particular item.
Accordingly, this feature prevents the need for traders to enter
independent bid and offer orders for a particular item. As
indicated, a trader may never need to type an offer price in field
326. Instead, a trader may configure the dialog window to
automatically post in offer price entry field 326 a price generated
from a bid price 324 and a pre-set spread amount as configured by
the trader. Likewise, when a trader enters an offer price 326, a
bid price 324 may be generated based on the offer price 326
submitted and a pre-set spread amount as configured by the trader.
Although this feature of the present invention is described in
connection with generating price values, this feature may be
implemented to generate any other suitable values.
[0056] The two-sided market trading feature may be used
substantially simultaneously with a command-line interface or a
click on bid or offer interface to cause a value to be generated.
For example, if using a command-line interface, a trader submits a
command to bid at a certain bid price for a certain bid size and a
certain offer size, an offer price may automatically be generated
and a bid and offer order subsequently initiated.
[0057] As indicated above, a trader may never need to type a full
price in field 102. Instead, a trader may configure the dialog
window to automatically post in bid price entry field 324 the
current bid or in offer price entry field 326 the current offer
price or a pre-programmed-increment-better bid or offer price of a
bid or offer that the trader clicks on. Alternatively, a trader may
point to each individual number or quantity (i.e., 0-9, 10, 25, 50,
or 100) in keypad 302 and, in effect, input the desired price (or
size) using a mouse.
[0058] In order to enter a size for a bid, offer, buy, or sell
command, a trader may either choose to use a pre-programmed default
size or adjust the size of a trade in size entry fields 329 or 331.
When the trader is either bidding and/or offering, bid size entry
field 329 and offer size entry field 331 preferably will initially
always show a pre-set size amount as configured by the trader. To
increase or decrease the size, the trader may either push the size
up or size down buttons 330 or 332, or delete the size and enter a
new size using the keypad 302.
[0059] Preferably, by default, size entry field 329 or 331 is
filled with a selected bid or offer size and highlighted when
dialog window 300 is opened in response to a trader clicking on the
selected bid or offer size. By highlighting the size entry field
329 or 331, a trader may change the size by simply pushing any of
the buttons on keypad 302 without first highlighting and/or
deleting numbers in that field. Once desired sizes are entered, a
trader may then push bid button 312 or offer button 334 and submit
an order to bid and offer the sizes appearing in size entry fields
329 and 331.
[0060] Another way for a trader to bid and offer is to choose an
item and a size and then press bid button 312 without designating a
price. By entering a bid and an offer in this manner, the trader
simply joins the best bid that appears on the trader's screen for
that item and the offer will be generated from that bid and a
pre-set spread amount as configured by the trader. Although this
approach to entering a bid and an offer is extremely easy and fast,
a trader is risking that in the moment just prior to pressing bid
button 312, the bid price appearing on the screen may change and
thus force a trader to use the new price. Should this occur, a
trader may press the cancel bids button 316 and re-enter a desired
bid using the method described above.
[0061] As mentioned above, an entry verification feature of the
present invention may be used substantially simultaneously with a
command-line interface or a click on bid or offer interface to
cause a graphical interface to be presented after a trader submits
a command-line trade command or a clicks on a component of a bid or
offer. For example, if using a command-line interface, a trader
submits a command to bid at a certain price for certain bid and
offer sizes, a dialog window 300 may automatically appear (if not
already shown), price and size fields 324, 326, 329, and 331 may be
populated with the certain price and the certain size, and the
pointer may be warped to just above bid button 312. The trader can
then press bid button 312 to confirm the command or alter the price
and/or size as described above.
[0062] Although the illustrations above are discussed in connection
with bidding for and buying of an item, it should be obvious to
those of ordinary skill in the art that the same features of the
present invention are available in the offering for and selling of
an item. Offer and sell buttons may be used instead of bid and buy
buttons to offer and sell, respectively, an item.
[0063] FIG. 4 shows a system settings screen 400 that may be
presented upon a trader pressing "settings" button 241 in dialog
window 200, "settings" button 341 in dialog window 300 or a
corresponding function key. In order for preferred embodiments of
the present invention to operate ideally for a trader, the trader
may have to configure at least one setting in systems settings
screen 400. Systems setting screen 400 may comprise a "more
settings" button 402, an item type selection field 404, input
preference settings 406, display preference settings 408, an
on-startup preference setting 410, an "OK" button 412, and a
"Cancel" button 414.
[0064] Within the item type selection field 404, a trader may
select a preferred item type by indicating a type of item to be
traded. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, item type selection
field 404 indicates that the item to be traded is a 5 year U.S.
Treasury bond. Other available item types, including financial
instruments, bets or wagering instruments, or other tradable items,
however, may be displayed and selected using a drop-down list
associated with item type selection field 404.
[0065] Input preference settings 406 may allow a trader to enable
or disable the two-sided market trading feature and the entry
verification feature, use short codes to facilitate futures
contracts transactions (when futures contracts are a tractable
item), open dialog window 200 or 300 when a single click is entered
on a bid or offer, select whether an entered size is treated as a
total size or an incremental size, and select whether a price is
displayed in 32nds format or decimal format.
[0066] Display preference settings 408 may enable a trader to
specify how bids and offers are displayed. More particularly,
preference settings 408 may allow a trader to indicate whether to
display a current item in a market cell 100, whether to display the
current item by name or description, whether to list sizes for
various bids and offers in the market cell, whether to display the
net position in the market cell, whether to display scroll bars for
the market cell, whether to display executing orders for the item
first in the market cell, and whether to allow the trader to
configure other display preferences by pressing "more display
settings" buttons. An on-startup preference setting 410 may enable
a trader to indicate whether trades from a previous trading session
are loaded into the trade history upon start-up of dialog window
200 or 300. Finally, an "OK" button 412 and a "Cancel" button 414
may be provided to enable a trader to indicate whether to accept
recently inputted changes or cancel the changes, respectively.
[0067] If, from systems settings screen 400, a trader presses "more
settings" button 402, a second settings screen 500 may be displayed
as shown in FIG. 5. As can be seen, second settings screen 500 may
provide the trader with an ability to specify, using trade
preferences, whether to buy or sell all 502 of the size of an offer
or bid as displayed, or, regardless of the displayed size, to buy
or sell a certain pre-designated size (Buy/Sell Partial Size 504)
when clicking on a security in a market cell. Likewise, second
settings screen 500 also permits the trader to specify a default
offer size 507, a default bid size 508, a default size increment
509 for bids and offers that will be used for size up/down button
depressions, and a default price increment 510 for bids and offers
that will be used for price up/down button depressions. A trader
may populate the default offer size 510 and default bid size 508
with numbers or ratios, which would be used to generate sizes.
[0068] Second settings screen 500 also allows the trader to specify
limits to prevent accidental entry of a command for a price or size
that is outside a reasonably expected range. By selecting box 512,
the trader may enable a confirmation alert that prompts the trader
for authorization to submit a command for a size larger than the
limit (previously selected by the trader or set by the system based
on the trader's previous trading history and the traded item's
overall market history). By selecting and setting a bid/buy price
limit 514 and an offer/sell price limit 515, the trader may also
specify a maximum bid/buy price and a minimum offer/sell price. By
selecting the bid/offer spread differential 416, the trader may
enable two-sided-market trading that generates a value from a value
submitted and the bid/offer spread differential 416. For example,
if a trader submits a bid price 324, the offer price 326 will
automatically be generated from the bid price 324 submitted and the
bid/offer spread differential 416. Likewise, if a trader submits an
offer price 326, the bid price 324 will automatically be generated.
As the name suggests, the bid/offer spread differential is the
amount by which the offer price 326 will differ from the bid price
324.
[0069] Finally, as shown in second settings screen 500, the trader
may select whether to automatically populate a bid/offer with a
last trade price or a last bid/offer price using entry verification
preferences 518 and 520.
[0070] Once a trader has completed setting the preferences, a
trader may submit the preferences by pressing an "OK" button 522 or
cancel the preferences by pressing a "Cancel" button 524.
[0071] If a trader presses the "more display settings" button in
display preferences 408 of settings screen 400 of FIG. 4, display
settings screen 600 may appear to allow the trader to specify
screen colors, window positioning, and other display functions. By
selecting "ON" button 602, a trader may choose to highlight a
particular field of the dialog window whenever the pointing device
passes over that field. Thus, for example, when a user passes a
pointer over the price field, the field will automatically be
highlighted while the system awaits user input into that field. The
trader may turn this function off by pushing "OFF" button 604.
[0072] In addition to dragging the window and placing it in a
preferred area on the screen, a user may set the default position
of market cell 100 and dialog window by using pull-down menus 606
and 608. Specifically, the position of the market cell may be
selected using market cell menu 606. Menu 606 may allow a trader to
drag the main trading window to any position on the screen and
thereafter use that position as the default position for the main
trading window, to select a quadrant of the screen, or to select
any other desired portion of the screen. Dialog window menu 608 may
allow the trader to select the position of the dialog window using
menu options similar to those described for market cell menu
606.
[0073] Display settings screen 600 also allows a user to select the
color or other characteristic (e.g., blinking text, font size,
etc.) of the bid or offer. A trader may select bid menu 610 to
select a color or other display characteristic for the bid. Offer
menu 612 may be selected to select the color or other display
characteristics for an offer. Similar options may be implemented to
allow a trader to select the color and other display factors for
all parameters of a trade.
[0074] Finally, "OK" button 614 and "Cancel" button 616 may be used
to either confirm changes or cancel the changes selected on display
settings screen 600, respectively.
[0075] Although illustrated in a particular fashion for trading
particular types of items, the present invention, and thus the
interfaces shown in FIGS. 1-6, may be altered to facilitate trading
of any type of tradable items.
[0076] Further, the present invention recognizes a hierarchy of
levels--room, group, and issue--with regard to rules and settings.
The room level is the highest level, the group level is the middle
level, and the issue level is the lowest level. Accordingly, a rule
or setting set a the room level will be true for all groups and
issues. If, however, the same rule or setting is changed at the
group level, thus conflicting with the rule or setting set at the
room level, then the rule or setting set at the group level will
take precedence over the rule or setting set at the room level for
that particular group. If the same rule or setting is then changed
at the issue level, giving each level a different rule or setting
for the same field, then the rule or setting set at the issue level
will take precedence over the rules or settings set above it at the
group and room level for that particular issue.
[0077] It is possible to" have multiple groups in a room, and each
group has the potential for having different rules or settings.
Similarly, it is possible to have multiple issues in a group, and
each issue has the potential for having different rules or
settings.
[0078] One embodiment of a main process 700 that may be used to
control the presentation of the interfaces illustrated in FIGS. 1-6
is illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C. As shown in FIG. 7A, once process
700 has begun at step 702, the process may load trading interface
settings at step 704. The setting loaded at step 704 may include
all of the settings configurable through screens 200, 300, 400,
500, and 600 and any other suitable settings. Once these settings
are loaded, process 700 may display a dialog window 200 or 300 at
step 706, depending on whether two-sided market trading is set as
the default. If two-sided market trading is set as the default,
then process 700 may display dialog window 300. Otherwise, process
700 may display dialog window 200. Based upon the settings loaded
at step 704, process 700 then determines whether the item
configured to be traded in dialog window 200 or 300 is to be
displayed in a market cell. If it is, then process 700 presents a
market cell 100 at step 710. Otherwise, or after displaying the
market cell, process 700 proceeds to step 712 where the process
waits for trader input.
[0079] Once trader input has been received at step 712, process 700
determines whether the trader pushed settings button 241 in dialog
window 200 or settings button 341 in dialog window 300. If the
trader did push the settings button, then process 600 runs a
settings process at step 716. An example of a settings process is
shown in FIG. 8. Once the settings process is completed, process
700 proceeds back to step 712 to wait for more trader input. If
process 700 determines that the trader did not push the settings
button at step 714, however, then process 700 proceeds to step 718
to determine if the trader pushed a bid button 212 or 312, an offer
button 214 or 314, a buy button 204 or 304, or a sell button 206 or
306. If the trader did push one of these buttons, then the
corresponding order is placed at step 720. Otherwise, process 700
proceeds to step 722 to determine if the trader pushed one of
cancel buttons 208, 210, 216, 218, 220, 222, 308, 310, 316, 320, or
322. If so, then process 700 cancels the corresponding orders that
can be canceled at step 724. Once an order has been placed at step
720, or orders have been canceled at step 724, process 700
determines at step 726 whether "close on action" box 238 or 338 is
checked in dialog window 200 or 300, respectively. If not, process
700 loops back to step 712. Otherwise process 700 closes dialog
window 200 or 300 at step 728 and then proceeds to step 712.
[0080] If, at step 722, process 700 determines that the trader did
not push a cancel button, however, then process 700 proceeds to
step 734 as shown in FIG. 7B via link 730. At step 734, process 700
determines whether the trader pushed a price or size up or down
button 226, 228, 232, 234, 325, 327, 328, 330, 332 or 334. If the
trader did push one of these buttons, process 700 changes the price
or size accordingly at step 736 and then determines whether the
two-sided market feature is enabled at step 737. If the two-sided
market feature is enabled, then process 700 runs a two-sided market
process at step 738. An example of a two-sided market process is
shown in FIG. 9. Once the two-sided market process is completed,
process 700 proceeds back to step 712 via link 732 to wait for more
trader input. If process 700 determines that the two-sided market
feature is not enabled at step 737, however, then process 700
proceeds to step 712 via link 732. Otherwise, process 700 proceeds
to step 739 to determine if the trader pushed a button on keypad
202 or 302. If the trader did push one of these buttons, then the
process changes the value of either the price or size highlighted
accordingly at step 740 and then determines whether the two-sided
market feature is enabled at step 737. If the two-sided market
feature is enabled, then process 700 runs a two-sided market
process at step 738. An example of a two-sided market process is
shown in FIG. 9. Once the two-sided market process is completed,
process 700 proceeds back to step 712 via link 732 to wait for more
trader input. If process 700 determines that the two-sided market
feature is not enabled at step 737, however, then process 700
proceeds to step 712 via link 732. If the trader did not push one
of the keypad buttons, process 700 next determines at step 742
whether the trader submitted a value in price or size field 224,
230, 324, 326, 329 or 331. If the trader did submit a value, then
process 700 changes the value in that field accordingly at step 740
and then determines whether the two-sided market feature is enabled
at step 737. If the two-sided market feature is enabled, then
process 700 runs a two-sided market process at step 738. An example
of a two-sided market process is shown in FIG. 9. Once the
two-sided market process is completed, process 700 proceeds back to
step 712 via link 732 to wait for more trader input. If process 700
determines that the two-sided market feature is not enabled at step
737, however, then process 700 proceeds to step 712 via link
732.
[0081] If process 700 determines at step 742 that the trader did
not submit a value in one of the price or size fields, then process
700 determines at step 744 whether the trader changed the trade
type preference 236 or 336. If the trader did change this
preference, the trade type preference is changed at step 746 and
process 700 loops back to step 712 via link 732. Otherwise, process
700 determines at step 748 whether the trader pushed configure
keypad button 240 or 340. If the trader did push this button, then
the process allows the trader to drag buttons in dialog window to
new locations until the trader pushes the configure keypad button
again. The new locations of the relocated buttons are then stored
as settings for dialog window 200 or 300 that are loaded at step
702 and used to define the button locations each time the dialog
window is opened.
[0082] If process 700 determines at step 748 that the trader did
not push the configure keypad button, then process 700 proceeds to
step 754 via link 752. At step 754, process 700 determines if the
trader pushed close button 242 or 342. If so, then process 700
loops back to step 728 via link 734 to close dialog window 200 or
300. Otherwise, process 700 determines at step 756 whether the
trader clicked on a price 102 or 104 or size 106 or 108 in market
cell 100. If the trader did click on a price or size in the market
cell, then process 700 determines whether the two-sided market
feature is enabled at step 758. If the two-sided market feature is
enabled, then process 700 runs a two-sided market process at step
760. An example of a two-sided market process is shown in FIG. 9.
Once the two-sided market process is completed, process 700
determines whether the entry verification feature is enabled at
step 762. If the entry verification feature is not active, then
process 700 submits a bid, offer, buy, and/or sell order based upon
which price or size button was clicked, as described above, and
then proceeds to step 726 via link 735. Otherwise, process 700 next
determines whether dialog window 200 or 300 is open at step 768. If
the dialog window is not open, then process 700 opens a dialog
window 200 or 300 at step 772. After opening dialog window 200 or
300 at step 772, or if the dialog window was determined to be open
at step 768, process 700 warps the pointer to the bid, offer, buy,
or sell button based upon what was clicked in the market cell, and
then process 700 loops back to step 712 via link 732.
[0083] If process 700 determines at step 756 that the trader did
not click on a price 102 or 104 or size 106 or 108 in market cell
100, then process 700 proceeds to step 770 via link 774. At step
776, process 700 determines whether the trader pressed an ON-OFF
switch. The ON-OFF switch may be a mere combination of the keyboard
control key and an open keyboard key. The ON-OFF switch may be
incorporated so traders do not have to go to system settings to
disable or enable the two-sided market feature. For example, if the
trader has the two-sided market feature enabled and wants to enter
a one-sided market order for a specific item, the trader may
disable the two-sided market feature without having to revert to
the system settings. Conversely, if the trader is entering
predominantly one-sided markets and decides to enter a two-sided
market order for a specific item, then the trader may enable the
two-sided market feature without having to revert to the system
settings. At step 776, if process 700 determines that the trader
pressed the ON-OFF switch, then process 700 determines whether the
two-sided market feature is enabled at step 778. If not, process
700 enables the two-sided market feature at step 780 and loops back
to step 712 via link 732. Otherwise, process 700 disables the
two-sided market feature at step 782 and loops back to step 712 via
link 732.
[0084] If the trader did not press the ON-OFF switch then process
700 proceeds to step 784. At step 784, process 700 determines
whether the trader pressed a bid key on the keyboard. The bid ey,
for example, may be the F6 key on a keyboard. If process 700
determines that the trader did not press the bid key, process 700
loops back to step 712 via link 732 to wait for more trader input.
Otherwise, process 700 determines whether the two-sided market
feature is enabled at step 786. If the two-sided market feature is
not enabled, then process 700 loops back to step 712 via link 732
to wait for more trader input. Otherwise, process 700 runs a
two-sided market process at step 788. An example of a two-sided
market process is shown in FIG. 9. Once the two-sided market
process is completed, process 700 determines whether the entry
verification feature is active at step 790. If the entry
verification feature is not active, then process 700 submits a bid
and offer order based upon which price or size button was clicked,
as described above, and then proceeds to step 726 via link 735.
Otherwise, process 700 next determines whether dialog window 300 is
open at step 792. If the dialog window is not open, then process
700 opens a dialog window 300 at step 794. After opening dialog
window 300 at step 794, or if the dialog window was determined to
be open at step 792, process 700 warps the pointer to the bid,
offer, buy, or sell button based upon what was clicked in the
market cell, and then process 700 loops back to step 712 via link
732.
[0085] One embodiment of a system settings process 800 that may be
used to set system setting as illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 is shown in
FIG. 8. As can be seen, upon pressing settings button 241 (FIG. 2)
or 341 (FIG. 3), process 800 will preferably display system
settings screen 400 as described in connection with FIGS. 4-6 at
step 801. After displaying the system settings screen, process 800
awaits user input at step 802. Once user input is received, at step
803, process 800 determines whether the trader selected "more
settings" button 402. If the trader selected "more settings" button
402, process 800 displays a second settings screen at step 804, as
described in the description of FIG. 5. At step 804, the trader may
then have an opportunity to adjust any setting on the second
settings screen, and, at step 805, process 800 determines whether
the trader pressed "OK" button 522 or "Cancel" button 524. If
process 800 determines that the trader selected "Cancel" button
524, any changes made by the trader in the second settings screen
will be ignored at step 806. If, however, the trader selected "OK"
button 522, process 800 will proceed to step 807--and apply any
changes made by the trader in the second settings screen.
[0086] If, at step 803, the trader was determined to not have
chosen the "more settings" button, or after the completion of
either step 806 or step 807, process 800 branches to step 808. At
step 808, process 800 determines whether the trader selected the
"more display settings" button from screen 400. If so, then process
800 displays display settings screen 600, as described in the
description of FIG. 6, at step 809. Next, at step 810, process 800
determines whether the trader selected "OK" button 614 or "Cancel"
button 616 within display settings screen 600. If the trader
pressed "Cancel" button 616, process 800 cancels any display
settings changes at step 811. If the trader pressed "OK" button
614, process 800 applies any display settings changes at step
812.
[0087] After completing step 811 or 812, or if process 800
determines that the "more display settings" button was not selected
at step 808, process 800 determines whether the trader selected
"OK" button 412 or "Cancel" button 414 at step 813. If neither "OK"
button 412 or "Cancel" button 414 was selected, process 800 loops
back to step 802 where the process will once again await user
input. If the trader selected "Cancel" button 414, however, process
800 will proceed to step 814 and cancel all changes made at the
system settings screen. Hitting "Cancel" button 414, however,
preferably will not cancel changes that the trader may have made in
the second setting screen displayed at step 804 or in the display
settings screen display at step 809. If the trader, selected "OK"
button 412, process 800 will proceed to step 815. Step 815 accepts
and applies any changes made in the system settings screen. After
completing step 814 or 814, process 800 terminates.
[0088] One embodiment of the two-sided market process 900 that may
be used to generate prices is shown in FIG. 9. As can be seen, upon
pressing 2-way button 244 (FIG. 2), selecting 2-way default box 245
(FIG. 2), enabling 2-way trading (FIG. 4) or selecting bid/offer
spread differential box 516 (FIG. 5), process 900 will be
preferably used to generate a value from a submitted value, as
described in connection with FIGS. 2-5. At step 904, process 900
determines whether the trader submitted a bid price, an offer
price, a bid size, and an offer size. If the trader did submit
these values, then process 900 overrides the value entered in the
bid/offer spread differential field 516 at step 906. Overriding the
value in the bid/offer spread differential field 516 allows the
trader to submit a bid and an offer price for a particular item
without having to disable the two-sided market feature and without
having to enter a new value in the bid/offer spread differential
field 516. For example, if the trader is using the command-line
interface, the trader may submit an offer price followed by a
space, a bid price followed by a space, a bid size followed by a
space, an offer size, and press a bid key to override the set
bid/offer spread differential for that trade. After completing step
906, process 900 terminates.
[0089] If process 900 determines at step 904 that the trader did
not submit a bid price, an offer price, a bid size, and an offer
size, then process 900 generates a value from the submitted value
and a value entered in the bid/offer spread differential field 516.
After completing step 908, process 900 terminates.
[0090] In accordance with the present invention, a data window may
be used in addition to or instead of market cell 100 to initiate or
submit order commands via dialog window 200 or 300. The Data window
may be any window for displaying data on tradable items. For
example, a data window may be a market data display, a web page
including financial data or auction information, a spread sheet,
etc. As another example, as shown in FIG. 10, a data window 1000
may be used for this purpose. Data window 1000 is a Bond Analysis
window that is part of the Reuters 3000 Xtra product that is
available from Reuters Limited. Within data window 1000 is a field
1002 that contains information on various bonds 1004-1016. By
clicking on any of bonds 1004-1016, a trader can cause a bid
command to be submitted via dialog window 200 or 300.
[0091] An example of an order entry process 1100 for enabling the
submitting of order commands via dialog window 200 or 300 and a
data window is shown in FIG. 11. Through this process, an entry
window that is either a replica of the data entry window or the
data window itself is used to detect when a trader selects an item
within the data window. As illustrated, after process 1100 has
begun at step 1102, this process loads settings for an entry window
at step 1104. Next, based upon the settings loaded, process 1100
determines at step 1106 whether to replicate a data window for the
entry window or to use the data window itself as the entry window.
If the data window is to be replicated for the entry window, then
process 1100 proceeds to step 1116 at which the data window is
replicated as the entry window. Although replication of the data
window is illustrated as part of process 1100, replication may be
performed using an automated process or may be performed
substantially simultaneously with manual copying of the data
window.
[0092] Next, at step 1118, process 1100 monitors data that is being
sent to the data window and populates fields within the entry
window with that data. Through steps 1116 and 1118, the entry
window preferably appears identical to the data window.
Alternatively, the entry window may be different from the data
window and use the data window data. Following step 1118, process
1100 determines at step 1120 whether a trader clicked on a field in
entry window. As part of the replication of the data window, the
entry window is preferably constructed to facilitate detection of
clicks on various fields within the entry window. If the trader did
click on a field in the entry window, the click and corresponding
data in the entry window are sent to dialog window 200 or 300 as a
substitute for a click on a price or size in market cell 100 at
step 1122. The click and corresponding data are preferably detected
by main process 700 at step 756 and appear to process 700 like a
click on a price or size in a market cell. Because the trader may
click on a variety of items in the entry window, the data
accompanying the click may be used by process 700 to select another
tradable item prior to submitting a bid, offer, buy, and/or sell
command. If no click is detected at step 1120, or after the click
and data have been sent to main process 700 at step 1122, process
1100 loops back to step 1118.
[0093] If, at step 1106, process 1100 determines that the data
window is not to be replicated, then process 1100 displays the data
window and uses the data window as the entry window. Because the
data window may not be an interactive window, process 1100 may
monitor the mouse position and clicks at step 1110 to determine
whether the trader is trying to click on an element in the data
window as the entry window. Next, at step 1112, process 1100
determines whether the trader clicked on a monitored field in the
entry window. If the trader did click on a monitored field, process
1100, at step 1114, strips the data from the monitored field,
substitutes the click and stripped data for a click on a price or
size in the market cell, and sends that click and data to main
process 700. The data may be stripped by monitoring the data being
fed to the data window, by scanning video memory corresponding to
the field of the data window clicked on, or using any other
suitable process. The click and stripped data are preferably
detected by main process 700 at step 756 and appear to process 700
like a click on a price or size in a market cell. Because the
trader may click on a variety of items in the entry window, the
data accompanying the click may be used by process 700 to select
another tradable item prior to submitting a bid, offer, buy, and/or
sell command. If no click is detected at step 1112, or after the
click and data have sent to main process 700 at step 1114, process
1100 loops back to step 1110.
[0094] One example of a system 1200 for implementing the present
invention is shown in FIG. 12. As illustrated, system 1200 may
include one or more computers 1201, including a mouse 1206, that
are connected by one or more communication links 1202 to a computer
network 1203 that is linked via a communication link 1205 to a
trading server 1204.
[0095] In system 1200, trading server 1204 may be any suitable
server, processor, computer, or data processing device, or
combination of the same. Computer network 1203 may be any suitable
computer network including the Internet, an Intranet, a wide-area
network (WAN), a local-area network (LAN), a wireless network, a
digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a frame relay network, an
asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, a virtual private network
(VPN), or any combination of any of the same. Communication links
1202 and 1205 may be any suitable communication links suitable for
communicating data between computers 1201 and server 1204, such as
network links, dial-up links, wireless links, hard-wired links,
etc. User computers 1201 may be any suitable computers, processors,
computer terminals, displays, portable computers, personal digital
assistants, or any other suitable data processing devices, or
combinations of the same.
[0096] One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the
present invention may be practiced in embodiments other than those
illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present invention, and that the invention is only limited by
the claims which follow.
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