Method and system for displaying a cursor on a trading screen

• US 20050125328A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Schluetter, Jens-Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program products are provided for updating the location of a cursor in a display window on a trading screen when certain events occurs. In a preferred embodiment, as market conditions change, the market information may be rearranged on a screen. To reduce the chances of missing a market opportunity by sending orders or managing them, the cursor moves in association with the market information such that the cursor appears fixed to the market information until a user moves the pointer device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a cursor on a screen of a computer used in an electronic trading system, the method comprising:

identifying a cursor at a first location in a display region, the first location being associated with a first portion of market information for a tradeable object; and

receiving a signal, and in response to the signal, updating the display region by automatically moving the cursor to a second location associated with the first portion of market information, the cursor being moved together with the first portion of market information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion of market information is a price region that represents a certain price value for the tradeable object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first location is a point within the price region in a first display arrangement and the second location is a different point within the price region in a second display arrangement.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the first location is a point outside of the price region in a first display arrangement and the second location is a different point outside of the price region in a second display arrangement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance between the first location and the second location in the display region is equal to the distance that the first portion of market information was moved from a first display arrangement to a second display arrangement.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the movement of the cursor from the first location to the second location is in parallel to the movement by the first portion of market information from a first display arrangement to a second display arrangement.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal represents a repositioning command to reposition market information associated with the inside market of the tradeable object in the display region.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a second signal from an input device to move the cursor to a third location.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

identifying the cursor at the third location in the display region, the third location being associated with a second portion of market information for the tradeable object; and

receiving a signal, and in response to the signal, updating the display region by automatically moving the cursor to a fourth location associated with the second portion of market information, the cursor being moved together with the second portion of market information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the display region comprises a price column.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the display region comprises a bid column, an ask column, and a price column, and wherein the first portion of market information represents a price cell in the price column.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the cursor remains in a fixed position relative to the portion of the market information before and after the updating of the display.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a signal at the first location or the second location to initiate an order to buy or to sell the tradeable object at the price.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a second signal from an input device to move the cursor to third location associated with another price.

13. A method for displaying a cursor on a screen of a computer used in an electronic trading system, the method comprising:

identifying a cursor at a first location in a display region, the first location being associated with a particular price to buy or sell a tradeable object, the price being displayed along an axis of prices; and

receiving a signal, and in response to the signal, updating the display region by automatically moving the cursor to a second location associated with the particular price, the cursor being moved in parallel and in unison with the movement of the price along the axis of prices.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein by moving the cursor in unison with the movement of the price along the axis of prices makes the cursor appear fixed in relation to the display region.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the cursor remains in a fixed position relative to the price before and after the updating of the display.

18. A computer-based system for displaying a cursor on a screen of a computer used in an electronic trading system, the system comprising a dynamical mouse controller for identifying a cursor at a first location in a display region, the first location being associated with a first portion of market information for a tradeable object, and for receiving a signal, and in response to the signal, updating the display region by automatically moving the cursor to a second location associated with the first portion of market information, the cursor being moved together with the first portion of market information.