System and method for using a game controller device for electronic trading

• US 20050159198A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eSpeed Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Longman, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,207,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a system for electronic trading is provided. The system includes an interface application having an associated mapping module that defines a plurality of controller signal relationships. Each controller signal relationship associates a game controller signal with a trading system command associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments. The interface application is operable to receive a particular game controller signal, determine the trading system command associated with the particular game controller signal using the mapping module, and communicate the determined trading system command such that the trading system command is executed.

Claims

1. A system for electronic trading, comprising:

an interface application including a mapping module that defines a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments;

wherein the interface application is operable to receive a particular game controller signal, determine the trading system command associated with the particular game controller signal using the mapping module, and communicate the determined trading system command such that the trading system command is executed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping module further defines a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals with one of the plurality of trading system commands.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input port in communication with the interface application; and

a game controller operable to produce the plurality of game controller signals, the game controller configured to interface with the input port such that the game controller signals produced by the game controller are communicated to the interface application via the input port.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the input port is a USB type port.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the input port is a serial port.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a keyboard input port in communication with the interface application;

a keyboard operable to produce keyboard signals and configured to interface with the keyboard input port such that keyboard signals produced by the keyboard are communicated to the interface application via the keyboard input port, the keyboard including a controller input port; and

a game controller operable to produce the plurality of game controller signals, the game controller configured to interface with the controller input port such that the game controller signals produced by the game controller are communicated to the interface application via the keyboard.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller input port is a USB type port.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller input port is a serial port.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the mapping module further defines a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals produced by the keyboard with one of the plurality of trading system commands.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the mapping module further defines one or more feedback signal relationships, each feedback signal relationship associating a trading platform signal with a controller feedback command;

and

wherein the interface application is further operable to receive a particular trading platform signal from a trading platform, determine the controller feedback command associated with the particular trading platform signal using the mapping module, and communicate the determined controller feedback command toward a game controller.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined controller feedback command comprises a command to vibrate the game controller.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface application is further operable to:

provide to a user a controller configuration interface;

receive via the controller configuration interface one or more configuration instructions; and

generate one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received configuration instructions.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface application is further operable to:

provide to a user a controller configuration interface;

receive via the controller configuration interface one or more reconfiguration instructions; and

reconfigure one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received reconfiguration instructions.

14. A method for electronic trading, comprising:

managing a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform;

receiving a particular game controller signal generated by a game controller;

determining the trading system command associated with the particular game controller signal based on the controller signal relationships; and

communicating the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

managing a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals with one of the plurality of trading system commands;

receiving a particular keyboard signal generated by a keyboard;

determining the trading system command associated with the particular keyboard signal based on the keyboard signal relationships; and

communicating the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via a USB type port.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via a serial port.

18. The method of claim 14,

wherein the game controller is coupled to a controller input port provided by a keyboard;

and

wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via the controller input port.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the controller input port is a USB type port.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the controller input port is a serial port.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

managing a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals with one of the plurality of trading system commands;

receiving a particular keyboard signal generated by the keyboard;

determining the trading system command associated with the particular keyboard signal based on the keyboard signal relationships; and

communicating the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

managing one or more feedback signal relationships, each feedback signal relationship associating a trading platform signal with a controller feedback command;

receiving a particular trading platform signal from a trading platform;

determining the controller feedback command associated with the particular trading platform signal based on the feedback signal relationships; and

communicating the determined controller feedback command toward the game controller.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the determined controller feedback command comprises a command to vibrate the game controller.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing to a user a controller configuration interface;

receiving via the controller configuration interface one or more configuration instructions; and

generating one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received configuration instructions.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing to a user a controller configuration interface;

receiving via the controller configuration interface one or more reconfiguration instructions; and

reconfiguring one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received reconfiguration instructions.

26. A system for managing trading, comprising:

a computer system having a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the computer system, the computer readable medium comprising a program operable, when executed by the processor, to;

manage a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform;

receive a particular game controller signal generated by a game controller;

determine the trading system command associated with the particular game controller signal based on the controller signal relationships; and

communicate the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the program is further operable to:

manage a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals with one of the plurality of trading system commands;

receive a particular keyboard signal generated by a keyboard;

determine the trading system command associated with the particular keyboard signal based on the keyboard signal relationships; and

communicate the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the computer system further includes a USB type port, and wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via the USB type port.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the computer system further includes a serial port, and wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via the serial port.

30. The system of claim 26,

wherein the computer system further includes a keyboard having a controller input port;

wherein the game controller is coupled to the controller input port; and

wherein the particular game controller signal generated by the game controller is received via the controller input port.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the controller input port is a USB type port.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the controller input port is a serial port.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the program is further operable to:

manage a plurality of keyboard signal relationships, each keyboard signal relationship associating one of a plurality of keyboard signals with one of the plurality of trading system commands;

receive a particular keyboard signal generated by the keyboard;

determine the trading system command associated with the particular keyboard signal based on the keyboard signal relationships; and

communicate the determined trading system command toward the trading platform such that the trading system command may be executed by the trading platform.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the program is further operable to:

manage one or more feedback signal relationships, each feedback signal relationship associating a trading platform signal with a controller feedback command;

receive a particular trading platform signal from a trading platform;

determine the controller feedback command associated with the particular trading platform signal based on the feedback signal relationships; and

communicate the determined controller feedback command toward the game controller.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the determined controller feedback command comprises a command to vibrate the game controller.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein the program is further operable to:

provide to a user a controller configuration interface;

receive via the controller configuration interface one or more configuration instructions; and

generate one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received configuration instructions.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the program is further operable to:

provide to a user a controller configuration interface;

receive via the controller configuration interface one or more reconfiguration instructions; and

reconfigure one or more of the plurality of controller signal relationships based on the received reconfiguration instructions.