Method and system for providing configurable features for graphical user interfaces for electronic trading

• US 20060129475A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosenthal Collins Group LLC (Marex Spectron Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Rosenthal Collins Group LLC (Marex Spectron Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Downs, James C., Badenhorst, Abrie J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and system for providing configurable features for a multi-windowed graphical user interface (GUI) for electronic trading. The configurable features include, but are not limited to, creating collective windows comprising plural individual windows, where the collective window functions like an individual window, collapsing plural windows with a single action and changing display characteristics of the plural windows or the collective windows. The method and system allows a user of a target device to customize the multi-windowed GUI based on individual user preferences for electronic trading.

Claims

1. A method for creating a collective graphical window, comprising:

selecting two or more graphical windows from a plurality graphical windows displayed by an application on a graphical user interface of a target device, wherein the plurality of graphical windows are used for electronic trading;

moving the selected two or more graphical windows on the graphical user interface so a portion of each of the selected two or more graphical windows touch;

receiving a collective window from the application including the touching two or more selected graphical windows; and

selecting the collective window, thereby allowing the collective window including the two or more graphical windows to be moved around the graphical user interface of the target device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a tools window, a settings window, a contracts and quotes window, an order window, a fill window, a position window, an aggregated book value window, an order ticket window or a reports window.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a plurality of aggregated book value (ABV) windows.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a plurality of order ticket windows.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a size or a shape of the collective window is changeable.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein an individual graphical window can be attached or detached from the collective window.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting two or more graphical windows includes selecting with the two or more graphical windows with a mouse click, key press or stylus touch.

9. A method for manipulating multiple graphical windows, comprising:

receiving on an application a first selection input for two or more graphical windows from a plurality graphical windows displayed on a graphical user interface of a target device, wherein the plurality of graphical windows are used for electronic trading;

receiving on the application a second selection input for the two or more individual graphical windows on the graphical user interface so a portion of each of the two or more graphical windows touch; and

creating on the application a collective window including the touching two or more graphical windows, wherein the collective window includes the two or more graphical windows and can moved around the graphical user interface of the target device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a tools window, a settings window, a contracts and quotes window, an order window, a fill window, a position window, an aggregated book value window, an order ticket window or a reports window.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a plurality of aggregated book value (ABV) windows.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a plurality of order ticket windows.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein a size or a shape of the collective window is changeable.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the first selection input or the selection input includes selecting with the two or more graphical windows with a mouse click, key press or stylus touch.

16. A method for manipulating multiple graphical windows, comprising:

receiving a single selection input on an application to minimize a plurality of graphical windows currently displayed on a graphical user interface, wherein the plurality of graphical windows are used for electronic trading;

collapsing the plurality of windows into a plurality of pre-determined identifiers for the plurality of windows; and

graphically stacking the plurality of pre-determined identifiers in a pre-determined format in a pre-determined area of the graphical user interface.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the single selection input includes a mouse click, key press or stylus touch.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of pre-determined identifiers include a plurality of title bars to uniquely identify windows in the plurality of windows.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the graphically stacking step includes graphically stacking the plurality of pre-determined identifiers in a vertical format or a horizontal format.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the pre-determined area includes a tools window.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the tools windows includes a graphical button for switching the tools window between a horizontal display orientation and a vertical display orientation.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of graphical windows include a settings window, a contracts and quotes window, an order window, a fill window, a position window, an aggregated book value window, an order ticket window, a reports window or a collective window.

24. A method for changing the characteristics of a window, comprising:

receiving one or more selection inputs on an application to incrementally increase or decrease font sizes of a graphical window;

receiving one or more selection inputs to incrementally increase or decrease a display area of the graphical window; and

receiving a selection input on a control area on the window to restore default characteristics to the graphical window.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the selection inputs include a mouse click, key press or stylus touch.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the graphical window includes a tools window, settings window, a contracts and quotes window, an order window, a fill window, a position window, an aggregated book value window, an order ticket window, a reports window or a collective window.

28. A graphical window manipulation system, comprising in combination:

means for creating a collective window wherein the collective window includes two or more graphical windows used for electronic trading;

means for receiving a single selection input to minimize a plurality of graphical windows currently displayed on a graphical user interface, wherein the plurality of graphical windows are used for electronic trading, for collapsing the plurality of windows into a plurality of pre-determined identifiers for the plurality of graphical windows, and for graphically stacking the plurality of pre-determined identifiers in a pre-determined format in a pre-determined area of the graphical user interface; and

means for receiving one or more selection inputs are received to incrementally increase or decrease font sizes of a graphical window used for electronic trading, for receiving one or more selection inputs to incrementally increase or decrease a display area of the graphical window, and for receiving a selection input on a control area on the window to restore default characteristics to the graphical window.

29. A graphical window manipulation system, comprising in combination:

a software module for creating a plurality of graphical windows on a graphical user interface used for electronic trading;

a software module for creating a collective window wherein the collective window includes two or more graphical windows;

a software module for receiving a single selection input to minimize a plurality of graphical windows currently displayed on the graphical user interface, for collapsing the plurality of windows into a plurality of pre-determined identifiers for the plurality of graphical windows, and for graphically stacking the plurality of pre-determined identifiers in a pre-determined format in a predetermined area of the graphical user interface; and

a software module for receiving one or more selection inputs are received to incrementally increase or decrease font sizes of a graphical window, for receiving one or more selection inputs to incrementally increase or decrease a display area of the graphical window, and for receiving a selection input on a control area on the window to restore default characteristics to the graphical window.