Foreign exchange transaction system

• US 5,774,553 A
• Filed: 11/21/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rosen, Sholom S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/754,694
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 380/9, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/49, 380/50, 380/59, 380/29, 380/30, 235/379, 235/380, 395/201, 395/230, 395/235, 395/239, 395/241, 395/242, 395/243, 395/244, 395/237, 901/1, 901/2, 901/4, 901/5, 901/24, 901/25, 901/26, 901/37, 901/39, 901/41
• US Class Current: 705/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• 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

Abstract

A realtime multilateral foreign exchange settlement system having a computer implemented netting system, a processor-based multilateral settlement coordinator (MSC) having a first money module and a first host application, where the first host application receives debit and credit data from said netting system. A plurality of processor-based multilateral settlement agents (MSAs) each having a second money module and a second host application. A plurality of processor-based counterparty settlement agents (CSAs) each having a third money module and a third host application. The second and third money modules communicate via cryptographically secure sessions. The first money module receives electronic money from the third money modules of net debit CSAs via the second money modules. When all net debit counterparties have paid, the first money module sends the electronic money to the third money modules of net credit CSAs via the second money modules.

Claims

1. A method for foreign exchange settlement using a first money module and a second money module, comprising:

(a) establishing a cryptographically secure session between said first money module and said second money module;

(b) a first subscriber sending first exchange data, including a plurality of amounts by different monetary units, to said first money module;

(c) said first money module sending said first exchange data to said second money module, via said cryptographically secure session;

(d) said second money module prompting a second subscriber for verification of said first exchange data;

(e) said second subscriber sending second exchange data, including a plurality of amounts by different monetary units, to said second money module;

(f) said second money module sending said second exchange data to said first money module, via said cryptographically secure session;

(g) said first money module prompting said first subscriber for verification of said second exchange data;

(h) in a first transfer, said first money module transferring first electronic representations of money to said second money module via said cryptographically secure session, wherein each of said first electronic representations of money have a monetary unit identifier, and wherein said first electronic representations of money are in said amounts and in said monetary units specified by said first exchange data;

(i) in a second transfer, said second money module transferring second electronic representations of money to said first money module via said cryptographically secure session, wherein each of said second electronic representations of money have a monetary unit identifier, and wherein said second electronic representations of money are in said amounts and in said monetary units specified by said second exchange data; and

(j) said first and second money modules each unconditionally updating a transaction log to separately finalize said first transfer and said second transfer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein for both said first and second transfer, the transferor money module unconditionally updates its log to finalize said first or second transfer prior to the transferee money module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the order of unconditionally updating logs for said first and second transfers is random.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first of said transfers to be unconditionally updated in said logs is conditionally updated before being unconditionally updated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second subscribers are the holders of the money modules or realtime settlement host applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second money module checks if said amounts specified in said second exchange data are zero, and if so, said first transfer is the only electronic money transfer for the transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first subscriber is a first realtime host settlement application and said second subscriber is a second realtime host settlement application, and further including the steps of:

a settlement processing system sending said first and second exchange data to said first and second realtime host settlement applications; and

said first and second money modules acquiring electronic money needed to consummate the settlement transaction.

8. The method of claim 7, where said settlement processing system performs a gross or bilateral netting process.

9. The method of claim 7, where said electronic money is acquired via a money module withdrawal.

10. The method of claim 7, where said electronic money is acquired via a money module payment.

11. The method of claim 7, where time and date of settlement information is passed to said first and second realtime host applications.

12. The method of claim 11, where at the time and date specified by said time and date of settlement information, said first and second realtime host applications inquire whether each is ready to settle.

13. A method for realtime multilateral foreign exchange settlement using a processor-based multilateral settlement coordinator (MSC) having a first money module, a plurality of processor-based multilateral settlement agents (MSAs) each having a second money module, and a plurality of processor-based counterparty settlement agents (CSAs) each having a third money module, comprising the steps:

(a) said MSC receiving net counterparty debit and credit data from a netting system;

(b) said MSC sending said net counterparty debit data to said MSAs;

(c) said MSAs sending said net counterparty debit data to net debit CSAs;

(d) said net debit CSAs transferring electronic money to said MSAs, via first cryptographically secure sessions established between said second and third money modules, in accordance with said net counterparty debit data;

(e) said second money modules of said MSAs transferring said electronic money to said first money module of said MSC;

(f) said first money module of said MSC transferring said electronic money to said second money modules of said MSAs, for net credit counterparties; and

(g) said MSAs transferring said electronic money to said net credit counterparty CSAs, via second cryptographically secure sessions established between said second and third money modules, in accordance with said net counterparty credit data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said MSC, MSAs and CSAs each have a host application.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein step (b) further comprises said MSC sending settlement data and time data to said MSAs, and step (c) further comprises said MSAs sending said settlement data and time data to said net debit CSAs.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step:

after step (e), at the date and time specified by said data and time data, said MSC checking if all said net debit counterparty CSAs have paid.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps:

if not all said debit counterparty CSAs have paid, said MSC transferring said electronic money to said MSAs to be returned to debited CSAs along with a notification that settlement has failed.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps:

after step (c), said net debit CSAs acquiring electronic money via money module withdrawal or payment.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein step (f) further comprises the step of said MSC notifying said MSAs of successful settlement for reporting to said net debit counterparty CSAs.

20. A method for realtime multilateral foreign exchange settlement using a processor-based multilateral settlement coordinator (MSC) having a first money module and a first host application, and a plurality of processor-based counterparty settlement agents (CSAs) each having a second money module and a second host application, comprising the steps:

(a) said first host application receiving net counterparty debit and credit data from a netting system;

(b) said first host application sending said net counterparty debit data and settlement date and time data to said second host applications of net debit CSAs;

(c) establishing first cryptographically secure sessions between said first and second money modules of said net debit CSAs;

(d) said net debit CSAs transferring electronic money to said MSC, via said cryptographically secure session, in accordance with said net counterparty debit data;

(e) said first host application checking if all said net debit CSAs have paid;

(f) establishing second cryptographically secure sessions between said first and second money modules of net credit CSAs; and

(g) said MSC transferring said electronic money to said net credit CSAs, via said second cryptographically secure sessions, in accordance with said net counterparty credit data.

21. A realtime multilateral foreign exchange settlement system, comprising;

a computer implemented netting system;

a processor-based multilateral settlement coordinator (MSC) having a first money module and a first host application, where said first host application receives debit and credit data from said netting system;

a plurality of processor-based multilateral settlement agents (MSAs) each having a second money module and a second host application; and

a plurality of processor-based counterparty settlement agents (CSAs) each having a third money module and a third host application;

wherein said second and third money modules communicate via cryptographically secure sessions;

where said first money module receives electronic money from said third money modules of net debit CSAs via said second money modules;

where when all net debit counterparties have paid, said first money module sends said electronic money to said third money modules of net credit CSAs via said second money modules.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said first host application checks whether all net counterparties have paid at a particular settlement date and time which had been reported to said third host applications of net debit CSAs.

23. A processor-based counterparty settlement agent, comprising:

a money module that stores, transfers, and receives electronic representations of money, where said money module establishes cryptographically secure sessions with other money modules; and

a realtime host application that receives net debit data and accordingly instructs said money module to transfer electronic representations of money, and that receives net credit data and accordingly instructs said money module to receive electronic representations of money.