Proxy asset data processor

• US 5,987,435 A
• Filed: 10/30/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MacroMarkets LLC
• Original Assignee: Case Shiller Weiss, Inc. (CoreLogic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weiss, Allan N., Shiller, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myhre, James W.
• Application Number:
  US08/961,121
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/36
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A novel data processing system manages and implements a new form of security designated the "Proxy Asset". Proxy Assets provide sophisticated risk management capabilities without the complexities associated with other types of risk management investment vehicles. The Proxy Asset is made possible by the enhanced processing capabilities of the Proxy Asset data processor which creates, tracks, manages, and governs asset accounts for participating investors.

Claims

1. In combination in a data processing system structured and configured to manage accounts corresponding to plural Proxy Assets wherein said Proxy Assets are positions that are linked by a known relationship to an underlying substantive asset so that changes in the value of the underlying asset are reflected by a valuation of said corresponding Proxy Asset by shifting cash between the Cash Accounts said system comprising:

a data input means for collecting data on said proxy assets and storing said Proxy Asset data in a programmed controlled database;

a data processing means for accessing said data from said database relating to said Proxy Asset and accessing data relating to a value indicia corresponding to said substantive asset and based thereon periodically determining a new cash balance for each such that the total cash in all accounts is unchanged of said Proxy Asset;

dividend processor for taking changes in said value of said Proxy Asset and providing a return commensurate with said change in the form of dividend payment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said Proxy Asset database includes data on Complete Sets for each Proxy Asset and original issuance and price data thereon.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said value indicia is a composite index value that quantifies a current price expected to be paid for said substantive asset.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a Proxy Asset Bundle Manager capable of aggregating unpaid Proxy Assets into a single asset.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said Dividend Generator applies a pre-established dividend formula to determine a dividend payment and makes said payment to an asset holder of record at pre-set intervals.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said Proxy Assets are distributed through a trading system permitting asset purchase trading and redemption.

7. A Proxy Asset Data Processor, in combination in a Proxy Asset System for creating and managing a plurality of Proxy Assets, which are securities that mimic existing illiquid assets or previously untradable claims on income and allow investment in the otherwise illiquid assets or claims on income, wherein said Proxy Asset Data Processor includes programming instructions capable of receiving predefined inputs, including indices of asset price or income, select asset descriptors, and economic data, said System comprising:

Proxy Asset Account Manager, said manager receiving input data on price indices for one or more underlying assets or data on incomes generated by one or more income sources;

said account manager creates and manages Proxy Asset Cash Accounts corresponding to said underlying assets or claims on income, in association with pre-specified Cash Account Formulas defining the underlying Cash Account balance for each Proxy Asset, by transferring funds among Cash Accounts within Complete Sets, and by allocating proceeds from sales of Complete Sets of shares among Cash Accounts in accordance with the Cash Account Formulas;

said account manager further facilitates, processes and records the issuance and redemption of Complete Sets of Proxy Asset shares, and

Proxy Asset Dividend Generator, wherein said Dividend Generator provides a dividend payout to holders of said Proxy Assets from corresponding Cash Accounts pursuant to a pre-specified Dividend Payout Formula.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a Trading, Issuance and Redemption System that receives, stores and processes customer orders to buy or sell individual shares of Proxy Assets, executes trades among existing shares of Proxy Assets when possible, and searches for and discovers predefined Complete Sets, as defined by the Proxy Asset System'"'"'s rules, and executes orders within Complete Sets by issuance of new shares of Proxy Assets and/or redemption of shares in Proxy Assets.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said Proxy Assets include an Up Proxy Asset whose formula specifies that the underlying asset is positively related to the index and a Down Proxy Asset whose formula specifies that the underlying asset account is negatively related to the index, such that the sum of the Cash Account Formulas for the Up and Down Proxy Asset shares together equals the total Cash Account balance per share for the two, the two together comprising what we call a Complete Set, so that it is always feasible for the Proxy Asset Account Manager to maintain Cash Account balances at the level specified by the Cash Account Formulas.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said Proxy Assets represent swaps between pairs of illiquid assets or income sources, allowing risk swaps and/or the creation of bundles of Swap Proxy Assets, said Swap Proxy Assets having Cash Account Formulas such that Complete Sets may involve either pairs of Swap Proxy Assets or circles of Swap Proxy Assets.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said Proxy Assets are defined using indices of income produced by specified income sources.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a Proxy Asset Bundle Manager, which forms bundles of Proxy Assets that are pre-defined by the system.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein said Proxy Assets are organized into Multi-Asset Pools, wherein said Proxy Assets individually swap a corresponding index against the remaining Proxy Assets in said Pool, and said Cash Accounts corresponding to each Proxy Asset in said Pool are adjusted in accordance with an index value for that Proxy Asset relative to the corresponding indices for the remaining Proxy Assets in said Pool.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said Multi-Asset Pool includes up-Proxy Assets.