Method and apparatus for automating negotiations between parties
First Claim
1. A method for determining trading parties, trading prices and trading volumes for simultaneous trading of a plurality of different securities, comprising the steps of:
- a) mapping data from a first party regarding a simultaneous trade of a plurality of different securities as a group into a first function expressing degrees of satisfaction of the first party to trade the plurality of different securities simultaneously as a group over a desired range of costs;
b) collecting in a central database input from a plurality of traders regarding a degree of satisfaction of each of the plurality of traders to take a position opposite to the first party in at least one of the plurality of different securities as a function of price;
c) determining from the input of the plurality of traders a joint function expressing a joint degree of satisfaction by one or more second parties among the plurality of traders to take an opposite position in all of the plurality of different securities as a function of price in each of the plurality of different securities;
d) determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction to execute a trade in all of the plurality of different securities between the first party and the one or more second parties; and
e) identifying for each of the plurality of different securities a trading price, a trading volume and a trading party among the one or more second parties that maximizes the composite function.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system calculates the mutual satisfaction between negotiating parties and maximizes their mutual satisfaction over a range of decision variables and does so without requiring the parties to identify themselves and their positions to each other. For automatically negotiating agreements between multiple parties, a computer accepts a satisfaction function from an offering party who defines his degree of satisfaction to agree to a range of terms upon which the party is desirous of negotiating as a function of the relevant decision variables. The computer then accepts input from all other parties regarding their degree of satisfaction to agree to each of the terms as a function of a particular relevant decision variable. The computer then calculates a satisfaction function for each of these terms based on all of the individual inputs. Next, the computer calculates a joint satisfaction function for all of the terms as a function of the particular relevant decision variable, and then calculates the mutual satisfaction function for the offering party and the other parties, also as a function of the particular relevant decision variable. Finally, the computer calculates the set of decision variable yielding the maximum mutual satisfaction and provides this output to the parties.
484 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method for determining trading parties, trading prices and trading volumes for simultaneous trading of a plurality of different securities, comprising the steps of:
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a) mapping data from a first party regarding a simultaneous trade of a plurality of different securities as a group into a first function expressing degrees of satisfaction of the first party to trade the plurality of different securities simultaneously as a group over a desired range of costs; b) collecting in a central database input from a plurality of traders regarding a degree of satisfaction of each of the plurality of traders to take a position opposite to the first party in at least one of the plurality of different securities as a function of price; c) determining from the input of the plurality of traders a joint function expressing a joint degree of satisfaction by one or more second parties among the plurality of traders to take an opposite position in all of the plurality of different securities as a function of price in each of the plurality of different securities; d) determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction to execute a trade in all of the plurality of different securities between the first party and the one or more second parties; and e) identifying for each of the plurality of different securities a trading price, a trading volume and a trading party among the one or more second parties that maximizes the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for automatically determining a set of terms of an agreement between a first party and at least one other party, wherein the agreement includes a plurality of terms, comprising the steps of:
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a) mapping input from the first party regarding the plurality of terms in the agreement into a first function expressing a degree of satisfaction of the first party to agree to the plurality of terms over a range of values of a decision variable; b) collecting input in a central database from at least one other party regarding the degree of satisfaction of the at least one other party to enter into the agreement with the first party on individual ones of the plurality of terms; c) mapping the input into a second function expressing the degree of satisfaction of the at least one other party to agree to the plurality of terms as a function of the decision variable in each of the plurality of terms; d) determining a composite function of the first function and the second function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction between the first party and the at least one other party to agree to the plurality of terms; and e) determining a set of terms and a value for each of the decision variables for the agreement from a maximum of the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for automatically negotiating an agreement between a first party and a plurality of other parties, wherein the agreement includes a plurality of terms and the identity of the plurality of other parties is not known to the first party or to each other but the parties have expressed a willingness to enter into a binding agreement regarding the plurality of terms, comprising the steps of:
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a) inputting to a computer a first function expressing a degree of willingness of the first party to agree to the plurality of terms over a range of values of a decision variable; b) collecting input from the plurality of other parties including a plurality of second functions expressing a degree of preference by the plurality of other parties to agree to individual ones of each of the plurality of terms as a function of the decision variable in each of the terms; c) determining a joint function of the plurality of second functions as a function of the decision variable in each of the terms; d) determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents the mutual degree of preference between the first party and the plurality of other parties to agree to the plurality of terms; e) determining a maximum of the composite function; f) obtaining a set of terms and decision points for the agreement represented by a point within a predetermined range about the maximum of the composite function; and g) executing an agreement which includes the terms obtained in step f).
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31. A method for collectively trading a plurality of different items, comprising the steps of:
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a) collecting data from a first party desirous of simultaneously trading the plurality of different items that indicates a volume for each item, a range of costs for the collective trade, and a first factor indicative of the first party'"'"'s willingness to trade the plurality of different items at the specified volumes for each cost within the range of costs, while also collecting data from other parties that indicates for a given item, a particular price/volume combination and a second factor indicative of the party'"'"'s willingness to trade at that particular price/volume combination; b) maximizing a mutual satisfaction for the first party and the other parties, wherein the maximum mutual satisfaction solution defines a trade in each of the plurality of different items between the first party and a subset of the other parties; and c) executing automatically a trade defined in step b). - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for performing simultaneous trading of a plurality of securities, comprising the steps of:
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a) mapping data from a first party regarding a simultaneous trade of a plurality of securities as a group into a first function expressing degrees of satisfaction of the first party to trade the plurality of securities simultaneously as a group over a desired range of costs; b) collecting in a central database input from a plurality of traders regarding a degree of satisfaction of each of the plurality of traders to take a position opposite to the first party in at least one of the plurality of securities as a function of price; c) determining from the input of the plurality of traders a joint function expressing a joint degree of satisfaction by one or more second parties among the plurality of traders to take an opposite position in all of the plurality of securities as a function of price in each of the plurality of securities by (i) constructing a sell contra satisfaction function for each security to be purchased by determining a minimum price for which the volume can be purchased, along with a corresponding volume-weighted satisfaction at that price; (ii) incrementing the price upward from the minimum price; (iii) calculating the volume-weighted satisfaction at each price increment until a volume-weighted satisfaction value of unity is obtained; (iv) constructing a buy contra satisfaction function for each security to be sold by determining a maximum price for which the volume can be sold, along with a corresponding volume-weighted satisfaction at that price; (vi) incrementing the price downward from the maximum price; and (vii) calculating the volume-weighted satisfaction at each price increment until a volume-weighted satisfaction value of unity is obtained, wherein the joint function is a function of each of the buy and sell contra satisfaction functions; d) determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction to execute a trade of the plurality of securities between the first party and the one or more second parties; and e) identifying for each of the plurality of securities a trading price, a trading volume and a trading party among the one or more second parties that maximizes the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A system for trading a collection of different assets or liabilities simultaneously, comprising:
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a) a plurality of terminals via which a first party desirous of trading the collection enters data regarding its degree of satisfaction in trading the collection and a plurality of second parties enter data regarding their degree of satisfaction in trading components of the collection; and b) a controller executing a trade of the collection of different assets or liabilities simultaneously in accordance with a maximization of a mutual satisfaction of the first and second parties.
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43. A method for trading a collection of different assets or liabilities that includes the steps of executing a simultaneous trade of the collection of different assets or liabilities in accordance with a maximization of the mutual satisfaction of a party desirous of trading the collection and a plurality of other parties desirous of taking a contra position in individual components of the collection.
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44. A system for automatically trading a plurality of different securities simultaneously comprising:
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a) a first workstation at which a linked trader can input a satisfaction density profile that defines its degree of satisfaction to trade different securities simultaneously based on the overall cost of the transaction; b) a plurality of other workstations at which individual securities traders can enter a satisfaction density profile that indicates their degree of satisfaction to trade particular securities as a function of price/volume; and c) a central control engine determining; (1) a satisfaction density function for each of the individual securities based on the input of the traders, (2) determining a joint satisfaction function for all of the different securities from the individual satisfaction density functions, (3) determining a mutual satisfaction function from the joint satisfaction function and the satisfaction density profile entered by the linked trader, and (4) maximizing the mutual satisfaction function, which establishes a set of prices, volumes and parties for trading each of the individual securities, and (5) executing simultaneously a trade among the identified parties for the different securities at the established prices and volumes. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An apparatus for determining trading parties, trading prices and trading volumes for performing simultaneous trading of a plurality of different securities, comprising:
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a) a graphical user interface mapping data from a first party regarding a simultaneous trade of a plurality of different securities as a group into a first function expressing degrees of satisfaction of the first party to trade the plurality of different securities simultaneously as a group over a desired range of costs; b) a central database for collecting input from a plurality of traders regarding a degree of satisfaction of each of the plurality of traders to take a position opposite to the first party in at least one of the plurality of different securities as a function of price; and c) a processor determining from the input of the plurality of traders a joint function expressing a joint degree of satisfaction by one or more second parties among the plurality of traders to take an opposite position in all of the plurality of different securities as a function of price in each of the plurality of different securities, determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction to execute a trade of the plurality of different securities between the first party and the one or more second parties, and identifying for each of the plurality of different securities a trading price, a trading volume and a trading party among the one or more second parties that maximizes the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A device for automatically determining a set of terms of an agreement between a first party and at least one other party, wherein the agreement includes a plurality of terms, comprising:
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a) a user terminal for mapping input from the first party regarding the plurality of terms in the agreement into a first function expressing a degree of satisfaction of the first party to agree to the plurality of terms over a range of decision variables; b) a plurality of terminals via which other parties enter input regarding a degree of satisfaction to enter into an agreement on individual ones of the plurality of terms; c) a database collecting input from at least one other party entered via the plurality of terminals regarding the degree of satisfaction of the at least one other party to enter into the agreement with the first party on the plurality of terms; and d) a processor mapping the input from the database into a second function expressing the degree of satisfaction of the at least one other party to agree to the terms as a function of decision variables in each of the terms, determining a composite function of the first function and the second function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction between the first party and the at least one other party to agree to the plurality of terms, and determining a set of terms and a value for each of the decision variables for the agreement from a maximum of the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. In a system for performing simultaneous trading of a plurality of different securities, a device for determining trading parties, trading prices and trading volumes for the simultaneous trading of the plurality of different securities, comprising:
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a) means for mapping data from a first party regarding a simultaneous trade of a plurality of different securities as a group into a first function expressing degrees of satisfaction of the first party to trade the plurality of different securities simultaneously as a group over a desired range of costs; b) means for collecting input from a plurality of traders regarding a degree of satisfaction of each of the plurality of traders to take a position opposite to the first party in at least one of the plurality of different securities as a function of price; c) means for determining from the input of the plurality of traders a joint function expressing a joint degree of satisfaction by one or more second parties among the plurality of traders to take an opposite position in all of the plurality of different securities as a function of price in each of the plurality of different securities; d) means for determining a composite function of the first function and the joint function, wherein the composite function represents a mutual degree of satisfaction to execute a trade of the plurality of different securities between the first party and the one or more second parties; and e) means for identifying for each of the plurality of different securities a trading price, a trading volume and a trading party among the one or more second parties that maximizes the composite function. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification