User interface for semi-fungible trading

• US 6,993,504 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Klizas, Mark C., Friesen, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US09/651,301
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 364/408, 705/37, 705/36.R
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A user interface and method are disclosed for providing trading between a plurality of semi-fungible and non-fungible goods. A plurality of book axes are displayed in a single interface, each book axis representing a market for a particular good. Orders for goods are displayed as marks on the axes to display the relative value of the orders. A value axis is provided that relates the value of the goods from each market to each other. Thus, a single interface provides the means to relate the values of different semi-fungible goods. The value axis may be displayed in units of price, or a custom value designated by a user or pre-defined by the interface. Quantity information is represented in the interface through the display of a dimension of an order icon. Precise information about each order is displayed either in a panel view or a pop-up window.

Claims

1. In an electronic trading system, a computer based method for displaying information regarding the trading of a plurality of goods, comprising:

displaying a plurality of book axes on a screen associated with a computing device, each book axis representing a book for a corresponding one of the plurality of goods, each book comprised of a plurality of orders including at least one bid order and at least one sell order for the corresponding good;

displaying a value axis in relation to the plurality of book axes on the screen, the value axis having units of a value common to the plurality of goods; and

displaying indicators on the screen representing at least one order for at least one of the plurality of goods, wherein the indicators are displayed in locations along the book axes corresponding to the value axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each indicator represents a bid or an offer for one of the plurality of goods.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of visually distinguishing indicators that represent bids from indicators that represent offers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent prices associated with the plurality of goods.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent volatility associated with the plurality of goods.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent a unifying characteristic of the plurality of goods.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying indicators representing at least one order comprises locating an indicator relative to the value axis based upon a price of the order.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators for the plurality of goods are displayed in a single window.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators comprise icons.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the icons are sized according to a quantity value.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an action line relative to the value axis, wherein a location of the action line along the value axis indicates a value of interest.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the action line is generated based on an algorithm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the action line is floating and the location of the action line is updated based on the algorithm.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the action line is generated based on a value obtained from a data feed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the location of the action line is updated based on the value obtained from the data feed.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the action line represents a variable other than that being used for the value axis.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a marker representing a data point of interest relative to the value axis.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a scale of the values along the value axis.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing an order on behalf of a user for one of the plurality of goods in response to a command, and updating the display of indicators to include the order.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each of the plurality of goods visually highlighting a spread between an indicator representing an order at a highest bid price and an indicator representing an order at a lowest ask price.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving a selection of one of the plurality of book axes, and displaying an enlarged version of the selected book axis.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving a selection of one of the plurality of book axes, and displaying a different view of the selected book axis.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the different view of the selected book axis comprises using a different scale for the selected book axis.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the different view of the selected book axis comprises the selected book axis with additional information.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein a scale associated with the plurality of book axes is different than a scale of the value axis.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein indicators associated with the best bids and offers are displayed in correlation with the value axis, and indicators associated other orders are not displayed in correlation with the value axis.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a plurality of book axes comprises displaying a large number of book axes in a condensed manner.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein each of the large number of book axes comprises a line.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising visually highlighting one of the plurality of book axes based on a condition being met.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators are based on at least one data feed and wherein the display of the indicators is updated based on the at least one data feed.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying values along the value axis.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein each indicator represents an individual order for one of the plurality of goods.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein each indicator represents a plurality of orders for one of the plurality of goods.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of goods are semi-fugible, fungible or non-fungible.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen displays a graphical user interface.

36. A computer based method for displaying market information relating to electronic trading of products, comprising:

receiving bid and offer information for a first product and a second product being traded on at least one electronic trading system, the first and second products each trading with a current highest bid price and a current lowest ask price;

generating a common value axis comprising units of value associated with the first and second products;

displaying a first indicator associated with the current highest bid price for the first product in relation to a first value level on the common value axis;

displaying a second indicator associated with the current lowest ask price for the first product in relation to a second value level on the common value axis;

displaying a third indicator associated with eth current highest bid price for the second product in relation to a third value level on the common value axis; and

displaying a fourth indicator associated with the current lowest ask price for the second product in relation to a fourth value level on the common value axis;

whereby the indicators for the first and second products are displayed on a screen associated with a computing device such that relative values of the indicators are visually apparent.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising updating the display of the first, second, third and fourth indicators upon receiving updated bid and offer information for the first and second products.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying additional indicators associated with orders at prices other than the current highest bid and ask prices for the first and second products, the additional indicators being displayed relative to the common value axis.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising visually highlighting a particular indicator based on a condition being met.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying additional indicators associated with orders for additional products in relation to the common value axis.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the common value axis represents price.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the common value axis represents volatility.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the common value axis represents a unifying characteristic of the first and second products.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicators comprise icons.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the icons are sized in accordance with quantities associated with the orders.

46. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying an action line relative to the common value axis, wherein a location of the action line along the common value axis indicates a value of interest.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the action line is generated based on an algorithm.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the action line is floating and the location of the action line is updated based on the algorithm.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the action lien is generated based on a value obtained from a data feed.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the location of the action line is updated based on values obtained from the data feed.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the action line represents a variable other than that being used for the common value axis.

52. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying a marker associated with a value of interest relative to the common value axis.

53. The method of claim 36, further comprising changing a scale of the values along the common value axis.

54. The method of claim 36, further comprising placing an order having a value associated with the common value axis for one of the first and second products in response to a command.

55. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying a first and second book axis, each book axis relating to one of the first and second products, wherein the first and second indicators are displayed along the first book axis and the first and fourth indicators are displayed along the second book axis.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising visually highlighting a spread between the first and second indicators and a spread between the third and fourth indicators.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising receiving a selection of one of the first and second book axes, and displaying an enlarged version of the selected book axis.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising receiving a selection of one of the first and second book axes, and displaying different information related to the second book axis.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the first and second book axes have scales that are different than a scale of the common value axis.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising displaying additional indicators associated with orders at prices other than the current highest bid and ask prices for the first and second products, the additional indicators being displayed relative to the common value axis.

61. The method of claim 49, wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicators are displayed in correlation with the value axis, and wherein the additional indicators are not displayed in correlation with the value axis.

62. The method of claim 56, further comprising displaying additional book axes, each additional book axis relating to one of a plurality of additional products.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the step of displaying first and second book axes and displaying additional book axes further comprise displaying a large number of book axes in a condensed manner.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein each of the large number of book axes comprises a line.

65. The method of claim 56, wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicators are based on at least one data feed, and wherein the display of the first, second, third and fourth indicators is updated based on the at least one data feed.

66. The method of claim 56, further comprising displaying the common value axis.

67. The method of claim 56, wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicators each represents an individual order.

68. The method of claim 56, wherein the first, second, third and fourth indicators each represent multiple orders.

69. The method of claim 36 wherein the products are semi-fungible, fungible or non-fungible.

70. The method of claim 36 wherein the screen displays a graphical user interface.