Computer-implemented securities trading system with a virtual specialist function

• US 7,006,991 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Keiser, Timothy M., Burns, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US10/301,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/35, 705/36, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• 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

The present invention discloses method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer-implemented financial management system that permits the trading of securities via a network. A server computer receives buy and sell orders for derivative financial instruments from a plurality of client computers. The server computer matches the buy orders to the sell orders and then generates a market price through the use of a virtual specialist program executed by the server computer. The virtual specialist program responds to an imbalance in the matching of the buy and sell orders.

Claims

1. A method for regulating market price in a computerized trading system, the system receiving buy orders and sell orders for a security, the method comprising:

computing a buy-sell imbalance by measuring an imbalance between buy orders and sell orders for the security after fulfilling a trade order, wherein the security is a derivative financial instrument that represents a movie;

computing a projected price movement by retrieving a security price threshold from a database, comparing the security price threshold to the buy-sell imbalance, retrieving a security price increment from the database representing a quantity for price movement for the instrument, and setting the projected price movement to the security price increment if the buy-sell imbalance exceeds the security price threshold; and

setting a market price for the security by incrementing the market price by the projected price movement.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising storing a quantity representing price movement for the instrument over time.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising retrieving a stock break increment from the database.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising controlling the rate for price movement by periodically comparing the stock break threshold to the stored quantity representing price movement for the instrument, and adjusting the stock price threshold if the stored quantity price movement exceeds the stock break threshold.

5. The method of claim 2, comprising retrieving a stock halt threshold from the database.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising containing price movement by periodically comparing the stock halt threshold to the stored quantity of price movement for the instrument, and preempting trading for the instrument if the stored quantity of price movement exceeds the stock halt threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising periodically triggering an automatic trade for the instrument.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of triggering an automatic trade comprises detecting a call from a timing mechanism, retrieving a buy probability constant, generating a random trade constant, and generating a buy order if the buy probability constant exceeds the random trade constant and a sell order if the buy probability constant does not exceed the random trade constant.

9. The method of claim 2, comprising setting the market price for a plurality of securities after each of a plurality of trade orders are fulfilled.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising storing trade volume information for each of the plurality of trade orders for the plurality of securities.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising storing the trade volume information, in a trade history table for the plurality of trade orders.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising storing trade price information in a trade history table for the plurality of trade orders.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising receiving query criteria for selection of securities for which trade volume statistics are desired.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising executing a query on the trade history tracking table to produce a trade volume query answer table based on the query criteria.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising presenting the trade volume statistics by presenting data contained in the trade volume query answer table.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising receiving query criteria for selection of securities for which buy verses sell volume statistics are desired.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising executing the query on the trade history tracking table to produce a buy verses sell volume query answer table based on the query criteria.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising presenting the buy verses sell statistics by presenting data contained in the buy verses sell volume query answer table.

19. The method of claim 9, comprising storing a plurality of categories of trade information relating to the plurality of trade orders in a trade history tracking table.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising receiving query criteria for selection of securities and selection of categories for which statistics are desired.

21. The method of claim 16, comprising executing the query on the trade history tracking table to produce a statistical query answer table based on the query criteria.

22. The method of claim 17, comprising presenting statistical information by presenting data contained in the statistical query answer table.

23. A method for conducting market research by regulating market price in a computerized trading system, the system receiving buy orders and sell orders for a plurality of securities, the method comprising:

computing a plurality of buy-sell imbalances by measuring the imbalances between buy orders and sell orders for the security after fulfilling a plurality of trade orders, wherein the security is a derivative financial instrument that represents a movie;

computing matching projected price movements for the plurality of trade orders by retrieving a matching plurality of security price thresholds from a database, comparing the matching security price thresholds to the plurality of the buy-sell imbalances, retrieving a plurality of matching security price increments from the database representing matching quantities for price movements for the plurality of instruments, and setting the projected price movements for the plurality of securities to the matching security price increments for the buy-sell imbalances which exceed the matching security price thresholds; and

setting market prices for the plurality of securities by incrementing market prices of the securities by the matching projected price movements.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising storing a plurality of categories of trade information relating the securities, trade orders and matching market prices in a trade history tracking table.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising receiving query criteria for selection of securities and selection of categories for which statistics are desired.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising executing the query on the trade history tracking table to produce a statistical query answer table based on the query criteria.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising presenting statistical information by presenting data contained in the statistical query answer table.