Negotiated matching system

• US 7,505,915 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Refinitiv US Organization, LLC (Refinitiv US Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reuters Limited (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Donner, William L., Ordish, Christopher J., Silverman, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUHL, DENNIS WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US10/266,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20030061069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,351 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/35, 705/37, 705/38
• US Class Current: 70/37
• 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 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/45 Divided jaw type

Abstract

A negotiated matching system includes a plurality of remote terminals associated with respective potential counterparties, a communications network for permitting communication between the remote terminals, and a matching station. Each user enters trading information and ranking information into his or her remote terminal. The matching station then uses the trading and ranking information from each user to identify transactions between counterparties that are mutually acceptable based on the ranking information, thereby matching potential counterparties to a transaction. Once a match occurs, the potential counterparties transmit negotiating messages to negotiate some or all terms of the transaction. Thus, the negotiated matching system first matches potential counterparties who are acceptable to each other based on trading and ranking information, and then enables the two counterparties to negotiate and finalize the terms of a transaction.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a transaction for a trading instrument between counterparties via a negotiated matching system comprising a matching computer and a communication network in communication with the matching computer and in communication with trading terminals, the method comprising:

receiving at the matching computer via the communication network first trading parameters for a trading instrument from a first trader via a first trading terminal, the first trading parameters comprising at least a first price for the trading instrument;

receiving at the matching computer via the communication network first trading parameters for the trading instrument from a second trader via a second trading terminal, the first trading parameters from the second trader comprising at least a second price for the trading instrument;

matching, via the matching computer, the first trading parameters from the first and second traders to identify the first trader and the second trader as potential counterparties for a tentative trading transaction, the matching occurring anonymously with respect to the potential counterparties;

after the step of matching, notifying the counterparties of the tentative trading transaction via the communication network, the step of notifying including automatically revealing to the counterparties the identity of the counterparties so that they may negotiate outstanding terms of the tentative trading transaction;

enabling electronic communication between the counterparties to negotiate at least a second trading parameter of the tentative trading transaction;

receiving via the communication network information indicating agreement between the counterparties of all trading parameters of the tentative trading transaction; and

after the step of receiving information, completing the transaction between the counterparties.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of completing settlement of the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second trading parameters comprise all of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second trading parameters do not include the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of matching comprises matching the first price exactly with the second price.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the trading instrument is a financial instrument.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the financial instrument is a foreign exchange instrument.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second trading parameters comprise some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second trading parameters comprise trading parameters in addition to the some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a first quantity for the trading instrument.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a second quantity for the trading instrument.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise one of first buy parameters and first sell parameters for the trading instrument.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters comprise one of second buy parameters for the trading instrument, second sell parameters for the trading instrument, an acceptance of the first buy parameters from the first trader, and an acceptance of the first sell parameters from the first trader.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, for the steps of receiving first trading parameters, each of the buy parameters include a bid, each of the sell parameters include an offer, the acceptance of the first buy parameters includes a hit, and the acceptance for the first sell parameters includes a take.

15. A negotiated matching system comprising:

a communication network in communication with a plurality of trading terminals; and

a matching computer in communication with the communication network, the matching computer comprising;

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium containing instructions instructing the processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving first trading parameters for a trading instrument from a first trader via a first trading terminal, the first trading parameters comprising at least a first price for the trading instrument;

receiving first trading parameters for the trading instrument from a second trader via a second trading terminal, the first trading parameters from the second trader comprising at least a second price for the trading instrument;

matching the first trading parameters from the first and second traders to identify the first trader and the second trader as potential counterparties for a tentative trading transaction, the matching occurring anonymously with respect to the potential counterparties;

after the step of matching, notifying the counterparties of the tentative trading transaction, the step of notifying including automatically revealing to the counterparties the identity of the counterparties so that they may negotiate outstanding terms of the tentative trading transaction including at least a second trading parameter of the tentative trading transaction;

receiving information indicating agreement between the counterparties of all trading parameters of the tentative trading transaction; and

after the step of receiving information, completing the transaction between the counterparties.

16. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the computer readable storage medium contains further instructions instructing the processor to perform the step of completing settlement of the transaction.

17. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the second trading parameters comprise all of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

18. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the second trading parameters do not include the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

19. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the step of matching comprises matching the first price exactly with the second price.

20. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the trading instrument is a financial instrument.

21. The negotiated matching system of claim 20, wherein the financial instrument is a foreign exchange instrument.

22. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein the second trading parameters comprise some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

23. The negotiated matching system of claim 22, wherein the second trading parameters comprise trading parameters in addition to the some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

24. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a first quantity for the trading instrument.

25. The negotiated matching system of claim 24, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a second quantity for the trading instrument.

26. The negotiated matching system of claim 15, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise one of first buy parameters and first sell parameters for the trading instrument.

27. The negotiated matching system of claim 26, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters comprise one of second buy parameters for the trading instrument, second sell parameters for the trading instrument, an acceptance of the first buy parameters from the first trader, and an acceptance of the first sell parameters from the first trader.

28. The negotiated matching system of claim 27, wherein, for the steps of receiving first trading parameters, each of the buy parameters include a bid, each of the sell parameters include an offer, the acceptance of the first buy parameters includes a hit, and the acceptance for the first sell parameters includes a take.

29. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving via a communication network first trading parameters for a trading instrument from a first trader via a first trading terminal, the first trading parameters comprising at least a first price for the trading instrument;

receiving via a communication network first trading parameters for the trading instrument from a second trader via a second trading terminal, the first trading parameters from the second trader comprising at least a second price for the trading instrument;

matching via a matching computer the first trading parameters from the first and second traders to identify the first trader and the second trader as potential counterparties for a tentative trading transaction, the matching occurring anonymously with respect to the potential counterparties;

after the step of matching, notifying via the communication network the counterparties of the tentative trading transaction, the step of notifying including automatically revealing to the counterparties the identity of the counterparties so that they may negotiate outstanding terms of the tentative trading transaction including at least a second trading parameter of the tentative trading transaction;

receiving via the communication network information indicating agreement between the counterparties of all trading parameters of the tentative trading transaction; and

after the step of receiving information, completing the transaction between the counterparties.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the steps further comprise completing settlement of the transaction.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the second trading parameters comprise all of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the second trading parameters do not include the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the step of matching comprises matching the first price exactly with the second price.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the trading instrument is a financial instrument.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the financial instrument is a foreign exchange instrument.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the second trading parameters comprise some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the second trading parameters comprise trading parameters in addition to the some of the first trading parameters from the first and second traders.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a first quantity for the trading instrument.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters further comprise a second quantity for the trading instrument.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the first trader, the first trading parameters further comprise one of first buy parameters and first sell parameters for the trading instrument.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein, for the step of receiving first trading parameters from the second trader, the first trading parameters comprise one of second buy parameters for the trading instrument, second sell parameters for the trading instrument, an acceptance of the first buy parameters from the first trader, and an acceptance of the first sell parameters from the first trader.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 41, wherein, for the steps of receiving first trading parameters, each of the buy parameters include a bid, each of the sell parameters include an offer, the acceptance of the first buy parameters includes a hit, and the acceptance for the first sell parameters includes a take.