System and method for creating a market map in an electronic trading environment

• US 7,574,397 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Robert A., Burns, Michael J., Kline, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norman; Samica L
• Application Number:
  US10/338,370
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/37, 715/764
• US Class Current: 705/37
• 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

Abstract

A market map interface displays market information and trader-related information associated with at least two tradable objects. In one embodiment, the at least two graphical interfaces may be linked, and a user may define one or more adjustment parameters to be used to adjust the view of information being displayed via the linked graphical interfaces. For instance, a user may initiate repositioning of one of the linked graphical interfaces, thus, effectively, causing other linked graphical interfaces to be repositioned according to the defined adjustment parameters.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information related to a plurality of tradable objects in an electronic trading environment via a market map, the method comprising:

receiving first market information relating to a first tradeable object via a client terminal, the first market information comprising bid and ask orders;

receiving second market information relating to a second tradeable object via the client terminal, the second market information comprising bid and ask orders;

establishing a repositioning ratio defining relative repositioning movement between the first and second market information via the client terminal;

dynamically displaying, via an output device associated with the client terminal, at least a portion of the first market information in a first view of a first plurality of locations of a portion of a first static price axis where each location of the first plurality corresponds to a price level along the first static price axis, the displayed first market information comprising a first plurality of indicators, each indicator displayed in one of the first plurality of locations;

dynamically displaying, via the output device, at least a portion of the second market information in a second view of a second plurality of locations of a portion of a second price axis where each location of the second plurality corresponds to a price level of the second static price axis, the displayed second market information comprising a second plurality of indicators, each indicator displayed in one of the second plurality of locations in relation to the second static price axis;

receiving a command to reposition the first view a first number of price levels, via an input device associated with the client terminal;

repositioning the first view relative to the first static price axis via the client terminal and in response to the command, where the first number of price levels is repositioned to a new first plurality of locations of the first static price axis such that the first view shifts the first number of price levels to the new first plurality of locations, a number of the first plurality of locations and a number of the new first plurality of locations being substantially the same;

applying the repositioning ratio to the first number of price levels to determine a second number of price levels to shift the second view of the second market information via the client terminal; and

repositioning the second view, via the client terminal and in response to repositioning the first view, where the second number of price levels is repositioned to a new second plurality of locations of the second static price axis such that the second view shifts the second number of price levels relative to the second static axis to the new second plurality of locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the repositioning ratio is user configurable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the repositioning ratio comprises an offset parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the offset parameter comprises a price-based offset parameter.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the offset parameter comprises a number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the repositioning ratio comprises a tick-based ratio.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the repositioning ratio comprises a price-based ratio.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the repositioning ratio is calculated based on an adjustment function.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adjustment function is user configurable.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an automatic command to reposition the view of the second market information displayed in relation to the second static price axis related to the second tradeable object; and

automatically repositioning the view of the second market information associated with the second tradable object in response to the command to reposition the view of the first market information displayed in relation to the first static price axis related to the first tradeable object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user initiated command to reposition the view of the second market information displayed in relation to the second static price axis related to the second tradeable object; and

repositioning the view of the second market information displayed in relation to the second price axis in response to the command.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection input to reposition the view of the second market information displayed in relation to the second static axis before repositioning the information in relation to the first axis; and

repositioning the view of the first market information displayed in relation to the first static price axis such that each of the first plurality of indicators is moved to a new location determined based on the repositioning ratio and a new location of each of the second plurality of indicators.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein repositioning the view of the first market information displayed in relation to the first static price axis comprises re-centering the view of the first market information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein repositioning the view of the first market information displayed in relation to the first static price axis comprises repositioning the view of the first market information to a desired location in relation to the first static price axis.

13. A method for creating a market map interface for displaying information related to a plurality of tradable objects, the method comprising:

receiving first market information relating to a first tradeable object via a client terminal, the first market information comprising bid and ask orders;

receiving second market information relating to a second tradeable object via the client terminal, the second market information comprising bid and ask orders;

displaying, via an output device associated with the client terminal, the first market information related to the first tradable object in relation to a first plurality of locations arranged such that each of the first plurality of locations corresponds to a price level along at least a portion of a first static price axis displayed via the market map interface, wherein the displayed first market information comprises a first plurality of indicators displayed in the plurality of locations arranged along the first static price axis;

displaying, via the output device, the second market information related to the second tradeable object in relation to a second plurality of locations arranged such that each of the second plurality of locations corresponds to a price level along at least a portion of a second static price axis, wherein the displayed second market information comprises a second plurality of indicators displayed in the plurality of locations along the second static price axis;

defining first and second tradable objects as a linked tradable object group via the client terminal;

selecting the first tradeable object as a master via the client terminal;

defining a repositioning ratio for the linked tradable object group for relative repositioning movement between the first and second market information via the client terminal;

receiving a command to reposition the first tradeable object defined as the master a first number of price levels via a user input device associated with the client terminal;

repositioning a first view of the first price axis, via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object, where the first number of price levels is repositioned to a new first plurality of locations of the first price axis such that the first view shifts the first plurality of price levels to the new first plurality of locations, a number of the first plurality of locations and a number of the new first plurality of locations being substantially the same;

applying the repositioning ratio to the first number of price levels to determine a second number of price levels to shift a second view of the second market information via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object; and

repositioning the second view of the second price axis via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object, where the second number of price levels is repositioned to a new second plurality of locations of the second static price axis such that the second view shifts the second number of price levels relative to the second static axis to the new second plurality of locations.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the command comprises a user initiated command or an automatic command to reposition.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the repositioning ratio is user configurable.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the repositioning ratio comprises a numerical value.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the repositioning ratio is calculated using at least one user configurable formula.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the first plurality of indicator and at least one of the second plurality of indicators;

displaying the at least one selected indicator related to the first and second market information associated with each of the first and second tradeable objects in relation to each respective static price axis;

displaying at least one theoretical indicator on each of the first and second static price axes, wherein the at least one theoretical indicator corresponds to the at least one indicator displayed on each axis;

graphically displaying a first line plotting positions of each of the least one selected indicator via each of the first and second static price axes; and

graphically displaying a second line plotting positions of each of the at least one theoretical indicator via each of the first and second static price axes.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the repositioning command to reposition the first tradeable object, the first static price axis is re-centered.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the repositioning command to reposition the first tradeable object, the first static price axis is repositioned such that a selected indicator of the first plurality of indicator is repositioned to a desired location in relation to the first static price axis.

23. A computer readable medium having instructions stored therein executable by a processor to perform the method comprising:

receiving first market information relating to a first tradeable object via a client terminal, the first market information comprising bid and ask orders;

receiving second market information relating to a second tradeable object via the client terminal, the second market information comprising bid and ask orders;

establishing a repositioning ratio defining relative repositioning movement between the first and second market information via the client terminal;

dynamically displaying, via an output associated with the client terminal, at least a portion of the first market information in a first view of a first plurality of locations of a portion of a first static price axis where each location of the first plurality corresponds to a price level along of the first static price axis, the displayed first market information comprising a first plurality of indicators, each indicator displayed in one of the first plurality of locations;

dynamically displaying, via the output, at least a portion of the second market information in a second view of a second plurality of locations of a portion of a second price axis where each location of the second plurality corresponds to a price level of the second static price axis, the displayed second market information comprising a second plurality of indicators, each indicator displayed in one of the second plurality of locations in relation to the second static price axis;

receiving a command to reposition the first view a first number of price levels via a user input associated with the client terminal;

repositioning the first view relative to the first static price axis via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command, where the first number of price levels is repositioned to a new first plurality of locations of the first static price axis such that the first view shifts the first number of price levels to the new first plurality of locations, a number of the first plurality of locations and a number of the new first plurality of locations being substantially the same;

applying the repositioning ratio to the first number of price levels to determine a second number of price levels to shift the second view of the second market information via the client terminal; and

repositioning the second view via the client terminal and in response to repositioning the first view, where the second number of price levels is repositioned to a new second plurality of locations of the second static price axis such that the second view shifts the second number of price levels of the second static axis to the new second plurality of locations.

24. A computer readable medium having instructions stored therein executable by a processor to perform the method comprising:

receiving first market information relating to a first tradeable object via a client terminal, the first market information comprising bid and ask orders;

receiving second market information relating to a second tradeable object via the client terminal, the second market information comprising bid and ask orders;

displaying, via an output device associated with the client terminal, the first market information related to the first tradeable object in relation to a first plurality of locations arranged such that each of the first plurality of locations corresponds to a price level along at least a portion of a first static price axis displayed via the market map interface, wherein the displayed first market information comprises a first plurality of indicators displayed in the plurality of locations arranged along the first static price axis;

displaying, via the output device, the second market information related to the second tradeable object in relation to a second plurality of locations arranged such that each of the second plurality of locations corresponds to a price level along at least a portion of a second static price axis, wherein the displayed second market information comprises a second plurality of indicators displayed in the plurality of locations along the second static price axis;

defining first and second tradeable objects as a linked tradeable object group via the client terminal;

selecting the first tradeable object as a master via the client terminal;

defining a repositioning ratio for the linked tradeable object group for relative repositioning movement between the first and second market information via the client terminal;

receiving a command to reposition the first tradeable object defined as the master a first number of price levels via a user input device associated with the client terminal; and

repositioning a first view of the first price axis, via the client terminal and in response to receiving the receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object, where the first number of price levels is repositioned to a new first plurality of locations of the first price axis such that the first view shifts the first plurality of price levels to the new first plurality of locations, a number of the first plurality of locations and a number of the new first plurality of locations being substantially the same;

applying the repositioning ratio to the first number of price levels to determine a second number of price levels to shift a second view of the second market information, via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object; and

repositioning the second view of the second price axis, via the client terminal and in response to receiving the command to reposition the first tradeable object, where the second number of price levels is repositioned to a new second plurality of locations of the second static price axis such that the second view shifts the second number of price levels relative to the second static axis to the new second plurality of locations.