System and method for displaying profit related information in an electronic trading environment

• US 7,587,356 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Robert A., Burns, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karmis; Stefanos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lemieux; Jessica L
• Application Number:
  US10/447,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system and method for displaying a plurality of profit and risk related indicators are described. A graphical interface displays and dynamically updates a plurality of profit/loss (P/L) indicators including a realized, net, and open indicator. The net and open indicators are based on a trader'"'"'s net position and a current market level, while the realized indicator is based on trader'"'"'s buys and sells associated with a tradeable objects. In one embodiment, the plurality of indicators are displayed in relation to a plurality of money management regions defining a maximum order quantity and a maximum net position controlling the trader'"'"'s trades, so that a trader can quickly determine his current as well as potential money management parameters. The graphical interface may also display a plurality of potential risk/gain indicators in relation to a realized profit indicator so that a trader, before entering an order having a predetermined order quantity, can view a potential risk/gain in entering into a predetermined net position in view of potential market movements.

Claims

1. A computing device for displaying a graphical user interface configured to display profit information related to a tradeable object being traded in an electronic trading environment, the computing device comprising:

a processing device programmed to display a graphical user interface having;

a profit information area defined by a first axis and a second axis being substantially orthogonal to the first axis, the first axis representing a profit level for the tradeable object with a range of profit levels, the second axis representing a range of net positions for the tradeable object with a range of net positions;

a first indicator being dynamically displayed, at a current time, in a first location corresponding to a first profit level along the first axis, the first indicator further representing a particular net position according to the second axis and based on a certain amount of the tradeable object either bought or sold up to the current time, wherein the first indicator represents a first profit or loss, based on the first profit level along the first axis, that a trader would incur if the particular net position was closed at the current time,

wherein the first profit level corresponding to the first location is based on any of the following;

a best ask price, a best bid price or a last traded price for the tradeable object provided in a first market update from an electronic exchange at the current time and further based on a price level of getting into the particular net position, and

wherein the first indicator is dynamically displayed in a second location corresponding to another profit level along the first axis upon receiving a new market update from the electronic exchange, the second market update comprising an updated best ask price, an updated best bid price, or an updated last traded price for the tradeable object that is used to determine the another profit level; and

a second indicator being dynamically displayed, at the current time, in a third location corresponding to a second profit level along the first axis, the second indicator further representing a working order quantity being based on a working quantity of at least one order that is pending at the electronic exchange to be filled, wherein the second indicator represents a second profit or loss, based on the second profit level along the first axis, that the trader would incur if the working order quantity was filled to decrease or increase the particular net position.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is further displayed in relation to a quantity axis, and wherein a length of the first indicator corresponds to the trader'"'"'s net position.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the length of the first indicator is dynamically updated to reflect changes in the trader'"'"'s net position.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the first indicator is dynamically displayed in a second location in relation to the quantity axis upon detecting a change in the trader'"'"'s net position.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises:

a third indicator being dynamically displayed in relation to the first indicator, the third indicator corresponding to a realized profit level determined based on trader'"'"'s buys and sells associated with the tradeable object, wherein the realized profit level represents a difference between (a total sell price×

quantity sold) and (a total buy price×

quantity bought) associated with trades related to the tradeable object up to the current time.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the third indicator is dynamically updated to reflect changes in the realized profit level.

7. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the third indicator is dynamically moved relative to the first axis when the realized profit level changes.

8. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the first indicator, the second indicator, and the third indicator comprise graphical indicators.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the graphical indicators are user configurable.

10. The computing device of claim 5, where the graphical user interface further comprises:

a potential profit indicator corresponding to a plurality of potential profit levels determined based on a predetermined market movement, wherein the potential profit indicator is displayed in relation to the third indicator.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of potential profit levels comprises a plurality of potential profit gain levels.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of potential profit levels comprises a plurality of potential profit loss levels.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of potential profit levels further correspond to a plurality of trader'"'"'s potential net positions.

14. The computing device of claim 1, where the graphical user interface further comprises:

a third indicator being displayed in relation to the first indicator along the first axis, the third indicator representing a combined net profit level and a combined net position associated with a plurality of tradeable objects being traded by the trader, wherein the combined net profit level is determined at least in part based on a plurality of trader'"'"'s net positions and a plurality of current market levels associated with the plurality of tradeable objects.

15. The computing device of claim 1, where the graphical user interface further comprises:

a fourth indicator being displayed in relation to the first indicator along the profit level axis, the fourth indicator representing a combined realized profit level associated with a plurality of tradeable objects being traded by the trader, wherein the combined realized profit level is determined based on trader'"'"'s buys and sells associated with the plurality of tradeable objects, wherein each realized profit level represents a difference between (a total sell price×

quantity sold) and (a total buy price×

quantity bought) associated with trades related to each respective tradeable object up to the current time.

16. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the second indicator comprises a trade order sending component for receiving a command to send a new order to an electronic exchange as a result of a selection of an area in relation to the second indicator by an action of an user input device, wherein the selection of the area in relation to the second indicator comprises selecting a new profit level at which to place the new order.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the selection of the area in relation to the second indicator comprises selecting the second indicator and changing one of a plurality of order parameters associated with the working order.

18. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first indicator comprises a trade order sending component for receiving a command to send an order to an electronic exchange as a result of a selection of an area in relation to the first indicator by an action of a user input device.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the command to send the order to the electronic exchange comprises selecting the first indicator.

20. A method for displaying profit related information associated with a tradeable object in an electronic trading environment, the method comprising:

displaying a profit information area via a display device, the profit information area defined by a profit level axis and a net position axis being substantially orthogonal to the profit level axis, the profit level axis representing a profit level for the tradeable object with a range of profit levels, the net position axis representing a range of net positions for the tradeable object with a range of net positions;

determining a net profit level based on a trader'"'"'s net position and a current market level associated with the tradeable object via a computing device, wherein the trader'"'"'s net position is based on a certain amount of the tradeable object either bought or sold up to a current time, wherein the net profit level represents a profit or loss that a trader would incur if the trader'"'"'s net position was closed at a current time, wherein the current market level is based on any of the following;

a best ask price, a best bid price or a last traded price for the tradeable object provided in a first market update from an electronic exchange at the current time, and further based on a price level of getting into the trader'"'"'s net position;

dynamically displaying a first indicator corresponding to the trader'"'"'s net profit level and the net position, wherein the first indicator is displayed in a first location corresponding to the net profit level along the profit level axis and representing the net position;

dynamically displaying the first indicator in a second location corresponding to another profit level along the profit level axis upon receiving a second market update from the electronic exchange, the second market update comprising an updated best ask price, an updated best bid price, or an updated last traded price for the tradeable object that is used to determine the another profit level; and

dynamically displaying a second indicator, at the current time, in a third location corresponding to a second profit level along the profit level axis, the second indicator further representing a working order quantity being based on a working quantity of at least one order that is pending at the electronic exchange to be filled, wherein the second indicator is used to determine a second profit or loss, based on the second profit level along the profit level axis, that the trader would incur if the working order quantity was filled to decrease or increase the trader'"'"'s net position.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

displaying the first indicator in relation to a quantity axis, wherein a length of the first indicator corresponds to the trader'"'"'s net position.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting a change in the trader'"'"'s net position;

dynamically updating the length of the first indicator to reflect the change in the trader'"'"'s net position;

dynamically determining a new net profit level based on the change in the trader'"'"'s net position; and

dynamically displaying the first indicator in a new location along the profit level axis to reflect the changes in the trader'"'"'s net position and the new net profit level.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a realized profit level based on trader'"'"'s sells and buys associated with the tradeable object, wherein the realized profit level represents a difference between (a total sell price×

quantity sold) and (a total buy price×

quantity bought) associated with trades related to the tradeable object up to the current time; and

displaying a third indicator in relation to the first indicator along the profit level axis, wherein the third indicator corresponds to the realized profit level.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

dynamically updating the third indicator upon determining a new realized profit level.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a combined net profit level based on a combined net profit level associated with a plurality of trader'"'"'s net positions and a plurality of current market levels associated with a plurality of tradeable objects being traded by the trader; and

dynamically displaying via the graphical user interface a third indicator in relation to the first indicator, the third indicator representing the combined net profit level and the combined net profit level.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a combined realized profit level comprised of a plurality of realized profit levels based on trader'"'"'s sells and buys associated with a plurality of tradeable objects being traded by the trader, wherein each realized profit level represents a difference between (a total sell price×

quantity sold) and (a total buy price×

quantity bought) associated with trades related to each respective tradeable object up to the current time; and

displaying via the graphical interface a fourth indicator in relation to the first indicator along the profit level axis, wherein the fourth indicator corresponds to the combined realized profit level.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a command to send an order to the electronic exchange, wherein the command is received via detecting an action of a user input device selecting an area in relation to the first indicator; and

sending the order to the electronic exchange.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein an order quantity associated with the order is determined based on the trader'"'"'s net position, and the order is configured to lower the trader'"'"'s net position.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein a price of the order is based on the current market level.

30. The method of claim 20 where the computing device comprises distributed components.

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

displaying a profit information area defined by a profit level axis and a net position axis being substantially orthogonal to the profit level axis, the profit level axis representing a profit level for the tradeable object with a range of profit levels, the net position axis representing a range of net positions for the tradeable object with a range of net positions;

determining a net profit level based on a trader'"'"'s net position and a current market level associated with the tradeable object, wherein the trader'"'"'s net position is based on a certain amount of the tradeable object either bought or sold up to a current time, wherein the net profit level represents a profit or loss that a trader would incur if the trader'"'"'s net position was closed at a current time, wherein the current market level is based on any of the following;

a best ask price, a best bid price or a last traded price for the tradeable object provided in a first market update from an electronic exchange at the current time, and further based on a price level of getting into the trader'"'"'s net position;

dynamically displaying a first indicator corresponding to the trader'"'"'s net profit level and the net position, wherein the first indicator is displayed in a first location corresponding to the net profit level along the profit level axis and representing the net position;

dynamically displaying the first indicator in a second location corresponding to another profit level along the profit level axis upon receiving a second market update from the electronic exchange, the second market update comprising an updated best ask price, an updated best bid price, or an updated last traded price for the tradeable object that is used to determine the another profit level; and

dynamically displaying a second indicator, at the current time, in a third location corresponding to a second profit level along the profit level axis, the second indicator further representing a working order quantity being based on a working quantity of at least one order that is pending at the electronic exchange to be filled, wherein the second indicator is used to determine a second profit or loss, based on the second profit level along the profit level axis, that the trader would incur if the working order quantity was filled to decrease or increase the trader'"'"'s net position.