Systems and methods for improving investing

• US 7,698,195 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CASHFLOW Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CASHFLOW Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Schlunk, Otmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi; Hani
• Assistant Examiner(s): MADAMBA, CLIFFORD B
• Application Number:
  US10/830,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45, 705/99
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Users of a simulator gain skills for investing using a simulator. The simulator simulates a business system that conducts a market transaction. The simulator selects a set of factors from a plurality of sets; selects a current factor from the selected set; and determines a price in accordance with the current factor. The simulator further updates a financial position of the user of the simulator in response to a transaction; and performs the transaction in accordance with the price and an input from the user. The input from the user corresponds in content to an input to the business system. Consequently, the user develops skill in specifying market transactions to be conducted by reviewing changes in the user'"'"'s financial position. The simulator may include a simulated competitor having a financial position affected by transactions according to a strategy of the competitor selected from a set of stored strategies.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a provided computer system having a user, the method for simulating a business system that conducts a market transaction, the method comprising:

a. determining, by the computer system, a price for an opportunity to participate in the market, determining the price comprising;

(1) selecting, by the computer system, a set of mathematical factors from a plurality of sets, wherein the set of factors is associated with a predetermined price pattern;

(2) selecting, by the computer system, a current factor from the selected set; and

(3) determining, by the computer system, a price in accordance with the current factor, wherein determining the price in accordance with the current factor includes applying the current factor to an immediately prior market interval;

b. updating, by the computer system, a financial position of the user in response to a transaction; and

c. performing, by the computer system, the transaction in accordance with the price and an input from the user through a user interface of the computer system, the input from the user corresponding in content to an input to the business system whereby the user develops skill in specifying market transactions to be conducted by reviewing changes in the user'"'"'s financial position.

2. The method of claim 1,further comprising updating a financial position of an automated competitor that uses the business system for a second transaction, wherein the automated competitor determines whether to participate in the second transaction in accordance with a strategy selected from a set of stored strategies, and whereby the user develops skill in specifying market transactions to be conducted by being aware of the second transaction and changes in the automated competitor'"'"'s financial position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected strategy includes a set of parameters for defining how the automated competitor responds to an opportunity to participate in the second transaction, and wherein at least one of the parameters is a numeric value randomly-selected from within a range of possible values.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising replacing the selected strategy with a second strategy selected from the set of stored strategies.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of factors is randomly selected from the plurality of sets.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing multiple selections of factors from the plurality of sets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least two of the multiple selections select the same set of factors from the plurality of sets.

8. A memory device comprising instructions that, when executed by a provided computer system, perform a method for simulating a business system that conducts a market transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

a. determining, by the computer system, a price for an opportunity to participate in the market, determining the price comprising the steps of;

(1) selecting, by the computer system, a set of mathematical factors from a plurality of sets, wherein the set of factors is associated with a predetermined price pattern;

(2) selecting, by the computer system, a current factor from the selected set; and

(3) determining, by the computer system, a price in accordance with the current factor, wherein determining the price in accordance with the current factor includes applying the current factor to an immediately prior market interval;

b. updating, by the computer system, a financial position of a user of the computer system in response to a transaction; and

c. performing, by the computer system, the transaction in accordance with the price and an input from the user, the input from the user corresponding in content to an input to the business system whereby the user develops skill in specifying market transactions to be conducted by reviewing changes in the user'"'"'s financial position.

9. The memory device of claim 8, further comprising instructions for updating a financial position of an automated competitor that uses the business system for a second transaction, wherein the automated competitor determines whether to participate in the second transaction in accordance with a strategy selected from a set of stored strategies, and whereby the user develops skill in specifying market transactions to be conducted by being aware of the second transaction and changes in the automated competitor'"'"'s financial position.

10. The memory device of claim 9,wherein the selected strategy includes a set of parameters for defining how the automated competitor responds to an opportunity to participate in the second transaction, and wherein at least one of the parameters is a numeric value randomly- selected from within a range of possible values.

11. The memory device of claim 9, further comprising instructions for replacing the selected strategy with a second strategy selected from the set of stored strategies.

12. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the set of factors is randomly selected from the plurality of sets.

13. The memory device of claim 8, further comprising instructions for performing multiple selections of factors from the plurality of sets.

14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein at least two of the multiple selections select the same set of factors from the plurality of sets.