System and method for price-based annotations in an electronic trading environment

• US 7,716,112 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Robert A., Ziemkiewicz, Peter F., Highland, Ryan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi; Hani
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kanervo; Virpi H
• Application Number:
  US10/634,415
• Time in Patent Office: 2,471 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/37
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 generating and displaying annotations in relation to one or more prices corresponding to trader-related or market related events are described. In one embodiment, a trader may enter an annotation to be displayed in relation to one or more price levels. Alternatively, a trader may configure a dynamic annotation to be dynamically displayed in relation to some price level(s) upon detecting a predetermined event related to one or more tradeable objects. Also, a trader may configure one or more alarms to be displayed or played in combination with the annotations.

Claims

1. A method for displaying price-based annotations in an electronic trading environment, the method including:

displaying via a computing device a price axis, wherein the price axis includes a plurality of price levels for a tradeable object;

displaying via the computing device market data related to the tradeable object, wherein the market data is displayed along the price axis, wherein the market data includes bid and ask quantities for the tradeable object;

displaying via the computing device a plurality of order entry regions, wherein each order entry region corresponds to a price level of the plurality of price levels, where each order entry region is adapted to receive a command to place an order for the tradeable object at the corresponding price level;

receiving via the computing device a definition for an annotation, wherein the definition includes an annotation price level and annotation information, wherein the definition is specified by a user, wherein the annotation price level includes at least one price level for the tradeable object;

processing via the computing device the definition to determine that at least one of the price levels of the annotation price level is within the plurality of price levels of the price axis; and

displaying via the computing device the annotation by displaying the annotation information along the price axis at the at least one of the price levels of the annotation price level determined to be within the plurality of price levels of the price axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the definition includes an event associated with the tradeable object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a market event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the market event is associated with historical data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting via the computing device an occurrence of the event at a second price level; and

dynamically updating the display of the annotation to display the annotation information along the price axis at the second price level.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting via the computing device an occurrence of the event at a second price level; and

displaying via the computing device the annotation by also displaying the annotation information at the second price level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation information includes a graphical indicator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the graphical indicator further includes a text message corresponding to an event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation price level is determined based on a second tradeable object.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying via the computing device a working order indicator, wherein the working order indicator corresponds to an order placed by the user for the tradeable object at an order entry region, wherein the working order indicator is displayed along the price axis at the corresponding price level.

11. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying via the computing device a consolidated price interface, wherein the consolidated price interface represents a second plurality of price levels, wherein the second plurality of price levels is not within the plurality of price levels of the price axis, wherein a second annotation price level for a second annotation is within the second plurality of price levels; and

displaying via the computing device second annotation information for the second annotation along the consolidated price interface at a location corresponding to the second annotation price level.

12. A computer readable medium having stored therein computer executable instructions to execute a method comprising:

displaying via a computing device a price axis, wherein the price axis includes a plurality of price levels for a tradeable object;

displaying via the computing device market data related to the tradeable object, wherein the market data is displayed along the price axis, wherein the market data includes bid and ask quantities for the tradeable object;

displaying via the computing device a plurality of order entry regions, wherein each order entry region corresponds to a price level of the plurality of price levels, where each order entry region is adapted to receive a command to place an order for the tradeable object at the corresponding price level;

receiving via the computing device a definition for an annotation, wherein the definition includes an annotation price level and annotation information, wherein the definition is specified by a user, wherein the annotation price level includes at least one price level for the tradeable object;

processing via the computing device the definition to determine that at least one of the price levels of the annotation price level is within the plurality of price levels of the price axis; and

displaying via the computing device the annotation by displaying the annotation information along the price axis at the at least one of the price levels of the annotation price level determined to be within the plurality of price levels of the price axis.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the definition includes an event associated with the tradeable object.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the event comprises a market event.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the market event is associated with historical data.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions for:

detecting via the computing device an occurrence of the event at a second price level; and

dynamically updating the display of the annotation to display the annotation information along the price axis at the second price level.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions for:

detecting via the computing device an occurrence of the event at a second price level; and

displaying via the computing device the annotation by also displaying the annotation information at the second price level.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the annotation information includes a graphical indicator.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the graphical indicator further includes a text message corresponding to an event.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the annotation price level is determined based on a second tradeable object.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further including instructions for:

displaying via the computing device a working order indicator, wherein the working order indicator corresponds to an order placed by the user for the tradeable object at an order entry region, wherein the working order indicator is displayed along the price axis at the corresponding price level.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further including instructions for:

displaying via the computing device a consolidated price interface, wherein the consolidated price interface represents a second plurality of price levels, wherein the second plurality of price levels is not within the plurality of price levels of the price axis, wherein a second annotation price level for a second annotation is within the second plurality of price levels; and

displaying via the computing device second annotation information for the second annotation along the consolidated price interface at a location corresponding to the second annotation price level.