System and method for group positioning of market information in a graphical user interface

• US 7,890,414 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Robert A., Brumfield, Harris
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisberger; Richard C
• Application Number:
  US11/417,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• 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 method for repositioning information related to a plurality of commodities on a graphical user interface is provided. The method includes receiving market information relating to a first commodity and a second commodity. The market information includes a number of items of interest, each of which may be associated with a price. A first information display region associated with the first commodity and including a number of locations arranged such that each location corresponds to a price level along at least a portion of a first static price axis is displayed at a first time. A second similar information display region associated with the second commodity is also displayed at that time. Indicators associated with items of interest related to the first commodity and the second commodity are displayed in the first information display region and the second information display region, respectively. The method includes receiving a command to reposition one of the information display regions. In response to the repositioning command, the indicators representing market information are moved to new locations in the first and second information display regions. More than two information display region may alternatively be utilized and positioned in this manner.

Claims

1. A method for repositioning information related to a plurality of commodities on a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

receiving market information relating to a first commodity via a trading device having a processor, the market information comprising a first inside market having a highest bid price and a lowest ask price currently available for the first commodity;

receiving market information relating to a second commodity via the trading device, the market information comprising a second inside market having a highest bid price and a lowest ask price currently available for the second commodity;

displaying a first information display region associated with the first commodity via an output device associated with the trading device, the first information display region comprising a first plurality of locations arranged where each location corresponds to a price level along a first static price axis;

displaying a second information display region associated with the second commodity via the output device, the second information display region comprising a second plurality of locations arranged where each location corresponds to a price level along a second static price axis;

displaying a first and second indicator in the first information display region via the output device, the first indicator representing quantity associated with at least one order to buy the commodity at the highest bid price currently available for the first commodity, the second indicator representing quantity associated with at least one order to sell the commodity at the lowest ask price currently available for the first commodity, wherein the first and second indicators move in the first information display region relative to the first static price axis when the highest bid price and the lowest ask price for the first commodity changes;

displaying a third and fourth indicator in the second information display region via the output device, the third indicator representing quantity associated with at least one order to buy the commodity at the highest bid price currently available for the second commodity, the fourth indicator representing quantity associated with at least one order to sell the commodity at the lowest ask price currently available for the second commodity, wherein the third and fourth indicators move in the second information display region relative to the second static price axis when the highest bid price and the lowest ask price changes for the second commodity changes;

receiving a group repositioning command to reposition both the first and second information display regions via an input device associated with the computing device; and

in response to the group repositioning command, repositioning, via the trading device, the first static price axis so that the first and second indicators are substantially centered in the first information display region and repositioning the second static price axis so that the third and fourth indicators are substantially centered in the second information display region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the group repositioning command is a manual group repositioning command entered by a user with a user input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the group repositioning command is an automatic group repositioning command.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the automatic group repositioning command is triggered by a timer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the automatic group repositioning command is triggered when any of the first, second, third, and fourth indicators goes out of view.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first static price axis is repositioned to center a last traded price of the first commodity in the first information display region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first static price axis is repositioned to center a price of the first inside market in the first information display region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second static price axis is repositioned to center a last traded price of the second commodity in the second information display region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second static price axis is repositioned to center a price of the second inside market in the second information display region.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an order entry region comprising a plurality of locations for receiving commands to send trade orders for the first commodity, each location corresponding to a price level along the first static price axis; and

in response to a selection of a particular location of the order entry region by a single action of a user input device, setting a plurality of parameters for a trade order relating to the first commodity and sending the trade order to the electronic exchange.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an order entry region comprising a plurality of locations for receiving commands to send trade orders for the second commodity, each location corresponding to a price level along the second static price axis; and

in response to a selection of a particular location of the order entry region by a single action of a user input device, setting a plurality of parameters for a trade order relating to the second commodity and sending the trade order to the electronic exchange.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information display region is displayed in a first window on a graphical user interface and the second information display region is displayed in a second window on the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising linking the first window with the second window.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information display region comprises a first bid display region and a first ask display region, and the second information display region comprises a second bid display region and a second ask display region.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a first last trade display region comprising a plurality of locations, each location corresponding to a price level along the first static price axis; and

displaying a second last trade display region comprising a plurality of locations, each location corresponding to a price level along the second static price axis.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a first last trade indicator in a location of the first last trade display region, the first last trade indicator representing a last trade price for the first commodity; and

displaying a second last trade indicator in a location of the second last trade display region, the second last trade indicator representing a last trade price for the second commodity.