System and method for using a curser to convey information

• US 8,006,183 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Peebler, Simeon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US11/608,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 715/711, 715/859, 715/861, 715/862, 715/715
• US Class Current: 715/711
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for the controlled cursor'"'"'s behavior. According to one example method, any desired data may be linked to a cursor and a desired cursor behavior could be defined to convey the linked data using the cursor. When a change in the linked data is detected, the example method includes using the desired cursor behavior to convey the changed data independent of a location where the cursor is placed on a screen.

Claims

1. A method for using a cursor to convey information comprising:

receiving by a computing device configuration data from a user, wherein the configuration data specifies data to be displayed;

linking by the computing device data from a trading application to a cursor, wherein the cursor is displayed on a screen and movement of the cursor to a location on the screen is based on a command from a user input device, wherein the data to be linked is specified by the configuration data from the user;

monitoring by the computing device the linked data to determine if the linked data has changed;

updating by the computing device a visual representation of the linked data when the linked data changes;

displaying by the computing device the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor on the screen, wherein the linked data that is used to generate the visual representation is specified by the configuration data from the user and independent of the location where the cursor is moved on the screen; and

receiving by the computing device a command moving the cursor from a first location to a second location, wherein the first location is in a first window associated with a first application, wherein the second location is in a second window associated with a second application, wherein the first application is different from the second application, wherein the first and second applications are different from the trading application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed without modification of the first application or the second application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed in relation to the cursor while the cursor is moved based on the command from the first location to the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily stopping the display of the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor after a predefined time period until a change in the linked data is detected.

3. The method of claim 1, further including changing a format of the cursor to convey the linked data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the format of the cursor comprises a shape, color, or size of the cursor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the linked data comprises market data related to a tradeable object being traded at an electronic exchange.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the linked data comprises trader related data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the linked data comprises news or chart data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by the computing device a request to dynamically change the data that is linked to the cursor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the changed data is linked from the trading application.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the changed data is linked from the second application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes the screen.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a tool tip.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a graphical representation.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a textual representation.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a processor, wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive configuration data from a user, wherein the configuration data specifies data to be displayed;

link data from a trading application to a cursor, wherein the cursor is displayed on a screen and movement of the cursor to a location on the screen is based on a command from a user input device, wherein the data to be linked is specified by the configuration data from the user;

monitor the linked data to determine if the linked data has changed;

update a visual representation of the linked data when the linked data changes;

display the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor on the screen, wherein the linked data that is used to generate the visual representation is specified by the configuration data from the user and independent of the location where the cursor is moved on the screen; and

receive a command moving the cursor from a first location to a second location, wherein the first location is in a first window associated with a first application, wherein the second location is in a second window associated with a second application, wherein the first application is different from the second application, wherein the first and second applications are different from the trading application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed without modification of the first application or the second application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed in relation to the cursor while the cursor is moved based on the command from the first location to the second location.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to change a format of the cursor to convey the linked data.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the format of the cursor comprises a shape, color, or size of the cursor.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

temporarily stop the display of the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor after a predefined time period until a change in the linked data is detected.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the linked data comprises market data related to a tradeable object being traded at an electronic exchange.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the linked data comprises trader related data.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the linked data comprises news or chart data.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a request to dynamically change the data that is linked to the cursor.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the changed data is linked from the trading application.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the changed data is linked from the second application.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a tool tip.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a graphical representation.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a textual representation.

18. A system for conveying information comprising:

a configuration component adapted to receive configuration data from a user, wherein the configuration data specifies data to be displayed;

a data monitor and linking component adapted to link data from a trading application to a cursor, wherein the cursor is displayed on a screen and movement of the cursor to a location on the screen is based on a command from a user input device, wherein the data to be linked is specified by the configuration data from the user, wherein the data monitor and linking component is further adapted to monitor the linked data to determine if the linked data has changed;

a cursor control component adapted to update a visual representation of the linked data when the linked data changes, wherein the cursor control component is adapted to display the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor on the screen, wherein the linked data that is used to generate the visual representation is specified by the configuration data from the user and independent of the location where the cursor is moved on the screen, wherein the cursor control component is adapted to receive a command moving the cursor from a first location to a second location, wherein the first location is in a first window associated with a first application, wherein the second location is in a second window associated with a second application, wherein the first application is different from the second application, wherein the first and second applications are different from the trading application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed without modification of the first application or the second application, wherein the visual representation of the linked data is displayed in relation to the cursor while the cursor is moved based on the command from the first location to the second location.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the cursor control component is further adapted to temporarily stop the display of the visual representation of the linked data in relation to the cursor after a predefined time period until a change in the linked data is detected.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the cursor control component is further adapted to change a format of the cursor to convey the linked data.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the format of the cursor comprises a shape, color, or size of the cursor.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the linked data comprises market data related to a tradeable object being traded at an electronic exchange.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the linked data comprises trader related data.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the linked data comprises news or chart data.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the data monitor and linking component is further adapted to receive a request to dynamically change the data that is linked to the cursor.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the changed data is linked from the trading application.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the changed data is linked from the second application.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a tool tip.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a graphical representation.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the visual representation of the linked data includes a textual representation.