Database migration in an automated financial instrument brokerage system

• US 8,069,138 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scottrade Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scottrade Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Inventors: Tully, Michael James, Lembree, Gregory Paul, Scott, Virgil Michael, Randle, Dwayne Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US12/186,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/602
• 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

In an automated financial instrument brokerage system, during a first interval, data relating to option trades is stored in an old customer account database and data relating to equity trades is stored in a new customer account database. Also, customer account data is retrieved from both the old and new databases in response to activity requests. During a second interval, data relating to option trades and equity trades is stored in the new database and customer account data is retrieved from both the old and new databases in response to activity requests. After the second interval expires, the content of the old database is copied into the new database, data relating to option trades and equity trades is stored in the new database, and customer account data is retrieved from the new database in response to activity requests. The first and second intervals define a settlement period for equity trades.

Claims

1. A method for switching an automated financial instrument brokerage system from an old customer account database to a new customer account database, the system comprising a first layer for interacting with users to generate activity requests related to one or more financial instruments, a second layer in communication with the first layer for processing activity requests, and a third layer comprising the old database and the new database, both the old and new database being configured to store customer account data relating to equities and options, the method comprising:

during a first time interval, (1) storing data relating to option trades transacted during the first time interval in the old database, (2) storing data relating to equity trades transacted during the first time interval in the new database, and (3) retrieving customer account data from both the old database and the new database in response to activity requests generated during the first time interval that need customer account data for processing;

during a second time interval, (1) storing data relating to option trades and equity trades transacted during the second time interval in the new database, and (2) retrieving customer account data from both the old database and the new database in response to activity requests generated during the second time interval that need customer account data for processing; and

upon expiration of the second time interval, (1) copying the content of the old database into the new database, (2) storing data relating to option trades and equity trades transacted after the expiration of the second time interval in the new database, and (3) retrieving customer account data from the new database in response to activity requests generated after the expiration of the second time interval that need customer account data for processing;

wherein the overall duration of the first time interval and the second time interval define a settlement period for equity trades.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the settlement period for equity trades is three days.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first time interval is approximately two days in length, wherein the second time interval is approximately one day in length, and wherein the first time interval commences on the first day of combined use of the old database and the new database.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the expiration of the second time interval occurs on a weekend.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first time interval commences on a Wednesday.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein a settlement period for option trades is one day.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein a settlement period for option trades is the duration of the second time interval.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first time interval is approximately two days in length, wherein the second time interval is approximately one day in length, and wherein the first time interval commences on the first day for combined use of the old database and the new database.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the expiration of the second time interval occurs on a weekend.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first time interval commences on a Wednesday.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising, after expiration of the second time interval, removing the old database from the system.