Asynchronous hypertext messaging

• US 8,271,613 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Reuters Global Resources
• Original Assignee: Thomson Reuters LLC (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Andrew, Hellon, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): NEURAUTER JR, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/104,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/203, 705/37, 703/203
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An asynchronous hypertext messaging system and method are disclosed. The system and method use existing hypertext transfer protocols and is capable of transmitting real-time asynchronous data between server and client regardless of firewalls or proxy servers implemented at the client or the server. In a communication system comprising a client and server interconnected by an internet, initial authentication is performed initially between the server and the client. A secure log in is performed by the client with the server in conjunction with a possible java applet download. The communication server then initiates a multiplexed virtual connection between the server and the client and transmission of asynchronous real-time data can occur over the virtual connection. The virtual connection is periodically refreshed by a request issued from the java applet.

Claims

1. A trading instrument communication server comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server to;

create a pseudo large web browser message pathway between the server and a computer workstation by sending a message from the server to the client indicating to the client to maintain a connection with the server pending receipt of a large file;

communicate real-time trading data to said computer workstation over said pathway without polling said computer workstation by providing active hypertext messaging trading information to the computer workstation over the Internet, said active hypertext messaging trading information being sent instead of the large file; and

transact a trade for a trading instrument based on received trading information from the computer workstation.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein said trading instrument is foreign exchange currency.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein said trading instrument is stock.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein said real-time trading data comprises pricing information.

5. The server of claim 4, wherein said instructions further cause the server to push said pricing information to said computer workstation over said pathway.

6. The server of claim 1, wherein said instructions further cause the server to refresh said pathway to keep said pathway to remain open throughout a designated trading session.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein said instructions further cause the server to establish multiple connections between the server and said computer workstation over said pathway.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein said instructions further cause the server to transmit a heartbeat message from said server to said computer workstation at predefined intervals.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein said instructions further cause the server to, responsive to determining that the real-time data has changed, automatically push the changed data to the computer workstation.

10. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure a system to:

create a pseudo large web browser message pathway between a server and a computer workstation by sending a message from the server to the client indicating to the client to maintain a connection with the server pending receipt of a large file;

communicate real-time trading data to said computer workstation over said pathway without polling said computer workstation by providing active hypertext messaging trading information to the computer workstation over the Internet, said active hypertext messaging trading information being sent instead of the large file; and

transact a trade for a trading instrument based on received trading information from the computer workstation.

11. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said trading instrument is foreign exchange currency.

12. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said trading instrument is stock.

13. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said real-time trading data comprises pricing information.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein said instructions further configure the system to push said pricing information to said computer workstation over said pathway.

15. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said instructions further configure the system to refresh said pathway to keep said pathway to remain open throughout a designated trading session.

16. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said instructions further configure the system to establish multiple connections between the server and said computer workstation over said pathway.

17. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said instructions further configure the system to transmit a heartbeat message from said server to said computer workstation at predefined intervals.

18. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein said instructions further configure the system to, responsive to determining that the real-time data has changed, automatically push the changed data to the computer workstation.

19. A method of communicating trading information, comprising:

creating a pseudo large web browser message pathway between a server and a computer workstation by sending a message from the server to the client indicating to the client to maintain a connection with the server pending receipt of a large file;

communicating real-time trading data to said computer workstation over said pathway without polling said computer workstation by providing active hypertext messaging trading information to the computer workstation over the Internet, said active hypertext messaging trading information being sent instead of the large file; and

transacting a trade for a trading instrument based on received trading information from the computer workstation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said trading instrument is foreign exchange currency.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said trading instrument is stock.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said real-time trading data comprises pricing information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising pushing said pricing information to said computer workstation over said pathway.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising refreshing said pathway to keep said pathway to remain open throughout a designated trading session.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising establishing multiple connections between the server and said computer workstation over said pathway.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting a heartbeat message from said server to said computer workstation at predefined intervals.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising, responsive to determining that the real-time data has changed, automatically pushing the changed data to the computer workstation.

28. A method of communicating over the Internet, comprising:

establishing a message pathway over the Internet between a server device and a client device by sending a message from the server device to the client device indicating to the client device to maintain a connection with the server device pending receipt of a large file; and

sending asynchronous data from the server device to the client device over said message pathway, said data being sent instead of the large file.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said data comprises active hypertext information.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said data comprises financial instrument trading information.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said trading information comprises real-time pricing information for one or more financial instruments.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising transacting a trade for a trading instrument based on received trading information from the client device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said trading instrument is a foreign currency.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said trading instrument is stock.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein said server device pushes the data to the client device over said message pathway without polling requests for said data by said client device.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising refreshing said message pathway to keep said pathway open between the server device and the client device.