Method and system for analyzing and screening investment information

• US 8,635,130 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TD Ameritrade IP Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TD Ameritrade IP Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Michael S., Clifford, Chad D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FELTEN, DANIEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/542,513
• Time in Patent Office: 5,041 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/38, 705/39, 705/35, 709/223, 707/999
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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

The present invention provides a stock analysis, management and education system and process which, via an Internet based software application, allows a client to receive daily trading information on all the Stocks traded without having to conduct multiple queries and/or extended downloads. The system also provides for the efficient transfer of daily stock information from a server to a client'"'"'s system by having the server receive and process into binary files stock information from exchanges. The client then establishes a communications link with the server, receives a list file, selects files from the list and receives those files. The system provide custom stock screening and display options, while significantly reducing download times by separating charting data from screening data and providing “quick update” files. Day Trading features enable an investor to day trade with relative low risk. The present invention also includes an En Fueg-o-meter which enables a client to view the recent performance of any stock at a glance via color and other indicators. Candlestick algorithms are also provided for monitoring a stock'"'"'s performance while back testing allows a client to test trading ideas back in time using historical stock information.

Claims

1. A method of processing and analyzing investment information, comprising:

receiving, at one or more investment data conditioning servers, investment information from a plurality of exchanges;

processing said investment information into a first file including end of day investment information for a current day and a second file including fundamental investment information; and

when a client desires an update of the investment information,

a) sending a list file to the client, the list file identifying the first and second files;

b) receiving a request from the client for a needed file that the client has not yet received, the needed file being among files identified on the list file and explicitly identified by the client in the request;

c) receiving, at the one or more servers, a date from the client indicating a most recent update of the needed file at the client; and

d) providing information from said needed file over a communications network to a storage medium at the client only when the information from said needed file has been updated at the one or more servers since the date received from the client, wherein said client queries said storage medium for information from said needed file upon execution of a request at said client for investment information related to at least one investment vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processing comprises:

processing at least one of historical price information, historical volume information, industry information, and option information to produce said end of day investment information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said providing comprises:

including in said needed file at least one of company name information and split information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said providing comprises:

comparing said needed file with an existing version of said needed file located at said client; and

determining the segments of said existing version that require updating in response to said comparing, whereby the segments requiring updating are included in said needed file provided to said client.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said determining comprises:

providing a segment of said needed file to said client in response to determining said segment of said needed file to outdate a corresponding segment of said existing version by more than a predefined time period; and

providing a segment of said needed file to said client in response to determining said segment of said needed file having no corresponding segment in said existing version.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

merging said needed file into an investment data screening file located at said client, wherein said client reads said investment data screening file upon execution of said request for investment information.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

analyzing said investment data screening file to interpret a performance indicator for said at least one investment vehicle over a predefined time period, wherein said performance indicator includes at least one of price, volume, moving averages, relative strength index, and moving average convergence divergence;

assigning a first color if said performance indicator satisfies or exceeds an upper threshold;

assigning a second color if said performance indicator satisfies or exceeds a lower threshold;

assigning a third color if said performance indicator fails to satisfy or exceed said upper threshold or said lower threshold; and

displaying a graphical representation of said performance indicator, said graphical representation having said first color, said second color, or said third color to indicate the performance of said at least one investment vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

analyzing said investment information from said plurality of exchanges to detect one or more candlestick patterns; and

including said one or more candlestick patterns in a candlestick information file, said candlestick information file being merged with said needed file into said investment data screening file.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a candlestick pattern associated with said at least one investment vehicle upon execution of said request for investment information.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying one or more investment vehicles matching a designated candlestick pattern; and

displaying said designated candlestick pattern with said one or more investment vehicles.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

accessing a backtest request for visual backtest data for one or more investment vehicles, wherein said backtest request includes a visual backtest date;

analyzing said investment information from said plurality of exchanges to assemble investment information related to said one or more investment vehicles, wherein the date of the assembled investment information is identical to, or more current than, said visual backtest date; and

merging the assembled investment information file with said needed file into said investment data screening file.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one screen selectable by said client to enable at least one of said request for investment information and a display of information from said needed file.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

executing one or more commands associated with said at least one screen to select an investment vehicle moving consistently in one direction, over a predefined trading period, with respect to an opening price for said investment vehicle, wherein said request for investment information or said display of information includes requesting or displaying, respectively, information related to the selected investment vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

executing one or more commands associated with said at least one screen to select an investment vehicle moving consistently in one direction, over a predefined trading period, with respect to a closing price for said investment vehicle, wherein said request for investment information or said display of information includes requesting or displaying, respectively, information related to the selected investment vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

storing said at least one screen at said client to enable re-execution of said request for investment information or said display of information.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

exporting the stored screen to a second client to enable execution of a request for investment information or a display of information at said second client.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

importing the displayed information into a software application.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading investment information from said needed file to identify one or more investment vehicles exceeding a corresponding moving average;

determining a quantity of investment vehicles trading on said plurality of exchanges that exceed said corresponding moving average; and

displaying performance indicators for said plurality of exchanges, wherein said performance indicators include at least one of a 10-day moving average, 50-day moving average, moving average convergence divergence, relative strength index, opening volume, closing volume, percentage change in volume from a preceding day, and a bull-to-bear ratio.

19. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

analyzing investment information from said needed file to detect bullish or bearish performance indicators for an investment vehicle or an exchange from said plurality of exchanges; and

displaying said bullish or bearish indicators for said investment vehicle or said exchange.

20. A system for processing and analyzing investment information, comprising:

one or more investment data conditioning servers configured to access investment information from a plurality of exchanges;

a first investment management analyzer configured to produce a first file including end of day investment information for a current day, wherein said first investment management analyzer is coupled to said one or more investment data conditioning servers;

a second investment management analyzer configured to produce a second file including fundamental investment information, wherein said second investment management analyzer is coupled to said one or more investment data conditioning servers; and

an investment management aggregator configured to produce a binary output file including at least one of said first file and said second file, wherein said investment management aggregator is coupled to said one or more investment data conditioning servers, configured to send a list file to the client, the list file identifying the first and second files, configured to receive a request from the client for a needed file that the client has not yet received, the needed file being among files identified on the list file and explicitly identified by the client in the request, configured to receive a date from the client indicating a most recent update of the needed file at the client, and configured to provide information from said needed file to the client only when said information from said needed file has been updated at said one or more servers since the date received from the client,

wherein the client is in communications with said investment management aggregator over a communications network, is configured to receive the information from said needed file and query said information upon execution of a request at said client for said information.

21. A system of claim 20, wherein said plurality of exchanges include at least one of the NASDAQ exchange, the AMEX exchange, the NYSE exchange, a rating house, and a brokerage.