Keyboard trading system

• US 8,930,256 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lutnick, Howard W., Noviello, Joseph, Sweeting, Michael, Amaitis, Lee, Johnson, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): HAMILTON, SARA CHANDLER
• Application Number:
  US10/699,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,085 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/36.R
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing customized keyboards for receiving user inputs, and view regions for displaying information for users in useful arrangements. Such keyboards include keys that are pre-programmed to reflect the issues present in each trading pane of the view regions. Using such keys, a user may direct the trading application to quickly and efficiently switch between multiple issues, and place, manipulate or cancel orders on them. The keyboard may also be designed such that multiple keys may be disabled, replaced or mapped to perform different functions.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

(1) a non-transitory computer-readable medium, in which the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to;

receive data that is displayed in a view region that comprises a plurality of trading quadrants, in which the plurality of trading quadrants comprises at least;

a first quadrant that displays information for a plurality of issues that correspond to a first benchmark instrument;

a second quadrant that displays information for a plurality of issues corresponding to second benchmark instrument;

(2) a keyboard that comprises;

a plurality of command keys, in which each command key is mapped to execute a trading command on at least one issue in the first quadrant; and

a toggle key that when selected causes each command key to be re-mapped to execute a different trading command on at least one issue in the second quadrant.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the view region is customizable by the user.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the keyboard is programmable by the user.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which each command key is programmed to execute the trading command on a plurality of issues simultaneously.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, in which the plurality of issues share a specific characteristic.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 4, in which each of the plurality of issues expires within a specific date.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which one of the plurality of command keys comprises executing the trading command on an issue that is located in a specific position in the first quadrant.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, in which the specific position comprises a top-most position in the first quadrant.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, in which the specific position comprises a lower position in the first quadrant.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which one of the plurality of command keys comprises executing the trading command on each issue that is located in a specific position in the first quadrant and the second quadrant.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the programmable keyboard further comprises:

a MOD key that may be pressed with a command key in order to cancel a previously submitted trading command.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the first benchmark instrument and the second benchmark instrument comprises two different types of instruments.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the keyboard further comprises:

a key cover that when placed over a set of command keys transforms the set of command keys into a single command key.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which each of the plurality of trading quadrants is displayed in an unique color.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which each command key is coded by a color, in which the color corresponds to a type of trading command that is being performed.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the trading command is executed on an available size and an available price of the at least one issue in the first trading quadrant.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which each of the plurality of trading quadrants is further customized to display a total volume traded.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which each of the plurality of trading quadrants is further customized to display a latest settling price.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 1, in which the information displayed in each of the plurality of quadrants is updated in real-time.

20. An article of manufacture comprising:

(1) a non-transitory computer-readable medium, in which the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to;

receive data that is displayed in a view region that comprises a plurality of trading quadrants, in which the plurality of trading quadrants comprises at least;

a first quadrant that displays information for a plurality of issues that correspond to a first benchmark instrument;

a second quadrant that displays information for a plurality of issues corresponding to second benchmark instrument;

in which the information displayed in the first quadrant and the second quadrant are updated in real-time;

(2) a keyboard that is programmable by the user, in which the keyboard comprises;

a plurality of command keys, in which each command key is mapped to execute a trading command on at least one issue in the first quadrant;

a toggle key that when selected causes each command key to be re-mapped to execute a different trading command on at least one issue in the second quadrant; and

a MOD key that may be pressed with a command key in order to cancel a previously submitted trading command.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which each command key is programmed to execute the trading command on a plurality of issues simultaneously.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, in which the plurality of issues share a specific characteristic.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which one of the plurality of command keys comprises executing the trading command on an issue that is located in a specific position in the first quadrant.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which the first benchmark instrument and the second benchmark instrument comprises two different types of instruments.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which the keyboard further comprises:

a key cover that when placed over a set of command keys transforms the set of command keys into a single command key.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which each of the plurality of trading quadrants is displayed in an unique color.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 20, in which each command key is coded by a color, in which the color corresponds to a type of trading command that is being performed.