System and method for providing security to a game controller device for electronic trading

• US 20050239524A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Espeed Incorporated A Delaware Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Novello, Joseph C., Longman, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system for managing electronic trading, comprises an interface application including a mapping module that defines a plurality of controller signal relationships. Each controller signal relationship associates one or more of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments. The interface application receives a plurality of game controller signals generated by a game controller, and determines, based on the controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous. The interface application causes the communication of a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals.

Claims

1. A method for managing a game controller used for electronic trading, comprising:

storing a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one or more of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform;

receiving a plurality of game controller signals generated by a game controller;

determining, based on the controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous; and

communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous comprises determining, based on the controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals do not correspond with any of the plurality of trading system commands.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous comprises:

determining particular trading system commands associated with the one or more particular received game controller signals based on the controller signal relationships; and

determining that one or more of the particular trading system commands are invalid commands in a particular state of trading activity in which the one or more particular game controller signals are received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprises communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of received erroneous game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprises communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of consecutively-received erroneous game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprises communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of erroneous game controller signals received within a predetermined time period meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. A system for managing electronic trading, comprising:

an interface application including a mapping module that defines a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one or more of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments;

wherein the interface application is operable to;

receive a plurality of game controller signals generated by a game controller;

determine, based on the controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous; and

cause the communication of a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous comprises determining, based on the controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals do not correspond with any of the plurality of trading system commands.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received game controller signals are erroneous comprises:

determining particular trading system commands associated with the one or more particular received game controller signals based on the controller signal relationships; and

determining that one or more of the particular trading system commands are invalid commands in a particular state of trading activity in which the one or more particular game controller signals are received.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprising communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of received erroneous game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprising communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of consecutively-received erroneous game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein communicating a command to lock the game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprising communicating a command to lock the game controller if the number of erroneous game controller signals received within a predetermined time period meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. A system for managing trading, comprising:

a computer system having a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the computer system, the computer readable medium comprising a program operable, when executed by the processor, to;

manage a plurality of controller signal relationships, each controller signal relationship associating one or more of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments;

receive a plurality of game controller signals generated by a game controller; and

cause the communication of a command to lock the game controller based on one or more of the received game controller signals

14. A method for electronic trading, comprising:

receiving game controller signals generated by a game controller;

determining trading system commands associated with the received game controller signals; and

communicating the determined trading system commands toward a trading platform such that the trading system commands may be executed by the trading platform to perform electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

receiving one or more particular game controller signals generated by the game controller;

determining whether the one or more received particular game controller signals match a stored security code; and

if the one or more received particular game controller signals match the stored security code, communicating a command to lock the game controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more particular game controller signals are generated by one or more particular manipulations of a game controller.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving one or more security game controller signals generated by the game controller, the one or more security game controller signals comprising game controller signals associated with a configurable security code for locking the game controller;

determining a configurable security code based on the received one or more security game controller signals; and

storing the determined configurable security code.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving from a game controller user fingerprint data associated with a user of the game controller;

determining whether to provide the user access to the trading platform based at least on the received user fingerprint data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving baseline fingerprint data associated with the user; and

wherein determining whether to provide the user access to the trading platform based at least on the received user fingerprint data comprises comparing the received user fingerprint data with the received baseline fingerprint data.

20. The method of claim 14, comprising receiving the game controller signals from the game controller via a secure wireless connection.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving game controller signals generated by the game controller comprises:

receiving game controller signals associated with a buy command generated by depressing a first button located on a first front region of the game controller; and

receiving game controller signals associated with a sell command generated by depressing a second button located on a second front region of the game controller.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first front region and second front region of the game controller are located on a front surface of the game controller.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first button and second button are located on the game controller such that they may be accessed by the index fingers of a user holding the game controller.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the received game controller signals are formatted according to a MICROSOFT DirectX™

protocol; and

determining trading system commands associated with the received game controller signals comprises mapping the received game controller signals formatted according to the MICROSOFT DirectX™

protocol to one or more trading system commands.