User interface for semi-fungible trading

• US 20060059083A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Klizas, Mark C., Friesen, Richard W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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

A user interface and method are disclosed for providing trading between a plurality of semi-fungible and non-fungible goods. A plurality of book axes are displayed in a single interface, each book axis representing a market for a particular good. Orders for goods are displayed as marks on the axes to display the relative value of the orders. A value axis is provided that relates the value of the goods from each market to each other. Thus, a single interface provides the means to relate the values of different semi-fungible goods. The value axis may be displayed in units of price, or a custom value designated by a user or pre-defined by the interface. Quantity information is represented in the interface through the display of a dimension of an order icon. Precise information about each order is displayed either in a panel view or a pop-up window.

Claims

1. A method for displaying market information relating to and facilitating trading of a plurality of goods in an electronic trading environment, the method comprising:

displaying a value axis on an interface, the value axis having units of a value common to the plurality of goods;

dynamically displaying indicators for each of the plurality of goods at locations aligned with the value axis, each indicator representing at least one bid order or at least one offer order for a good, wherein each indicator is associated with a particular value and is displayed at a location that corresponds to the particular value along the value axis; and

in response to user initiated command, initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good comprises moving an order icon to a location associated with a certain value along the value axis to initiate placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein moving the order icon comprises dragging the order icon to the location and dropping the order icon on the location thereby initiating placement of the order.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the order icon is associated with a predefined order quantity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the order icon is sized according to the predefined order quantity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating placement of an order comprises opening up an order ticket window.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the order ticket window is automatically populated with a predetermined quantity and a price.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the order icon placed by the user with a first visual characteristic; and

displaying the indicators corresponding to orders placed by other users with a second visual characteristic.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the order icon placed by the user with a visual characteristics that distinguishes if the order is an order to buy or sell the good.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent prices associated with the plurality of goods.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent volatility associated with the plurality of goods.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the values along the value axis represent a unifying characteristic of the plurality of goods.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators for the plurality of goods are displayed in a single window.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators comprise icons.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the icons are sized according to a quantity value.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an action line relative to the value axis, wherein a location of the action line along the value axis indicates a value of interest.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a marker representing a data point of interest relative to the value axis.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing a scale of the values along the value axis.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each of the plurality of goods, visually highlighting a spread between an indicator representing an order at a highest bid price and an indicator representing an order at a lowest ask price.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of book axes, each book axis representing a book for a corresponding one of the plurality of goods, each book comprised of a plurality of orders including at least one bid order and at least one sell order for the corresponding good.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the indicators are displayed at locations along the book axes corresponding to the value axis.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of book axes; and

displaying an enlarged version of the selected book axes.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of book axes; and

displaying a different view of the selected book axis.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein a scale associated with the plurality of book axes is different than a scale of the value axis.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying a plurality of book axes comprises displaying a large number of book axes in a condensed manner.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the large number of book axes comprises a line.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the user initiated command comprises:

receiving a selection of the one of the plurality of book axes;

displaying an enlarged version of the selected book axis; and

dragging an order icon to the location at the selected book axis.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying contextual data along with the plurality of book axes.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying values along the value axis.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein each indicator represents an individual order for one of the plurality of goods.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein each indicator represents a plurality of orders for one of the plurality of goods.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of goods are semi-fungible, fungible, or non-fungible.

33. A computer readable medium having program code recorded thereon for execution on a computer for displaying market information relating to and facilitating trading of a plurality of goods in an electronic trading environment, the program code for:

displaying a value axis on an interface, the value axis having units of a value common to the plurality of goods;

dynamically displaying indicators for each of the plurality of goods at locations aligned with the value axis, each indicator representing at least one bid order or at least one offer order for a good, wherein each indicator is associated with a particular value and is displayed at a location that corresponds to the particular value along the value axis; and

in response to user initiated command, initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good comprises moving an order icon to a location associated with a certain value along the value axis to initiate placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein moving the order icon comprises dragging the order icon to the location and dropping the order icon on the location thereby initiating placement of the order.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the order icon is associated with a predefined order quantity.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the order icon is sized according to the predefined order quantity.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein initiating placement of an order comprises opening up an order ticket window.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the order ticket window is automatically populated with a predetermined quantity and a price.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the program code is further for:

displaying a plurality of book axes, each book axis representing a book for a corresponding one of the plurality of goods, each book comprised of a plurality of orders including at least one bid order and at least one sell order for the corresponding good.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the indicators are displayed at locations along the book axes corresponding to the value axis.

42. A client device for displaying market information relating to and facilitating trading of a plurality of goods in an electronic trading environment, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a graphical user interface coupled to the microprocessor for;

displaying a value axis on an interface, the value axis having units of a value common to the plurality of goods;

dynamically displaying indicators for each of the plurality of goods at locations aligned with the value axis, each indicator representing at least one bid order or at least one offer order for a good, wherein each indicator is associated with a particular value and is displayed at a location that corresponds to the particular value along the value axis; and

in response to user initiated command, initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

43. The client device of claim 42, wherein initiating placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good comprises moving an order icon to a location associated with a certain value along the value axis to initiate placement of an order on behalf of a user for a good.

44. The client device of claim 43, wherein moving the order icon comprises dragging the order icon to the location and dropping the order icon on the location thereby initiating placement of the order.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the order icon is associated with a predefined order quantity.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the order icon is sized according to the predefined order quantity.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein initiating placement of an order comprises opening up an order ticket window.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the order ticket window is automatically populated with a predetermined quantity and a price.