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

• US 8,170,945 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BGC Partners Incorporated (BGC Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Longman, James A., Novello, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILTON, SARA CHANDLER
• Application Number:
  US11/172,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20050239524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,498 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 705/37
• 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 comprising:

storing, by at least one processor, a plurality of controller signal relationships comprising a plurality of first 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 electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform;

receiving, by the at least one processor, a plurality of first game controller signals generated by a first game controller;

determining by the at least one processor, based on the first controller signal relationships and the received plurality of first game controller signals generated by the first game controller, that one or more of the plurality of received first game controller signals are erroneous; and

based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals, causing, by the at least one processor, the first game controller to be disabled from generating trading system commands by communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received first game controller signals are erroneous comprises determining, based on the first controller signal relationships, that one or more of the plurality of received first 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 first game controller signals are erroneous comprises:

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the first game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous first game controller signals comprises:

determining that the number of received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

based on the act of determining that the number of received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the first game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous first game controller signals comprises

determining that the number of consecutively-received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

based on the act of determining that the number of consecutively-received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating a command to lock the first game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous first game controller signals comprises:

determining that the number of erroneous first game controller signals received within a predetermined time period meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

based on the act of determining that the number of erroneous first game controller signals received within a predetermined time period meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second game controller signals generated by a second game controller;

determining trading system commands associated with the received second 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.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

receiving one or more third game controller signals generated by the second game controller;

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

based on a determination that the one or more received third game controller signals match the stored security code, communicating a command to lock the second game controller.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more third game controller signals are generated by one or more manipulations of a game controller.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

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

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

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

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

12. The method of claim 11, 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.

13. The method of claim 7, comprising receiving the second game controller signals from the second game controller via a secure wireless connection.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving second game controller signals generated by the second 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 second 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 second game controller.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first front region and second front region of the second game controller are located on a front surface of the second game controller.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first button and second button are located on the second game controller such that they may be accessed by the index fingers of a user holding the second game controller.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein:

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

protocol; and

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

protocol to one or more trading system commands.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the act of storing the plurality of controller signal relationships comprises defining, by an interface application including a mapping module, the plurality of controller signal relationships.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the one or more of a plurality of game controller signals are game controller signals of a game controller comprising a first joystick, a second joystick, and a d-pad.

20. The method of claim 19, in which:

the plurality of first game controller signals comprises a plurality of directional inputs of the first joystick, each of the plurality of directional inputs generated by causing a stick portion of the joystick to move from a central position radially outward from the central position in one of a plurality of directions spanning 360 degrees around the central position,

the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprise at least one of the plurality of directional inputs, and

the plurality of controller signal relationships comprises a plurality of first controller signal relationships associating (1) controller signals comprising at least one directional signal from the first joystick with one of the plurality of trading system commands and (2) controller signals comprising at least one directional signal from the second joystick with another one of the plurality of trading system commands.

21. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to;

store a plurality of controller signal relationships comprising a plurality of first 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 electronic trading of financial instruments via a trading platform;

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

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

based on the determination of the one or more erroneous game controller signals, cause the first game controller to be disabled from generating trading system commands by communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

22. The system of claim 21, in which:

the one or more of a plurality of game controller signals are game controller signals of a game controller comprising a first joystick, a second joystick, and a d-pad;

each joystick is configured for movement away from a center position in a plurality of directions spanning 360 degrees,

the plurality of first game controller signals comprises a plurality of directional inputs of the first joystick,

the one or more erroneous game controller signals comprise at least one of the plurality of directional inputs, and

the plurality of controller signal relationships comprises a plurality of first controller signal relationships associating (1) controller signals comprising at least one directional signal from the first joystick with one of the plurality of trading system commands and (2) controller signals comprising at least one directional signal from the second joystick with another one of the plurality of trading system commands.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein determining that one or more of the plurality of received first game controller signals are erroneous comprises:

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

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

24. The system of claim 21, wherein communicating a command to lock the first game controller based on the determination of the one or more erroneous first game controller signals comprises

determining that the number of consecutively-received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

based on the act of determining that the number of consecutively-received erroneous first game controller signals meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, communicating a command to lock the first game controller.

25. The system of claim 21,

in which the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to store:

a first set of controller signal relationships, the first set associated with a first user and with a first type of game controller;

a second set of controller signal relationships, the second set associated with the first user and with a second type of game controller; and

a third set of controller signal relationships, the third set associated with a second user and with the first type of game controller;

the system further comprising an interface processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein;

at least one controller signal relationship associates one of a plurality of game controller signals with one of a plurality of trading system commands associated with the electronic trading of financial instruments; and

the interface processor is operable to;

identify a specific user associated with a specific game controller;

identify a specific controller type associated with the specific game controller;

determine at least one of the stored sets of controller signal relationships based at least in part on the identified user and the identified controller type;

receive a specific game controller signal from the specific game controller;

determine the trading system command associated with the specific game controller signal based at least in part on the at least one determined set of controller signal relationships; and

communicate the determined trading system command such that the trading system command is executed.