System and method for processing instant messages

• US 8,745,147 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pivot Solutions Inc. (CME Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (CME Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bryan, Daniel, Ivanov, Nikita, Judson, Daniel, Kwan, Yusang, Levine, David, Nanopoulos, Andrew, Nazeeri, Furqan, Schory, Brandon, Shwayhat, Nader
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US13/593,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

Various aspects relate to using structured messages within systems that implement instant messaging function in a distributed computing environment. In particular, structured information may be encoded and embedded in unstructured instant messages and communicated among one or more computer systems, networks, applications or other entities. In one aspect, instant messaging may be leveraged as middleware for application integration. Other aspects relate to using structured message information to perform functions in a distributed instant messaging system. For example, structured message information may be used to control the display of instant message information to a user, or may be used to control how the instant message information is distributed, processed, or otherwise handled by a receiving system, application or process. Other aspects relate to an interface for displaying information relating to a number of instant messaging conversations to a user. Further, aspects relate to using instant messaging in a trading environment.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured to receive data indicative of an instant message from at least one user; and

a processor coupled with the network interface and configured to identify securities related information in the received data and supplement the instant messages according to a location of the securities related information,

wherein the processor is configured to supplement the instant messages by inserting a code indicative of the location of the securities related information in the instant messages.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the securities related information includes data specific to an application selected from a group consisting of pricing system applications, risk management system applications, and order management system applications.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured to send the instant message including securities related information to one or more trader computers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to add instructions to the instant message, wherein the instructions are for handling the instant message based on the securities related information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to extract a ticker symbol from the data indicative of the instant message.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to parse the data indicative of the instant message according to an action verb.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to parse the data indicative of the instant message according an amount of a security.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a grid including a plurality of instant messages and securities related information organized according to the securities related information.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of instant messages from a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of instant messages are formed from free text strings;

parsing the free text strings of the plurality of instant messages for securities related data;

formatting the plurality of instant messages to insert include a code indicative of a location of the securities related data in the free text strings; and

routing the plurality of instant messages to according to securities related data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the securities related data includes data specific to an application related to a pricing system, a risk management system, or an order management system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending the plurality of instant messages including the securities related data to one or more mobile trader devices.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein parsing the free text strings comprises:

parsing the free text strings to identify a token, a verb, and an amount.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the token includes a ticker symbol of a security.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a grid of the plurality of instant messages including the securities related data; and

sending the grid to one or more trader interfaces.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the grid of the plurality of instant messages includes an interface to filter the plurality of instant messages according to a user input.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions configured to perform a method of processing instant messages, the instructions configured to:

receive at least one instant message including unstructured data from a user;

parse the unstructured data for at least one token;

format the unstructured data to add structured data to the at least one instant message; and

add securities related data to the at least one instant message according to the at least one token, wherein the structured data includes a code indicative of a position of the at least one token in the unstructured data.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the securities related data includes data specific to a securities pricing system, a securities risk management system, or a securities order management system.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions configured to:

send the at least one instant message including the structured data to one or more trader devices, wherein the structured data includes a first single encoded character set for an action and a second single encoded character for an amount.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions configured to:

parse the unstructured data to identify a securities token, a trading action, and a quantity.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions configured to:

generate a grid of a plurality of instant messages including structured data; and

send the grid to one or more trader devices.