Patents Examined by James A Kramer
  • Patent number: 7447655
    Abstract: A system and methods for automatic scalping in an electronic trading environment are presented. According to one embodiment, a trading application may display an indicator associated with a price level based on which a tradable object can be automatically traded. When a scalping application detects a fill associated with a first order, the scalping application may automatically enter a second order to offset a position created with the first order. According to one embodiment, the second order is automatically placed on the market when the inside market moves to a predetermined price level in relation to the displayed indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventors: Harris Brumfield, Joan Ebersole, Assaf Pazner
  • Patent number: 7440914
    Abstract: An Interchange service that allows member banks participating in the service to offer their customers multiple certificates of deposit (“Multi-CDs”) so that large deposits exceeding an applicable Federal deposit insurance limit (e.g., $100,000) are fully insured. The Interchange partitions each of the large deposits into a plurality of deposit portions that do not exceed the Federal deposit insurance limit. The deposit portions are assigned to the member banks so that, for each member bank, the difference between funds flowing out of and into each member bank is minimized or eliminated. Differences in deposit terms offered by each of the member banks are monetized and resolved through the calculation and payment of present value payments, which are transferred between member banks that have different sets of deposit terms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Promontory Interfinancial Networks, LLC
    Inventor: Mark P. Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 7433842
    Abstract: A Straight-Through-Processing (STP) trading platform provides a fully electronic and seamless solution to all substantially aspects of the trading cycle for fixed income instruments and other financial instruments. In an exemplary embodiment, all participants to a trade transaction have access to computer software that facilitates trade order management, trade order generation, trade execution (including electronic axes), trade allocation, allocation acknowledgement, trade confirmation, and finally acquisition of settlement instructions. In said exemplary embodiment, the STP trading platform includes computer software modules including at least an account management module and an electronic trading module to handle the various stages of executing a trade, confirming the trade, and facilitating settlement of the trade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Tradeweb Markets LLC
    Inventor: James Warden Toffey
  • Patent number: 7426490
    Abstract: Orders are automatically sent to the market when certain user defined conditions are met. In particular, a trader can configure the trading application to automatically send orders for preset quantities at price levels with queues falling below a user-defined threshold. The length of queues may be measured in several ways, for example, the queue length could be measured by quantity at a given price level or the queue length could be measured by the number of orders at a given price level, or the queue length could be measured by a combination of quantity and orders. The present embodiments can more quickly recognize opportunities and send an order to take advantage of it than a trader can do manually. Other advantages and features are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven F. Borsand, Michael Burns, Scott F. Singer
  • Patent number: 7426477
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implementable instructions for insuring delivery of an electronic document in a data processing system. A request is received from a requestor to insure delivery of the electronic document. In response to receiving the request, a payment amount to insure delivery is identified based on network characteristics of a network in which the electronic document is to be transmitted. An acknowledgment of the electronic document is sent to the requestor, wherein the acknowledgment includes the payment amount. The electronic document is delivered in response to receiving a reply to the acknowledgment from the requestor accepting the identification of the payment amount. The requestor is notified of a successful delivery of the electronic document in response to receiving an acknowledgment from the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dwip N. Banerjee, Rabindranath Dutta, Kamal Chandrakant Patel
  • Patent number: 7419063
    Abstract: Rack includes a left upright frame, a right upright frame, and a connector extending between and joining the left and right frames. The connector defines at least one passage extending along the left upright frame, for example, so that another rack may be nested within a volume defined by the rack for reducing storage space requirements. The rack may have its connector oriented so that the rack has a substantially Z-shaped frame, a substantially X-shaped frame, a substantially U-shaped frame, a substantially V-shaped frame, or a substantially H-shaped frame, for example, when viewed from above. A lifting element may be provided on an upper portion of the rack for use with institutional and industrial lifting mechanisms. The lifting element may be mounted on the rack so as to avoid interference with another rack when the racks are nesting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: M & E Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald M. Hall
  • Patent number: 7418422
    Abstract: An interface for trading multiple tradeable objects includes a price axis or scale. A first indication of quantities represented in a market for a first tradeable object is displayed in association with the price axis or scale. A second indication of quantities represented in the market for a second tradeable object is displayed in association with the price axis or scale. The first tradeable object may be different than the second tradeable object. Alternatively, the first tradeable object and the second tradeable object may be the same, but the indications of quantity may be provided from different sources, such as different exchanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Burns
  • Patent number: 7413091
    Abstract: Attached to an upper end or rear sidewall of each of a plurality of movable racks is a hollow tube mounted on a rectangular plate in two places on each rack. Passing through the hollow tubes of each of the plurality of movable racks is a solid rod having a diameter of one to two inches. The solid rod is anchored at opposite ends on two stationary or fixed racks to facilitate sliding of the plurality of racks across a floor. No special equipment is required to maximize floor space for storage of tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Big O Tires, Inc.
    Inventor: Krystal Krull
  • Patent number: 7415433
    Abstract: A method and a system for evaluating at least one of a risk, safety and efficiency property of a portfolio belonging to a class of one of a probability density and a probability distribution, for a given time frame are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Inventor: Paul Huneault
  • Patent number: 7415434
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a financial analysis for enhanced wireless communication services provides a financial analysis for a service provider or another user interested in the provision of enhanced wireless communications services. The method includes accepting user input related to an existing wireless communications service and a proposed enhanced wireless communications service. A reference database is accessed for reference to general market data related to the proposed enhanced wireless communication service and a standard adoption curve for adoption of the enhanced wireless communication service. The standard adoption curve is adjusted to obtain an adjusted adoption curve based on the accepted user-specific input. A graphical depiction of a financial analysis is presented to the user based on an evaluation of the adjusted adoption curve and the general market data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Accenture LLP
    Inventors: Richard I. Adduci, Jr., Parag P. Kothary, Scott D. Liles, Tunc Yorulmaz
  • Patent number: 7412412
    Abstract: A computer-implemented telecommunications spending analysis system extracts telecommunications traffic detail data from billing statements provided by telecommunications carriers and converts the traffic detail data to a generic data format for aggregation in a uniform customer traffic history database. The spending analysis system compares billed rates against estimated market prices stored in a best of class (BOC) database and notifies the user of possible cost savings attainable in a renegotiated contract. A web-based RFP system facilitates preparation of a request for proposals (RFP) and solicitation of vendors to bid on the RFP in an online reverse auction environment, both for telecommunications services and other commodities. The RFP system may access the uniform customer traffic history database to facilitate preparation of a traffic forecast of the RFP. Upon completion of an RFP auction, the RFP system updates the estimated market prices of the BOC database based on the vendor bids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Avotus Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Buxton, John Stapleton, Frank Hosea, Matt Egen, Dave Nash, Dan Alger, John Garvin, Claire Butkus, Trajan King, Maria Dobson, Gilbert Willoughby
  • Patent number: 7412416
    Abstract: A user interface for an electronic trading exchange is provided which allows a remote trader to view in real time bid orders, offer orders, and trades for an item, and optionally one or more sources of contextual data. Individual traders place orders on remote client terminals, and this information is routed to a transaction server. The transaction server receives order information from the remote terminals, matches a bid for an item to an offer for an item responsive to the bid corresponding with the offer, and communicates outstanding bid and offer information, and additional information (such as trades and contextual data) back to the client terminals. Each client terminal displays all of the outstanding bids and offers for an item, allowing the trader to view trends in orders for an item. A priority view is provided in which orders are displayed as tokens at locations corresponding to the values of the orders. The size of the tokens reflects the quantity of the orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Friesen, Peter C. Hart
  • Patent number: 7398888
    Abstract: A sports equipment storage rack for supporting a variety of sports equipment in an off the ground position includes an elongated cylindrically shaped body of a wire type cage construction that is sized to hold a plurality of spherically shaped balls and has an arcuately shaped top portion for receiving the balls and a bottom portion that is arcuately formed to provide a ramp for discharging the balls from the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Inventor: Gregory Nowak
  • Patent number: 7401040
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a web-based financial management system for providing personalized financial coaching to a user. The system operates in a collaborative computing environment between the user and a financial advisor and comprises a service level subsystem and an advice generating subsystem. The service level subsystem allows the user to negotiate a service level agreement that defines the user's desired level of support and limits access to user provided information. The advice generating subsystem is coupled to the service level subsystem and includes one or more coaching engines that dynamically analyze the financial needs of the user in accordance with the user's service level agreement. Furthermore, the coaching engine provides customized financial advice tailored to the user's life intentions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Accenture LLP
    Inventors: Ronald E. Sloan, Stephen B. Slutsky
  • Patent number: 7395232
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing financial functions by an agent for each of a plurality of clients. One embodiment includes, relating to a financial function of each client, demonstrating that more than one activity of the agent can be transparent to the client, receiving financial information at the agent, creating risk management information relating to the financial information, analyzing the risk management information in the context of the financial information, determining an action based on the analysis, facilitating implementation of an action on behalf of the client, and communicating with the client one or more activities of the agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: TradeRisks, Inc.
    Inventor: Alejandro M. Pilato
  • Patent number: 7386492
    Abstract: A method is provided for enterprise management and bundling of radio, outdoor and entertainment inventory to achieve maximum revenue on perishable products. An electronic data-mart 110 or central information storage and data processing system is established to collect influencing factors for the probability and price sensitivity of a particular advertising buyer 120. The data-mart 110 also collects business rules for inventory scaling, available inventory to sell, budget (goal) information, advertiser payment history, and station performance data to feed to a scenario planner 130. Once three or more variables exist, inventory and pricing fuzzy logic algorithms create scenario plans to present the most profitable bundle of offerings. The scenarios are typically pre-approved although presented to the local business units 150 for an abnormality failsafe. Once processed by the local business units 150, the scenarios are presented to the advertising buyer 120.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Ginsburg, David R. Murray, Arthur Weinberger, Jerome Williams
  • Patent number: 7386495
    Abstract: A system and method for assigning taxability codes to purchases, and processing tax invoices, by company groups. A user, identified to one of a group of companies, inputs a requisition. Tax code and tax location are identified in a front end process applicable to the object of the requisition and converted into a converted tax code and tax jurisdiction and fed to a back end processor. Responsive to converted tax code and the tax jurisdiction for the corresponding company group, the back end prepares a purchase order which is transmitted to a supplier. Responsive to an invoice from the supplier and company group and tax code indicia from the purchase order, the back end processes and selectively pays, short pays, or rejects the invoice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susan Bumgardner Cirulli, Robert Martin Evans
  • Patent number: 7386509
    Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and apparatus for locating information related to a check drafter. In one embodiment, a communication is received indicating that a first check drafted by a drafter failed to clear. The communication includes an identifier. A first database transaction record is located using the identifier as a search key. The first database transaction record includes transaction information related to the first check, the transaction information including at least a first separate drafter identifier. At least the first separate drafter identifier is read from the first database record, and at least a portion of the first separate drafter identifier is provided to a first recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Fisrt Date Corporation
    Inventors: Amy Swift, Charles Rey Williams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7383221
    Abstract: For each quote entered into a computerized anonymous trading system, the system determines if it is waiting to be “hit” (would be matched with the first hit of a predetermined size) at a substantial number of trading floors, and if so, notifies the trader originating the quote. The substantial number of floors is preferably expressed as greater than a predetermined percentage of the available trading partners with whom credit has been established on a bilateral basis, and is preferably greater than 25%. In an alternate embodiment, the system provides a graphical display to the market maker originating a particular quote indicating how many trading floors are poised to hit that particular quote, and/or a numeric display indicating a price that would be Hittable by a predetermined number or percentage of available trading partners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: EBS Dealing Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward R. Howorka
  • Patent number: 7383216
    Abstract: The system and method of the present invention comprises a process for comparing income, principle and expenses of an existing trust and a proposed trust. The process comprises selecting a period for which the comparison is desired, selecting a constant rate of income and appreciation for an asset class of the existing trust. Further, the present invention comprises selecting a proposed trust, selecting each asset value, asset class and allocation of assets in the proposed trust, selecting a payer of the proposed trust's capital gains, and selecting a basis for comparison among possible outcomes of the steps involving the proposed trust to generate the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Wilmington Trust Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph C. Wileczek