Abstract: A method for vocalizing information from an electronic brokerage system (EBS) used in international currency exchange incorporates a specialized grammar to emulate the interpersonal trading style and vernacular used by foreign currency brokers catering to the international banking industry. Used in conjunction with the screen display of an EBS, the vocalizing method makes the system easier for a trader to use by emphasizing information content. The vocalizing method optimizes redundancy of data available to the user to minimize both the ambiguity of data to and the cognitive effort of the user. The vocalizing method chooses what data should be vocalized, when the data should be vocalized, and, in what manner the data should be vocalized. For example, a long form of the offer and bid prices is initially vocalized which includes both figure and pips data, but thereafter only the pips are vocalized. Three categories of messages each provide different data to the system user.

Abstract: A distributed processing on-line automated trading system uses structured messages to represent each stage in the negotiation between a market maker (quoter) and a potential buyer or seller (requestor). Such a system is subject to uncertainties caused by the fact that a variable time is required for an order (buy or sell) message to be transmitted from the requestor to the quoter, or for a cancel (quote interrupt) message to be transmitted from the quoter to the requestor. Furthermore, it is possible that an equipment failure in the network, either in a communication link or even at the workstation of one of the traders, will prevent a small fraction of such order messages and cancel messages from reaching their intended destination within the relatively short time-frame typically associated with an on-line transaction system.

Abstract: A respective unique dormant address is permanently associated with each of two sibling computers located at a particular node of a communications network. A selected one of the sibling computers is activated by associating an overriding common active node address with the selected computer. Application programs running at other nodes of the network utilize this active node address and thus interface with whichever sibling computer is identified by the active node address. Accordingly, the dormant computer and its physical connection to the network may be monitored by the communications software using its unique dormant address and the dormant computer is always available to replace the active computer in a manner that is transparent to any other computers connected to other nodes of the network.

Abstract: A computer network system for simultaneously communicating between computer terminals at various bank locations for the purpose of entering a transaction for the exchange of currency of a selected currency pair provides a method for preventing a trading communication involving a selected currency pair between two banks wherein there is already a trading communication in progress between the two banks involving the same currency pair.