Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for trading financial instruments with an improved ergonomic graphical user interface (GUI) with non-overlapping screen components that include a display of offers to buy and sell, which can include a graphical display of bid, ask, and spread information, a user's current positions, and one or more areas to enter trades. The systems, methods, and devices involve receiving and updating trade information in real time.

Abstract: The system and method of the preferred embodiment supports trading of securities over the Internet both on national exchanges and outside the national exchanges. The preferred embodiment supports an improved human interface and a continuous display of real-time stock quotes on the user's computer screen. The ergonomic graphical user interface (GUI) of the preferred embodiment includes several functional benefits in comparison with existing on-line consumer trading systems. In the preferred embodiment, the users are subscribers to a securities trading service offered over the Internet. Preferably, each subscriber to this service is simultaneously connected from his own computer to a first system which provides user-to-user trading capabilities and to a second system which is a broker/dealer system of his/her choice. The system providing the user-to-user trading services preferably includes a root server and a hierarchical network of replicated servers supporting replicated databases.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention enables a sender of a financial message adhering to a field delimited communication protocol to use an entry in a specified field of the protocol to communicate a coded message having a meaning outside the publicly-known meaning within the protocol. In an exemplary embodiment, a sender of a Financial Information Exchange (FIX) message uses the order quantity field (“tag 38”) to communicate coded instructions to the message receiver on how to interpret the contents of the order message.

Abstract: The system and method of the preferred embodiment supports trading of securities over the Internet both on national exchanges and outside the national exchanges. The preferred embodiment supports an improved human interface and a continuous display of real-time stock quotes on the user's computer screen. The ergonomic graphical user interface (GUI) of the preferred embodiment includes several functional benefits in comparison with existing on-line consumer trading systems. In the preferred embodiment, the users are subscribers to a securities trading service offered over the Internet. Preferably, each subscriber to this service is simultaneously connected from his own computer to a first system which provides user-to-user trading capabilities and to a second system which is a broker/dealer system of his/her choice. The system providing the user-to-user trading services preferably includes a root server and a hierarchical network of replicated servers supporting replicated databases.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for conducting an on-line auction of securities. A preferred method of auctioning a security comprises the steps of: transmitting to a plurality of potential bidders information identifying the security, a price range having a maximum price and a minimum price, and a time for the auction; receiving from each bidder an offer price for a number of units of the security; transmitting to bidders information concerning the bids that are received; closing the auction either when offers are received for all units of the security at the maximum price or when a predetermined time has elapsed; and upon closing the auction, allocating units of the security so that all bids at a price in excess of the closing price are filled and all bids at the closing price or less are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.