Systems and methods for viewing and trading futures

摘要

A method and system for viewing and trading futures and other tradeable objects. The invention includes improved user interfaces for use with trading systems that allows users to more efficiently execute and manage trades. A dynamic price ladder allows a trader to see price gaps while remaining in a dynamic mode. The “sticky cells” feature prevents user errors which can occur when the display updates causing the cell under the mouse pointer to move up or down. Particular portions of the display can be color coded to provide a user with a easy way to determine market trends. A static working order screen allows a trader to visually see working orders from closest to furthest away from the market and can also allow for orders to be cancelled.

主权项

1. A computerized method of displaying data for trading objects in a financial market, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving on a first computer, via an electronic communication network, data from one or more other computers reflecting bid data and offer data for a tradeable object in a financial market; generating on a display of the first computer a visual representation of a table with at least three columns within a window on the display, wherein:
a first of said columns displays a plurality of possible price levels for the tradeable object,a second of said columns includes a plurality of cells representing quantities of open bids for the tradeable object at one or more of said price levels; anda third of said columns includes a plurality of cells representing quantities of open offers for the tradeable object at one or more of the said price levels; displaying in the table on the first computer display the current bid data and offer data for the tradeable object and a first indicator indicative of a price level between the best current bid and the best current offer, wherein the first indicator is maintained at a predetermined spatial position within the window; and adjusting on the first computer display the position of the price levels on the table to maintain the first indicator at the predetermined spatial position in the window in response to receiving new bid data or offer data from the one or more other computers; determining whether a length of time over which a cursor resided directly over a first cell in the table exceeds a predetermined amount of time, wherein the cursor is positioned on the first computer display based on input from a user input device in communication with the first computer; updating the view of cells of the table on the first computer display to reflect new bid data and offer data from the one or more other computers, such that a second cell that is different than the first cell is displayed directly under the cursor; receiving from the user input device data that represents a user selection while the second cell is displayed directly under the cursor; and in response to determining that the length of time over which the cursor resided directly over the first cell exceeds the predetermined amount of time, using the first cell to process the user selection, even when received while a different cell is displayed directly under the cursor.