Computer-implemented securities trading system with a virtual specialist function

Abstract

A computer-implemented financial management system provides the trading of securities via a network using virtual currency. A server computer receives buy and sell orders for derivative financial instruments from a plurality of client computers. The server computer attempts to match the buy and sell orders and then generates a market price through the use of a virtual specialist program executed by the server computer. The virtual specialist program responds to an imbalance in the matching of buy and sell orders. The virtual currency accumulated by HSX account holders as a result of successful trading may be converted to another currency, credited towards the cost of merchandise provided through a vendor's web site, etc.

1 . A method for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments, comprising: 
 receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents an entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset;    receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set market price is represented by electronic currency.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising debiting a first account controlled by a first trader who issued said first order in the electronic currency for the executed trade, and crediting a second account controlled by a second trader who issued said second order with proceeds in the electronic currency for the executed trade.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the electronic currency is Hollywood dollars.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the market price is set based on at least one of the received first and second orders.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the market price is set based at least in part on criteria associated with the entity.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the entity associated with the entertainment-oriented asset is a movie in an entertainment industry.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the movie corresponds to a stock for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the set market price reflects a current production status of said movie.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie such that a potential box office revenue for said movie may be predicted far in advance of the movie release.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 8  further comprising setting a price for a new stock offering on the basis of a potential box office revenue for the movie represented by said new stock offering.  
   
   
       13 . A system for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments, comprising: 
 means for receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents an entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset;    means for receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    means for setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    means for executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the set market price is represented by electronic currency.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , further comprising means for debiting a first account controlled by a first trader who issued said first order in the electronic currency for the executed trade, and means for crediting a second account controlled by a second trader who issued said second order with proceeds in the electronic currency for the executed trade.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the electronic currency is Hollywood dollars.  
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset.  
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein the market price is set based on at least one of the received first and second orders.  
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein the market price is set based at least in part on criteria associated with the entity.  
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein the entity associated with the entertainment-oriented asset is a movie in an entertainment industry.  
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 20  wherein the movie corresponds to a stock for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 20  wherein the set market price reflects a current production status of said movie.  
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 20  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie such that a potential box office revenue for said movie may be predicted far in advance of the movie release.  
   
   
       24 . The system according to  claim 20  further comprising means for setting a price for a new stock offering on the basis of a potential box office revenue for the movie represented by said new stock offering.  
   
   
       25 . A computer-readable storage medium for storing program code means for, when executed, causing a computer to perform a method for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments over the Internet, comprising: 
 receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents an entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset;    receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       26 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 25  wherein the set market price is represented by electronic currency.  
   
   
       27 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 26  further comprising means for debiting a first account controlled by a first trader who issued said first order in the electronic currency for the executed trade, and means for crediting a second account controlled by a second trader who issued said second order with proceeds in the electronic currency for the executed trade.  
   
   
       28 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 27  wherein the electronic currency is Hollywood dollars.  
   
   
       29 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 25  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said entity associated with an entertainment-oriented asset.  
   
   
       30 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 25  wherein the market price is set based on at least one of the received first and second orders.  
   
   
       31 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 25  wherein the market price is set based at least in part on criteria associated with the entity.  
   
   
       32 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 25  wherein the entity associated with the entertainment-oriented asset is a movie in an entertainment industry.  
   
   
       33 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 32  wherein the movie corresponds to a stock for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       34 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 32  wherein the set market price reflects a current production status of said movie.  
   
   
       35 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 32  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie such that a potential box office revenue for said movie may be predicted far in advance of the movie release.  
   
   
       36 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 32  further comprising setting a price for a new stock offering on the basis of a potential box office revenue for the movie represented by said new stock offering.  
   
   
       37 . A method for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments, comprising: 
 receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents a talent in an entertainment industry;    receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 37  further comprising setting a price for a new bond offering on the basis of the talent's popularity rating in the entertainment industry, such that one bond representing one talent with a low popularity rating is issued with a higher yield than another bond representing another talent with a high popularity rating.  
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 37  wherein the talent is a movie talent.  
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 39  wherein the movie talent corresponds to a bond for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 39  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie talent such that a potential box office revenue for a movie including said movie talent may be predicted far in advance of movie release.  
   
   
       42 . A system for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments, comprising: 
 means for receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents a talent in an entertainment industry;    means for receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    means for setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    means for executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       43 . The system according to  claim 42  further comprising setting a price for a new bond offering on the basis of the talent's popularity rating in the entertainment industry, such that one bond representing one talent with a low popularity rating is issued with a higher yield than another bond representing another talent with a high popularity rating.  
   
   
       44 . The system according to  claim 42  wherein the talent is a movie talent.  
   
   
       45 . The system according to  claim 44  wherein the movie talent corresponds to a bond for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       46 . The system according to  claim 44  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie talent such that a potential box office revenue for a movie including said movie talent may be predicted far in advance of movie release.  
   
   
       47 . A computer-readable storage medium for storing program code means for, when executed, causing a computer to perform a method for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments, comprising: 
 receiving a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that selectively represents a talent in an entertainment industry;    receiving a second order to sell said derivative financial instrument;    setting a market price of said derivative financial instrument; and    executing a trade at the set market price.    
   
   
       48 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 47  further comprising setting a price for a new bond offering on the basis of the talent's popularity rating in the entertainment industry, such that one bond representing one talent with a low popularity rating is issued with a higher yield than another bond representing another talent with a high popularity rating.  
   
   
       49 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 47  wherein the talent is a movie talent.  
   
   
       50 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 49  wherein the movie talent corresponds to a bond for trading over the Internet.  
   
   
       51 . The computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 49  wherein the set market price is indicative of the traders' interest in said movie talent such that a potential box office revenue for a movie including said movie talent may be predicted far in advance of movie release.