Universal Interface To A Financial Trading System

Abstract

A method and system for providing remote access to trade functionality at a financial service provider is disclosed. A messaging protocol is provided which allows a party remote from the provider to price and enter into transactions with the provider. The messaging protocol is well suited for use in stateless communication networks, such as the Internet, and requires only minimal support functionality at the remote site to implement, thus making the system easy to use by a wide variety of types of remote systems.

1 . A system for providing access to a financial service provider comprising:
 an interface to a communications network; and   a computer control system configured to:
 (a) receive a price request message from an entity via the network, the price request message having a header containing data identifying the entity and a body containing data identifying a transaction type, containing details regarding a proposed transaction, and requesting a price for entering into the transaction; 
 (b) obtain a price from the financial service provider; 
 (c) upon receiving the price, transmit a price response message to the entity, the price response message having a header and a body containing data identifying the transaction type, containing the transaction details, indicating that the price request was accepted, specifying a price for the transaction, and a transaction ID; 
 (d) receive a trade request message from the entity, the trade request message having a header and a body containing data indicating the transaction ID; 
 (e) obtain approval to enter into the transaction from the financial service provider; 
 (f) upon receiving approval, transmit a trade response message to the entity, the trade response message having a header and a body containing data indicating the transaction ID and that the trade request was approved; 
 (g) receive a trade acknowledgement message from the entity, the trade acknowledgement message having a header and a body containing data indicating the transaction ID; and 
 (h) upon receipt of the trade acknowledgement message, indicating to the financial service provider to book the transaction associated with the transaction ID. 
   
     
     
         2 .- 28 . (canceled)