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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively
conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of
trading data input to said network, said trading system network including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least
one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber
keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for
controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation
substantially in real time for automatically providing trading conversation context sensitive trading data messages in conjunction with said trading conversation based on said read time trading conversation analysis, said trading conversation analyzing
means further comprising means for parsing said trading conversation for automatically providing said trading conversation context sensitive trading data messages.
2. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said trading conversation comprises trading textual data, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for extracting trading
information from said trading textual data for providing said trading data messages based thereon, said information extracting means comprising said parsing means for automatically providing said trading conversation context sensitive trading data
messages.
3. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 2 wherein said conversion analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for providing
said trading conversation textual data and said trading data messages on said video display means in conjunction with said trading conversation textual data being analyzed in real time.
4. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 3 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
5. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 2 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
6. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for extracting trading information from said textual data for said foreign exchange trading transaction further comprises means for extracting currency
involved in said transaction trading information from said textual data, said information extracting means comprising said parsing means.
7. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for extracting trading information from said textual data for said foreign exchange trading transaction further comprises means for extracting amount
and currency in which said amount is quoted trading information from said textual data, said information extracting means comprising said parsing means.
8. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for extracting trading information from said textual data for said foreign exchange trading transaction further comprises means for extracting period
and value data trading information from said textual data, said information extracting means comprising said parsing means.
9. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
10. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprises an analysis server means for analyzing said trading conversation.
11. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 10 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means further comprises a data base server means, a line server means and a terminal computer means
associated with said one subscriber keystation, said analysis server means, said data base server means, said line server means and said terminal computer means being operatively connected together in a local area network.
12. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of
said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of trading data input to said network, said trading system network
including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller
interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation
through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one
subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time for providing messages in
conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time comprising means for providing displayable conversation prompt messages
comprising selectable trading conversation textual data in conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis and further comprising means for parsing said trading conversation for automatically providing
said displayable conversation prompt messages.
13. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said trading conversation comprises trading textual data, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for extracting information
from said trading textual data and controlling provision of a current selectable displayable trading conversation prompt message based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said information extracting means comprising said parsing means for
providing said prompt message.
14. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 13 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for
providing said trading conversation textual data and said current selectable displayable trading conversation prompt message on said video display means in conjunction with said trading conversation textual data being analyzed in real time.
15. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 14 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
16. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 13 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
17. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
18. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of
said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of trading data input to said network, said trading system network
including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller
interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation
through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one
subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time for providing messages in
conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said trading conversation comprising trading textual data, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for providing an
updateable substantially real time summary of said trading conversation analysis in conjunction with said trading conversation and for extracting information from said trading textual data for providing said messages based thereon and further comprising
means for parsing said trading conversation for automatically extracting said information from said trading textual data for providing said messages.
19. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 18 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means further comprises a trading transaction ticket printing means for providing a trading ticket
record of the trading transaction from said summary of said trading conversation analysis.
20. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 19 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
21. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 18 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
22. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 12 wherein said trading conversation comprises trading textual data, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for extracting information
from said trading textual data and controlling provision of a selectable context sensitive prompt message comprising said trading conversation textual data based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said information extracting means
comprising said parsing means for automatically providing said context sensitive prompt message.
23. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 22 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
24. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of
said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of trading data input to said network, said trading system network
including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller
interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation
through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one
subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time for providing messages in
conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for detecting trading inconsistencies substantially in real time as they occur
during said trading conversation and reporting any detected trading inconsistencies in said trading conversation to said one subscriber keystation.
25. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 24 wherein said conversation analyzing means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for displaying said detected trading
inconsistencies in said trading conversation on said video display means.
26. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 25 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
27. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 24 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
28. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 25 wherein said trading conversation comprises trading textual data, said means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for displaying said
detected trading inconsistencies comprising means for highlighting said detected trading inconsistencies in a video display of said trading textual data.
29. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 28 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
30. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of
said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of trading data input to said network, said trading system network
including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller
interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation
through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one
subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time for providing messages in
conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for providing an updateable substantially real time summary of said trading
conversation analysis in conjunction with said trading conversation and still further comprising means for parsing said trading conversation for automatically providing said messages in conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time
trading conversation analysis.
31. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 30 wherein said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprises means for detecting trading inconsistencies substantially in real time as they occur during
said trading conversation and reporting any detected trading inconsistencies in said trading conversation to said one subscriber keystation.
32. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 31 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
33. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 31 wherein said conversation analyzing means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for displaying said detected trading
inconsistencies in said trading conversation on said video display means.
34. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 33 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for
providing said trading conversation textual data and said messages on said video display means in conjunction with said trading conversation textual data being analyzed in real time.
35. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 34 wherein said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprises means for controlling said one subscriber keystation video display means for
providing said trading conversation textual data and said current displayable conversation prompt message on said video display means in conjunction with said trading conversation textual data being analyzed in real time.
36. In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout said network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of
said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising subscriber keystations, each of said subscriber keystations comprising a video display means for providing a textual video display of trading data input to said network, said trading system network
including a message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout said trading system network; the improvement comprising at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller
interface means operatively connected between at least one of said subscriber keystations and said message switching interface network for routing trading data input by said one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation
through said message switching interface network and for receiving trading data input to said message switching interface network by said designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of said trading conversation between said one
subscriber keystation and said designated other subscriber keystation, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means comprising means for analyzing said trading conversation substantially in real time for automatically providing
messages in conjunction with said trading conversation based on said real time trading conversation analysis, said conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller means further comprising means for selectively inhibiting said automatically provided
prompt messages in conjunction with said trading conversation.
37. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 36 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
38. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 36 wherein said trading conversation comprises a foreign exchange trading transaction.
39. A video communication trading system network in accordance with claim 36 wherein said trading conversation comprises trading textual data, said means for analyzing said trading conversation further comprising means for extracting information
from said trading textual data and controlling provision of a context sensitive prompt message based on said real time trading conversation analysis. |
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Description |
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to and an improvement on commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,184, entitled "Conversational Video System Having Contact Selection Control", issued Jul. 23, 1985, naming Jack S. Wigan, David G. Ure and John M. Richards
as joint inventors thereof, the contents of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein in its entirety; U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779, entitled "Conversational Video System", issued Jun. 25, 1985, naming Martin Davids, Peter Blackman and Lily
Teo as joint inventors thereof; and the contemporaneously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 261,578 entitled "Fast Contact Conversational Video System", naming Christopher J. Ordish as the sole inventor thereof. The contents of each of the above
patents and application is incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to two-way video communication systems and particularly to such systems capable of providing subscriber to subscriber video data communication in a conversational mode.
BACKGROUND ART
Communication systems for transmitting data point to point are well known, such as conventional telex systems and data base access systems. In addition, of course, telephone systems are well known two-way conversational communication media with
the disadvantage being that a telephone system does not provide any hard copy nor does it allow you to, on the same device, obtain supplementary data while carrying on the conversation. Such supplementary data may be particularly important if the
purpose of the conversation is commodity dealing, such as in the money or foreign exchange market. With respect to telex communication, apart from its associated rate of speed, it does not enable you to readily carry on two different two-way telex
communications alternately so that you can carry on "telex conversations" with two different subscribers at substantially the same time. Moreover, neither the telex communication systems nor telephone communication systems provide a listing of incoming
callers prior to acceptance of the message by the recipient. With respect to two-way data-base access systems, such prior art systems do not in reality provide a real time conversational communication in that they merely provide for remote storage of
information which may subsequently be retrieved upon request by a subscriber or, in certain instances, can be provided to the subscriber if he is accessing the particular storage location to which the data is being provided. However, this is still not a
real-time conversation type of video communication system in which a pair of subscribers or users can interact in real time in a conversational mode. With respect to prior art telephone and data-base access systems, a prior art system merging these two
technologies is known as the Delphi system which is a telephone message management system in which speech messages may be pre-recorded and stored in a data base for subsequent automatic transmission to incoming callers and in which incoming messages may
be stored for subsequent later transmission to proscribed recipients. However, this system is not a true conversational video communication system nor does it enable a particular user to carry on multiple conversations substantially simultaneously.
These disadvantages were overcome by the interactive conversational video systems described in the aforementioned commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,184 and 4,525,779, incorporated by reference herein, which systems are capable of providing
interactive conversational type of video communication between pairs of users or subscribers, as well as enabling multiple conversations to be carried out by a given user or subscriber in real-time and in association with data-base retrieval of
supplementary data, such as in the commercially available Reuters Dealing System employed for commodity dealing such as in the money market. In such systems, such as in the money market, speed of contact is important in initiating and making deals
usually involving substantial sums of money where slight delays can result either in a lost deal or a substantial variation in exchange rate. Thus, although the use of a keyboard to manually type in contacts to be made is often satisfactory, there are
many instances when such manually initiated contact is not fast enough in the rapidly paced foreign exchange market, such as when important new financial information which could affect a trade or deal is being displayed to the subscriber, such as via a
Reuters Monitor page. The system described in the aforementioned contemporaneously filed U.S. Patent application of Christopher Ordish, one of the inventors named herein, is an improvement on the previously described systems contained in the
aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,184 and 4,525,779 so as to enable faster contact to be achieved when needed by the subscriber who can, thus, automatically initiate contact via the use of a pointer on the screen displaying the financial data. None
of the aforementioned systems, however, actually analyze the video conversation in real time so as to provide tickets based on such analysis, or to provide context sensitive prompts to speed up dealer input, or to generate error messages to alert the
dealer if inconsistencies are detected in the video conversation. All of these features help facilitate a more rapid and accurate video conversation between subscribers. Thus, although artificial intelligence and so called expert systems have been
becoming more prevalent in other areas, applicants are unaware of any prior adaptation of these systems in a trading system environment, particularly in the foreign exchange market where the resultant benefits are considerable. These disadvantages of
the prior art are overcome by the present invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In a video communication trading system network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout the network for selectively conducting trading conversations therebetween, at least a portion of the
plurality of subscriber terminals comprise subscriber keystations, with each of the subscriber keystations comprising a video display for providing a textual video display of trading data input to the network, the trading system network includes a
message switching interface network for routing video conversational textual data trading messages throughout the trading system network, and at least one conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller interface operatively connected between at
least one of the subscriber keystations and the message switching interface network for routing trading data input by the one subscriber keystation to at least another designated subscriber keystation through the message switching interface network and
for receiving trading data input to the message switching interface network by the designated other subscriber keystation for controlling communication of the trading conversation between the one subscriber keystation and the designated other subscriber
keystation. The conversation analyzing keystation terminal controller comprises means for analyzing the trading conversations substantially in real time for providing messages, such as context sensitive prompt messages, or error messages, in conjunction
with the trading conversation based on the real time trading conversation analysis. The context sensitive prompt messages are analysis driven to provide prompt messages based on the analyzed dialogue as the conversation progresses. These prompts can be
manually overridden by the user. The system also provides for dynamic creation of a ticket, which is also displayed, as the conversation progresses based on the real time analysis of the conversation. This analysis also provides error messages, such as
highlighting inconsistencies on the screen in the content of the conversation, such as an incorrect value date. In using the system, both parties to the conversation do not have to have the same type of terminal controller and only the party desiring
the benefits of conversation analysis need, by way of example, employ the terminal controller of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an overall system functional block diagram of the conversational video system of the present invention employing the improved conversation analyzing terminal controller and context sensitive prompts;
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a typical conversation analyzing terminal controller usable in the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a typical foreign exchange dealing communication network, such as the communication network disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779, usable in the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of typical conversation relating to a spot deal as it appears at a London Taker employing the context sensitive prompts of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration similar to FIG. 4 of the same conversation as it appears at a New York Maker in the above example;
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration similar to FIG. 4 of a capture sequence for entry of an offline deal relating to the same conversation by the New York Maker of FIG. 5 by way of example;
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of context sensitive prompts with the contact line as it relates to the conversation of FIG. 4 from the side of the Market Taker;
FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of context sensitive prompts from the conversation analysis in the Market Taker's conversation of FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the key selection procedure in connection with selection from the prompt menus in accordance with the present invention and is applicable to the exemplary conversations of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 with respect to
the Market Maker, Market Taker and Market Capture, by way of example;
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of context sensitive prompts from conversation analysis in accordance with the conversation of FIG. 4 from the side of the Market Maker;
FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Code prompt menu for the Market Taker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Interest prompt menu for the Market Taker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Trade prompt menu for the Market Taker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Pay prompt menu for the Market Taker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Confirm prompt menu for the Market Taker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Acceptor's Pay prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Acceptor's Confirm prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic flow chart of offline data entry in connection with data capture of an offline deal corresponding to the conversation illustrated in FIG. 6;
FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of context sensitive prompts from conversation analysis during the offline data capture or entry of FIG. 18 in accordance with the conversation of FIG. 6;
FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Bank prompt menu for the Market Maker during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Town prompt menu for the Market Maker during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Period Display prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Currency prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Rate prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Trade prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during the offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Pay prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical Their Pay prompt menu for the Market Maker prompts during offline data capture in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 28 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the overall parse procedure in accordance with the conversation analysis software of the present invention;
FIG. 29 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the spot parse procedure in accordance with the present invention, assuming a typical spot type deal;
FIG. 30 is a diagrammatic flow chart of an example within the spot parse analysis illustrating the extraction of a value date in a typical spot deal such as referred to in FIG. 29;
FIG. 31 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of inconsistencies in the value date, or rates, in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 32 is a diagrammatic flow chart of the handling of inconsistencies in swap rates in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 33 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical conversational screen display in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 34 is a diagrammatic illustration, similar to FIG. 33, of another typical conversational screen display in accordance with the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1-3 and 28-32, the overall conversation analysis in the conversational video system of the present invention shall be described before describing the context sensitive prompt feature
of the present invention since it is the conversation analysis software which drives the analysis driven prompts and lets you know in real time where you are in the conversation that is going on between counterparties, such as foreign exchange traders,
such as in the example of spot deal conversations of FIGS. 4 and 5, so that the appropriate prompt selection menu may be employed based on the analysis of the key points in the conversation as it proceeds in real time. As will be further explained
hereinafter, this real time conversation analysis also enables the preparation of Dealing tickets in real time while the deal is being arranged through the use of what are commonly called artificial intelligence techniques to analyze the dealing dialogue
and generate the ticket. Thus, the system of the present invention is what is commonly termed an expert type of system. In the preferred system of the present invention context sensitive or analysis driven prompts, which will be described in greater
detail hereinafter, are preferably employed to speed up the dealer input since time is generally of the essence in foreign exchange dealings. Of course, although the system is described by way of example with respect to foreign exchange dealing it may
be used in connection with any type of video communication where rapid input of conversation information is desired. As will also be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the system of the present invention can also be used for data capture of
offline deals as well. Furthermore, the system of the present invention, because of its conversation analysis function, preferably is capable of generating error messages to the user to alert the user if an inconsistency is detected in the conversation
being analyzed, such as if the value date is improper or the range of prices is improper, by way of example.
Apart from the conversation analysis function and the context sensitive or analysis driven prompts and associated features to be described in greater detail hereinafter, the system of the present invention is substantially similar to other
conversational video systems developed by applicant's assignee and described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,525,779; 4,388,489; 4,531,184; and the commonly-owned contemporaneously-filed U.S. patent application entitled "Fast Contact
Conversational Video System", the contents of all of which are specifically incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. As shown in FIG. 1, by way of example, which is a functional block diagram of the overall system of the present invention,
the block labeled "Typical Dealing Communication Network", generally referred to by reference numeral 300, and illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 3, is basically the same type of communication network as illustrated in FIG. 13J, by way of example, of
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779 and the same reference numerals have been used in FIG. 3 as are used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779 for like functioning components such as for the concentrators 48 and 110, for the nodes 44 and 42, for the host computer 38, and
for the storage device 204. Of course, other packet switching communication networks could be employed if desired in place of network 300. By way of comparison of the overall system functional block diagram of FIG. 1 with that of FIG. 13J of U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779, by way of example, it can be seen that the terminal controller 96, shown in FIG. 13J of U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779 is preferably replaced by the conversation analyzing terminal controller 400 or 400a of the present invention which enables
real time conversation analysis of the video conversations between, for example, a New York Maker 98a and a London Taker 602, such as the conversation illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the provision of context sensitive or analysis driven prompts. As
will also be described in greater detail hereinafter, in addition to the conversation printer, such as printer 102, 102a, and 604a, there are preferably ticket printers 404, 406, by way of example, which enable the printing of Dealing tickets based on
real time conversation analysis, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. In addition, the user terminals or keystations illustrated in FIG. 1 are shown as also having a conventional mouse 408, such as the mouse described in the
aforementioned "Fast Contact Conversational Video System" patent application incorporated by reference herein, such as for providing the fast contact feature disclosed therein. Of course, if desired, the mouse 408 may be omitted. Moreover, as shown by
way of example in FIG. 1, both parties to a conversation need not have a conversation analyzing terminal controller, such as 400 or 400a and one of the parties may have a terminal controller of the type of controller 96, by way of example, described in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779, in which instance that party will not have the benefit of the present invention of real time conversation analysis to provide context sensitive or analysis driven prompts or automatic ticket generation or inconsistency
notification based on such real time conversation analysis. If that party wishes those benefits, then a conversation analyzing terminal controller such as controller 400 would preferably be employed in place of the previous terminal controller 96. The
data display terminals or video monitors or screens 410 illustrated in FIG. 1, which are conventional video monitors, having associated keyboards 412, provide the screen displays, such as illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 33 and 34, to provide the
video conversations, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,779, by way of example, with the addition of the features of the present invention of conversation analysis and context sensitive or analysis driven prompts as well as ticket generation
based on such analysis.
The presently preferred conversation analyzing terminal controller 400 or 400a is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 2. As shown and preferred in FIG. 2, the conversation analyzing terminal controller 400, 400a, of the present invention
preferably includes a line server 414, a data base server 416, and a conversation analysis server 418, all of which are preferably 80386 computers, such as COMPAQ 80386 based computer. In addition, as also shown and preferred in FIG. 2, the conversation
analyzing terminal controller 400, which can preferably serve a plurality of terminals, such as up to 12, by way of example, includes an 80386 based terminal computer 420, 420a, for each keystation associated with the conversation analyzing terminal
controller 400 with one output to the screen or video display 410 and the other output to the keyboard 412 from the terminal computer 420, 420a. The various computers 414, 416, 418, 420 and 420a are preferably tied together in a conventional local area
network 421 so as to permit communication between appropriate ones of the various computers 414, 416, 418, 420, 420a in accomplishing the conversation analysis, context sensitive prompts, inconsistency alert, and automatic ticket generation functions of
the present invention. The line server 414 preferably serves as an interface between the terminal computers 420, 420a and the appropriate concentrator 48 or 110, in the communication network 300. The data base server 416 preferably stores conversations
and completed Dealing tickets and provides this information to the ticket printer 404 or 406 and to the conversation printer 102a or 604a, as well as to a back office computer (not shown) if that is desired. The conversation analysis server 418
preferably stores the conversation analysis software, such as the software to be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 28-32 and the software of Table B annexed hereto as an Appendix. The analysis server 418 preferably analyzes
the conversation in real time and provides the desired context sensitive or analysis driven prompts to the Maker or Taker's screen, depending on whom the conversation analyzing terminal controller 400 or 400a is associated with at the time, provides
Dealing tickets to the data base server 416 associated with it, and alerts the user to inconsistencies in the conversation by providing such alerts to the screen 410.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, preferably the conversation analysis software which is contained by way of example in Table B annexed hereto as an Appendix, and the context sensitive prompt or prompt menu selecting software
are written in C language for use with an 80386 computer, with the communication itself between two counterparties being referred to herein as a conversation. Preferably, this system is employed in connection with foreign exchange trading, although it
is not so limited. Although in the example of FIG. 2, three separate servers 414, 416 and 418 are shown, these servers can be combined into a single computer, if desired, with each keystation still being supported by a dedicated terminal computer 420,
420a, and with, as previously mentioned, these keystation computers 420, 420a being linked to the servers 414, 416 and 418 by a conventional local area network 421. Preferably, communication over the local area network 421 uses a virtual connection such
as provided by the MS-NET standard variant. In addition, preferably, all of the data about each conversation in progress, such as up to 24 such conversations for a given conversation analyzing terminal controller 400 by way of example, is held in a
global array with each element in this array pointing to a structure of type CONVDATA in accordance with the software given by way of example in Table B. This is a type which holds the various network handles associated with the conversation, the text
buffer for the conversation, and so on. It also preferably includes an element identified as SAVEDDATA of type ANALYSISDATA, which is used to store the state of the conversation analysis. The conversation analysis is driven by the receipt of packets of
text from the various keystations. These successive chunks of text arrive in ANALYZE TEXT PACKETS which are directed to the correc | | |
