Electronic transaction terminal for vocalization of transactional data

Abstract

A method for vocalizing information from an electronic brokerage system (EBS) used in international currency exchange incorporates a specialized grammar to emulate the interpersonal trading style and vernacular used by foreign currency brokers catering to the international banking industry. Used in conjunction with the screen display of an EBS, the vocalizing method makes the system easier for a trader to use by emphasizing information content. The vocalizing method optimizes redundancy of data available to the user to minimize both the ambiguity of data to and the cognitive effort of the user. The vocalizing method chooses what data should be vocalized, when the data should be vocalized, and, in what manner the data should be vocalized. For example, a long form of the offer and bid prices is initially vocalized which includes both figure and pips data, but thereafter only the pips are vocalized. Three categories of messages each provide different data to the system user. First, market broadcast messages provide quote and bid information. Second, maker and taker specific messages provide specific deal information between the parties to an ongoing or completed transaction. Third, system deals and price change reasons messages provide all workstations dealing in the currency pair with recent prices given and paid for that currency pair, at least when it affects the current best price. The trader may have none, all, one, or two of the three categories of messages vocalized by setting the workstation trader profile accordingly. Additionally, the trader may choose with which of a variety of voices the workstation will speak.