Patent ID: 8069138
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for switching an automated financial instrument brokerage system from an old customer account database to a new customer account database, the system comprising a first layer for interacting with users to generate activity requests related to one or more financial instruments, a second layer in communication with the first layer for processing activity requests, and a third layer comprising the old database and the new database, both the old and new database being configured to store customer account data relating to equities and options, the method comprising: during a first time interval, (1) storing data relating to option trades transacted during the first time interval in the old database, (2) storing data relating to equity trades transacted during the first time interval in the new database, and (3) retrieving customer account data from both the old database and the new database in response to activity requests generated during the first time interval that need customer account data for processing; during a second time interval, (1) storing data relating to option trades and equity trades transacted during the second time interval in the new database, and (2) retrieving customer account data from both the old database and the new database in response to activity requests generated during the second time interval that need customer account data for processing; and upon expiration of the second time interval, (1) copying the content of the old database into the new database, (2) storing data relating to option trades and equity trades transacted after the expiration of the second time interval in the new database, and (3) retrieving customer account data from the new database in response to activity requests generated after the expiration of the second time interval that need customer account data for processing; wherein the overall duration of the first time interval and the second time interval define a settlement period for equity trades.