Abstract:
Robust content-based financial data processing is enabled by software with a customizable knowledge base. The software indexes a publicly or privately available financial database based on the content of the database records. Utilizing proprietary information contained within a knowledge base, the software enables users to search the indexed database by feature, example firm, or pattern. The information contained in the knowledge base enables results to be ranked by relevance. Moreover, users provide feedback about search results to enhance the knowledge base. Software analyzes data by using adaptive signal processing to remove market trends or noise and enable complicated market research.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application is a non-provisional application of, claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/898,738 filed Jan. 31, 2007, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates in general to analyzing data contained in financial databases and more specifically to a system and methods for performing intelligent, content-based indexing, searching, retrieval, analysis, processing of data, and decision-making based on the data contained in the financial database. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Traders, investment bankers, researchers, insurance underwriters, and other financial professionals (referred to as a “financial decision-maker” or “trader) rely on information contained in financial market databases to inform their decisions. Markets on which financial instruments are traded, such as the New York Stock Exchange, are extraordinarily volatile and dynamic, so traders need real-time data about the state of the market and historical data about previous market environments to make wise, informed investment decisions. Moreover, certain markets may facilitate the simultaneous buying and selling of millions of financial instruments (i.e. on a given market, thousands of securities issued by thousands of firms may be traded at substantially the same time), may be capable of changing drastically in a few seconds&#39; time, or may exhibit characteristics that could be better understood through research of decades of market history. Traders are therefore unable to remain abreast of the developments in each relevant market based on actual personal perception alone. 
     To enable immediate, meaningful, and manageable access to information about such markets, many firms provide and maintain databases with detailed and comprehensive historical financial data, continuously updated with real-time financial data. Firms such as Commodity Systems, Inc., Hemscott, Morningstar, Cannex, Hoovers, Thomson Financial, Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s, Reuters, Bloomberg, Interactive Data, and Gradient Analytics provide databases accessible to end users over the Internet or other similar networks. For example, data about firms whose securities are traded on the New York Stock Exchange may be contained in a database maintained by one of the above firms. Further, information about each transaction of a security or other financial instrument may also be contained in such a database. Traders engaging in transactions of instruments traded on the relevant market (e.g. the New York Stock Exchange) are given client-level access to a database associated with the market. This access provides users with client-level privileges, and enables traders to perform basic searches, such as keyword or rule-based searches. Traders perform what they perceive to be necessary or relevant searches and analyze the results to determine whether or not to buy or sell a security or other financial instrument. 
     The searching functionality enabled by the databases and available to traders is typically rudimentary, and usually does not provide traders with tools to usefully analyze data or to meaningfully contribute to the traders&#39; decision-making process. However, client-level access to such databases enables the development and implementation of client-side software applications. Such applications are capable of performing the same keyword and rule-based searches, but provide the added benefits of enabling multiple searches to be performed in quick succession and assimilating and organizing the results of such searches into more meaningful formats for near real-time analysis by the trader. 
     Searches that are currently enabled by available client-side software applications are limited by their static nature. A client-side software application may store sets of search criteria and repeatedly run the same search without user intervention (i.e. once a day for a month, or once a week for a year). However, a trader must initially indicate with specificity the criteria defining the automated search. Thus, each search requires the trader to synthesize the universe of the trader&#39;s knowledge to generate the database queries. Moreover, currently available search tools do not enable the criteria to be automatically updated or dynamically improved based on the trader&#39;s propensities, the results of previous searches, or the eventual success of positions taken based the search results. 
     Current software solutions are also limited in that they require the trader to define with specificity the logic necessary to usefully summarize, present, and analyze data retrieved from financial databases. Current software applications may manipulate and organize data to display it such a way as to enable a trader to quickly analyze the data, but the trader must still specify the parameters enabling the software to so organize the data. Thus, if a trader is searching for a particular pattern in a time series data set, the trader must search each potential data set and manually analyze whether a similar pattern can be found. Current search capabilities and client-side software applications do not organize and summarize data based on features determined by information processing, system learning, or domain knowledge contained in a local knowledge depository. 
     Finally, currently available client-side software is not capable of building a knowledge base of a particular user&#39;s prior searches, trades, and other decisions to enable decision support. Current client-side software is limited to statically storing previous search criteria, data presentation parameters, and the resulting trades. The software is not capable of intelligently determining relationships between, for example, a change in search criteria that results in the trader making a particular trade based on the change in criteria and the success of the resulting trade. Though current solutions enable searches to be replicated and repeated, these solutions cannot analyze any relationships between the searches and the actions resulting from the searches to aid the trader in making similar decisions in the future. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system and methods to enable robust content-based financial database indexing, searching, retrieval, analysis, processing, and decision making are disclosed. A system and methods for implementing software including a customizable knowledge base and analysis platform are provided to an investor or other user of a financial database who trades and analyzes financial instruments. The software includes a knowledge base which stores one or more financial features. A feature is defined as a characteristic of a set of data that is helpful to an investor such that knowing a set of data includes the feature enables the investor to more easily make an investment decision. The system and methods disclosed index data contained in an existing financial database, such as a database maintained by Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s, based on features contained in the knowledge base. The indexed database enables the investor to manipulate the indexed data by comparing data to vectors stored in the indexed database representing one or more features (the feature vectors). For example, a trader may search the financial objects contained in the indexed database by specifying an example firm or drawing a graph representing a desired feature. Utilizing the features contained in the knowledge base, the system and methods determine at least one feature vector indicative of one feature contained in the example firm or graph (the query feature vector). By comparing the query feature vector with the feature vectors contained in the indexed database, a similarity score can be calculated and the most relevant results can be provided to the user. Preferably, the system and methods also enable the trader to indicate the relevance of each search result—this indicated relevance enables the software to refine its knowledge base such that the knowledge base is customized to each trader using the software. Finally, the system and methods disclosed enable robust financial analysis and processing, as well as decision support, based on the features contained and continually refined in the knowledge base. 
     The features by which the financial database is indexed may be sets of characteristics about time series of data. For example, the cyclical nature of a particular time series of data may be a feature, or it may be a feature if a large jump in a time series of data occurs. Thus, the term “feature” is broadly defined to represent characteristics of time series of data that are or may be of interest to a trader. Preferably, features represent properties within time series data that are too complex for a trader to recognize by manual data analysis. For example, aberrations in data caused by inflation, recession, stock splits, events in the news, or other external data may make a cyclical pattern contained in time series data undetectable to an investor. Additionally, features may be generated as derivatives of known features, or may be generated by comparing two or more features with each other and extracting similarities or differences. Moreover, features are preferably represented as vectors (feature vectors) which may be compared to time series data sets to determine whether the feature is present in the data set. Alternatively, the system and methods may be configured to detect text-based features, such as information contained in a press release relating to the impact of a news event on a stock price. These text-based features are difficult for a trader to determine by entering simple rule or keyword-based searches, since the structure of the language in the news item is not guaranteed or predetermined. Using the system and methods disclosed, these features are easily determinable. 
     The knowledge base includes one or more user preferences, which may be features that are updated, amended, refined, and created as users perform searches and provide feedback. Alternatively, the user preferences may be represented by past user activity within the system, such as a user&#39;s past investment decisions. To initially index a financial database, the data contained within the database is first converted to time series data sets. The time series data may be data about price, volume bid/ask spreads, market indices, price-to-earnings ratio, earnings-per-share, or any other suitable time-series data. The system and methods analyze each set of time series data from the financial database to determine whether any of the features contained in the knowledge base are present in the time series data. Any time series data containing one or more features may then have a signal-processing transform, such as a wavelet transform, applied to it. Next, the indexing may identify features or search patterns that are of most interest to the user. Using the domain knowledge about the particular user, the system and methods disclosed conduct dimension reduction on the entire set of features found in the time series data, and store the features as feature vectors, along with their relations to the original financial data, in an indexed database. In different embodiments, the domain knowledge includes one or more user preferences, which may be features of particular importance to the user, may be past decisions made by the user, or may be the customized model parameters that are used in the search, retrieval, analysis, processing, and decision-making. Additionally, the system and methods disclosed may index textual data based on features contained in the textual data by searching for keywords in the text and identifying one or more quantifying modifiers using natural language parsing techniques. These features are also stored in the indexed database. 
     Indexing data in a financial database according to features contained in time series enables robust content-based searching. The system and methods disclosed enable a trader to perform example-based or pattern-based searches to search for time series data with some level of correlation to an example firm or user-input pattern. For example, if a trader believes that a particular company X represents a good investment risk, the system or method disclosed enables the trader to specify that he or she would like to retrieve information about firms that are “like company X.” Based on the domain knowledge applicable to the particular user, the system and methods analyze the indexed features about company X to determine what features time series data about company X contains. Based on the determined feature vectors (the query feature vectors), the system and methods compare the query feature vectors to the feature vectors associated with each firm in the indexed database to determine the firms including the most similar features. The system and methods display the most similar results to the user, and enable the user to indicate whether and to what extent certain search results are desirable. The user-input similarity scoring is used to refine the results of the search and to bolster the domain knowledge to provide more accurate results in the future. 
     The system and methods described may also enable a user to provide as input a hand-drawn or electronically-drawn chart, graph, or trend. Thus, a trader may recreate the shape of a desired financial indicator (e.g. price-to-earnings ratio, market-to-book value). Based on the user-input chart or graph, the system and methods create a time series of data and analyze the time series to determine the features present (the query feature vectors). The system and methods apply the feature or features present in the input time series data to the indexed database and return the most relevant indexed financial objects to the trader. Each returned result may include an input mechanism to enable the user to indicate the relevance of each result. As above, the user-input relevance scores are stored in the domain knowledge to enable more accurate searching in the future. 
     The system and methods disclosed may also perform automatic signal processing tasks such as noise or trend removal. Preferably, after a financial database has been indexed according to a set of features stored as domain knowledge, the system and methods disclosed use an individual trader&#39;s preferences, past search requests, and past trades and other responsive actions to process the indexed data in a customized way. The system and methods may apply one or more mathematical transforms, such as a wavelet transform, to a time series of interest in the indexed database. The results of the filtering may then be provided to the user, along with a mechanism to enable the user to indicate the usefulness and correctness of the processed data. In this way, the user may adjust selected quantitative criteria such as different mathematical error metrics. If the results are unsatisfactory, the processing may be repeated until the user indicates the results are satisfactory. 
     Finally, the system and methods disclosed herein provide decision support and analysis to a user. The system and methods disclosed learn from individual users based on the nature of the search performed, the post-processing performed on the data, and the investor&#39;s previous decisions based on data retrieved from the same search. The system and methods disclosed search historical and real-time data available in the indexed database or remotely to determine whether similar investment opportunities exist. By presenting system-determined investment opportunities and recording the user&#39;s reactions, the system continually updates its knowledge base and thus continually updates the set of criteria perceived as important to the individual investor. Over time, the system and methods disclosed become a customized decision-making tool with increasing accuracy and efficiency. 
     It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system that identifies and is capable of learning to identify features of financial data that closely mirror traders&#39; thought processes such that traders may request information in intuitive, flexible, and ambiguous ways. 
     It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a system and methods to index data contained in an available financial database such that the data is stored in an indexed database indexed according to features found in the data. 
     It is a further object of the present disclosure to enable a user to search and retrieve information from a financial database using content-based intelligence based on features of the financial data stored in the indexed database. 
     It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a system and methods capable of building a knowledge base for each user of the system and methods based on the user searches, feedback, and decisions. This knowledge base enables the system and methods disclosed to improve search relevance and further improve search, analysis, and processing functionalities in an intelligent way. 
     It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a user with decision support based on the information contained in the knowledge base applicable to the user. In this way, the system and methods stimulate the user&#39;s decision-making process by learning from the user and automating future components of the decision making process. 
     It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide the above-described indexing, searching, processing, analysis, and decision support based on at least one user preference, such that the system and methods behave in a customized way with respect to the user. 
     Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an example system for performing intelligent, content-based searching, retrieval, analysis, processing, and decision making. 
         FIG. 2  is schematic diagram of an alternative example system for performing intelligent, content-based searching, retrieval, analysis, processing, and decision making. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of an example process for indexing a publicly or privately available database containing financial information based on one or more features contained in a knowledge domain. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of an example process for indexing time series data found in a publicly or privately available financial database by extracting features from the time series data. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart of an example process for indexing textual data found in a publicly or privately available financial database by extracting features from the textual data. 
         FIG. 6 . is a flow chart of an example process for performing intelligent, content-based searching based on features contained in a financial database relating to an example firm provided by a user. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of an example process for performing intelligent, content-based searching based on features indicated by a pattern drawn by or provided by a user. 
         FIG. 8  is a screen shot of an example interface for enabling a user to draw or otherwise provide a pattern on which to perform intelligent, content-based searching. 
         FIG. 9  is a screen shot of an example set of search results based on a user-drawn or otherwise provided pattern and an interface for enabling the user to provide feedback about the correlation between the search results and the drawn search pattern. 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart of an example process for analyzing data about a financial instrument based on acquired domain knowledge. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of the modules contained in an example system for providing intelligent, content-based decision-making support based on acquired domain knowledge. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The system and methods disclosed herein rely in different capacities on determining and manipulating features of financial objects. It should be appreciated that a feature of a financial object, as disclosed herein, includes any set of characteristics of financial data that would be useful to a trader, an underwriter, or any other person using the system. Data contained in a financial database, which may be either time-series data (i.e., data that details the performance of a characteristic of a financial object over time) and textual data (i.e., press releases, news articles, columns, etc.). It should be appreciated that it is an advantage of the disclosed system and methods to enable a user to define his or her own features, either explicitly or implicitly, as discussed below. However, the system and methods also recognize various features of both time-series data and textual data. Table 1, reproduced below, illustrates an example set of features of financial objects recognizable by the system and methods disclosed. 
     It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Feature Category  
                 Feature Examples 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Equities such as common stock,  
                 Price, volume, bid, ask, trade  
               
               
                 preferred stock, exchange traded  
                 time, earnings per share,  
               
               
                 funds, mutual and closed-end  
                 dividend announcement date  
               
               
                 funds, real estate investment  
                   
               
               
                 trusts, master limited partnerships, 
                   
               
               
                 royalty trusts, enhanced income  
                   
               
               
                 securities and other forms of  
                   
               
               
                 private and public equities in US 
                   
               
               
                 and non-US markets  
                   
               
               
                 Options on equities, futures, 
                 Price, volume, strike price, issue date,  
               
               
                 currencies, and other derivatives  
                 expiration date, delta, gamma,  
               
               
                 contracts, OTC and exchange  
                 Black-Scholes model parameters  
               
               
                 traded in US and non-US markets  
                   
               
               
                 Fixed income securities  
                 Face value, market price, volume,  
               
               
                   
                 nominal interest rate, market yield,  
               
               
                   
                 conversion option, date of issue,  
               
               
                   
                 maturity date, accrued interest,  
               
               
                   
                 sinking fund, debt covenants 
               
               
                 Futures and forwards contracts 
                 Price, volume, bid, ask, delivery  
               
               
                 such as commodities futures,  
                 date, margin requirements,  
               
               
                 interest rate futures, equity index  
                   
               
               
                 futures, single stock futures  
                   
               
               
                 Quantified credit ratings  
                 S&amp;P investment grade AAA, S&amp;P  
               
               
                   
                 non-investment grade BB, Moody&#39;s  
               
               
                   
                 investment grade Aaa, Moody&#39;s  
               
               
                   
                 speculative grade Ba1 
               
               
                 Asset pricing model parameters  
                 Alpha, beta, Sharpe ratio, Fama-French  
               
               
                   
                 model factors  
               
               
                 GAAP accounting line items  
                 Revenue, cost of goods sold, selling,  
               
               
                   
                 general and administrative expenses,  
               
               
                   
                 depreciation, amortization,  
               
               
                   
                 interest income, interest expense, net  
               
               
                   
                 income, extraordinary items, cumulative 
               
               
                   
                 effect of accounting changes, cash  
               
               
                   
                 and cash equivalents, short term  
               
               
                   
                 investments, accounts receivable,  
               
               
                   
                 property, plant and equipment,  
               
               
                   
                 accounts payable, short term debt, long  
               
               
                   
                 term debt, common stock, additional  
               
               
                   
                 paid-in-capital, shareholder&#39;s equity  
               
               
                 Non-GAAP accounting measures  
                 EBITDA, free cash flow, overhead  
               
               
                 Valuation metrics  
                 Enterprise value, liquidation value,  
               
               
                   
                 return on assets, return 
               
               
                   
                 on equity, return on debt  
               
               
                 Projected and historical pro forma  
                   
               
               
                 financial statement items  
                   
               
               
                 Items in accounting disclosures  
                   
               
               
                 Information disclosed in SEC  
                 Net operating loss carry forwards,  
               
               
                 Form-10K, Form 10-Q, Form S-1,  
                 federal state and local taxes in financial  
               
               
                 proxy statements, and other public 
                 statement footnotes, contingencies  
               
               
                 and private company disclosures  
                 and commitments described in  
               
               
                   
                 management discussion and analysis  
               
               
                 Profitability measures  
                 Rate of return on assets, internal rate  
               
               
                   
                 of return 
               
               
                 Capital structure  
                 Number and value of shares, options,  
               
               
                   
                 warrants, preferred stock, market  
               
               
                   
                 capitalization, value of debt outstanding  
               
               
                 Operational variables  
                 Number of customers, number of store  
               
               
                   
                 closings, same store sales, sales per  
               
               
                   
                 square foot, churn rate  
               
               
                 Debt covenants  
                 Coverage ratio requirements, bad  
               
               
                   
                 boy clauses 
               
               
                 Technical analysis measures  
                 Elliot wave patterns, head and shoulder  
               
               
                   
                 formations  
               
               
                 Macro economic variables  
                 GDP, federal funds rate, unemployment  
               
               
                   
                 rate, inflation rate, foreign exchange 
               
               
                   
                 rates, yield curve  
               
               
                 Audit report items  
                   
               
               
                 Analyst estimates  
                   
               
               
                 Research report items  
                 Price targets, research firms providing  
               
               
                   
                 coverage, buy-hold-sell ratings,  
               
               
                   
                 corporate takeover defense structure  
               
               
                 Commitment of Traders Report  
                 Commercial open interests, non- 
               
               
                 data  
                 commercial open interests, non- 
               
               
                   
                 reportable positions, number of traders 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     It should be appreciated that the feature categories and feature examples included in Table 1 are provided by way of example only. For example, the instant disclosure contemplates GAAP and non-GAAP accounting line items known to financial professionals but not included in Table 1. In additional to the exemplary features in Table 1, the system and methods disclosed may perform processing operations to data containing features that are derivative features of those features disclosed in Table 1. Moreover, the system and methods disclosed may perform processing operations to data containing features that are generated by comparing two or more features with one another to result in a new feature. 
     Textual data may include features defined by keywords and generated as discussed below. A non-exhaustive list of keywords which may in different embodiments define features of textual data follows: stock ticker symbols; company names; “gross domestic product;” “GDP;” “earnings;” “Chief Executive Officer;” “CEO;” analyst names; potential merger candidates; names of board members; institutional ownership; rosters of insiders; rosters of major holders; words indicating merger and acquisition activity (e.g., “carve out,” “spin off,” or “338 tax election”); names of members of management of competitor firms; and any keywords illustrative of one of the time-series data features included in Table 1 above. It should be appreciated that features of textual data may be derived from the above list of features, or may be created by comparing two or more existing features. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating an example implementation of the system described herein. In one example embodiment, a user accesses the system described by way of a terminal  100 . The terminal ultimately enables the user to interact with the financial database  102 , which contains information about financial instruments, firms by whom the financial instruments were issued, and the overall performance of one or more markets on which financial instruments are traded. The terminal  100  is connected to the Trading System  104  such that the terminal  100  may send information to and receive information from the Trading System  104 . In the example embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the Trading System  104  is designated as System  1 , and includes all modules illustrated in  FIG. 1  except the terminal  100  and the financial database  102 . It should be appreciated that the user of the trading system accessing the system by way of the terminal  100  may be a trader, an investment banker, an insurance underwriter, a researcher, or another financial professional. For clarity, the user throughout the remainder of the application will be referred to as a “trader” or a “user.” 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the terminal  100  is connected to the Trading System  104  such that the terminal  100  interacts directly with the graphical user interface (GUI) module  106 . The GUI module  106  may reside on a local machine, connected to the terminal  100  by a local network connection. Alternatively, the GUI module  106  may reside on a web server such that the terminal  100  interacts with the GUI module  106  by way of the Internet or other similar network. A user at terminal  100  provides commands to the Trading System  104  by way of the terminal  100  as enabled by the GUI module  106 . 
     Each time the Trading System  104  receives a command from the terminal  100 , the GUI module interacts with the knowledge depository module  108  and the engine module  110 . The functionality of each module is discussed in greater detail below. The user-entered command is provided to the knowledge depository module  108  for storage and later use by the engine module  110 . As discussed below, each additional stored user-entered command enhances the robustness of the system&#39;s domain knowledge. The user-entered command is also provided to the engine module  110  for execution. The engine module  110  includes a processing tools sub-module  112  and a decision-making framework sub-module  114 . The processing tools sub-module  112  performs the searches, retrievals, analyses, and processing operations, as discussed in greater detail below. The decision-making framework sub-module  114  interacts with the knowledge depository module  108  to receive information about the user&#39;s past actions in the Trading System  104 , representing the system&#39;s domain knowledge. In different embodiments, the knowledge depository module  108  stores information about one or more user preferences, such as a feature of particular importance to the user or information about a past decision, search, processing task, or other activity performed by the user using the Trading System  104 , or the customized model parameters that are used in the search, retrieval, processing, and decision-making performed by the engine module  110 . The decision-making framework sub-module  114  may receive only information about the user&#39;s past activities in the Trading System  104 , despite the fact that the knowledge depository module  108  may contain information about the user&#39;s past activities and the user&#39;s attempted current activity. 
     The knowledge depository module  108  may include information that is modularized for each user that has accessed the Trading System  104 . The information contained in the knowledge depository module  108  for a given trader may be referred to as a Local Knowledge Depository (LKD). By modifying the LKD, the Trading System  104  may be trained to search, retrieve, and present information to a trader in a manner customized to a given trader. As a user accesses and uses the Trading System  104 , the knowledge depository module  108  accumulates and stores information associated with that user. The information stored represents the human intelligence and judgment of each trader. Thus, it is important that the knowledge depository module  108  does not apply information representing the judgment of one trader to the activities of another trader, as the two pieces of information may not be consistent. However, the knowledge depository module  108  may enable users to proactively instruct the system to apply information associated with a different trader as part of the relevant LKD when such instruction is done consciously. Thus, information stored relating to a given trader may be modified, circulated, and traded so that it applies as intended to a different trader, for example if multiple traders in a single organization wish to apply the domain knowledge of a particularly successful trader in the firm. 
     As discussed in greater detail below, the engine module  110  uses information about the user&#39;s attempted action, received from the GUI module  106 , in combination with information about the user&#39;s past actions, received from the knowledge depository module  108 , to perform the requested action. By modifying an individual trader&#39;s LKD, the functionality of the engine module  110  may change when it is accessed by the trader. Such changes in functionality enable intelligent content-based searching, analysis, processing, and decision making, and are discussed in greater detail below. 
     If the engine module  110  determines that, based on the type of action requested and the trader&#39;s LKD, the action requested requires one or more database queries to one or more financial databases  102 , the engine module  110  sends an appropriate message to the database interface module  116 , contained within the Trading System  104 . The database interface module  116  converts the message from the engine module  110  into database queries of the appropriate format to interact with the financial database  102 , and sends the queries to the appropriate financial database  102 . It should be appreciated that in different embodiments, the database  102  may be a flat database containing data about financial objects, or may be an indexed database containing financial objects and the features associated with the financial objects, discussed below. The financial database  102  may also include only historical data—that is, data that is not updated real-time to reflect fluctuations in the market. Since many traders use real-time data to support trading decisions, historical data available in the financial database  102  may not be sufficient to enable accurate financial decisions. In this example, the database interface  116  or another module may enable a user to interface with source of real-time data (not shown). Alternatively, the database interface  116  or another module may enable the engine  110  to interface with a source of real-time data, such that the local knowledge depository  108  may utilize real-time data contained in one or more real-time databases. 
     The financial database  102  satisfies the queries sent by the database interface module  116  and provides the queried information to the database interface module  116 . The database interface module  116  then forwards the queried information to the engine module  110 . If further processing is required, the engine module  110  processes the data received from the database interface module  116  by applying logic derived in part from the user&#39;s LKD, contained in the knowledge depository module  108  about the user&#39;s past activities on the Trading System  104 . For example, the engine module  110  may extract one or more features from a known feature. After further processing, the engine module  110  may return the processed information to the GUI module  106  for viewing by the viewer at terminal  100 . Alternatively, if no further processing of the information received by the engine module  110  from the database interface module  116  is needed, the engine module  110  may send the information directly to the GUI module  106  for viewing by the user at terminal  100 . 
     The information returned to the user accessing the Trading System  104  by way of the terminal  100  may include one or more of search results, retrieval of financial information, analysis performed by the Trading System  104 , results of processing performed by the Trading System  104 , or advice or suggested decisions generated by the Trading System  104 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the Trading System  104  does not include the financial database  102 . Rather, the financial database  102  exists separate from the Trading System  104 , and the Trading System  104  merely interfaces with the external financial database  102  by way of the Internet and/or another suitable network. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the database interface module  116  is configured to interact with the financial database  102  in a suitable way, depending on the implementation and the interface requirements of the financial database  102 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a different example implementation of the system described herein, wherein an indexed version of the financial database  102  as described with respect to  FIG. 1  is maintained within the Trading System  204  as financial database module  202 . As with the financial database  102 , the financial database  202  may be a flat database containing data relating to financial objects, or may be an indexed database containing information about financial objects and the features contained within the financial objects. In the latter embodiment, the indexed database  202  is created by the trading system  204 , as discussed in detail below. 
       FIG. 2  indicates that a user utilizes a terminal  100  to interface with financial database module  202 . However,  FIG. 2  illustrates that Trading System  204  contains all the modules contained in Trading System  104  illustrated in  FIG. 1  and also includes the financial database module  202  within the Trading System  204 . The financial database module  202  is stored within the Trading System  204  as an indexed version of some external financial database, and is indexed as described below. The modules described above with respect to  FIG. 1  and Trading System  104  function identically for Trading System  204 . However, the database interface module  216  is implemented differently in Trading System  204 . In Trading System  204 , the database interface module  216  does not need to include a protocol for interfacing with some non-indexed financial database, maintained outside the Trading System  204 . Rather, the database interface module  216  includes the ability to interface with the financial database module  202  that represents the indexed version of the external financial database. Database interface module  216  performs the same function—that is, it sends requests to and receives responses from the financial database module  202 —as it does in Trading System  104 . However, in Trading System  204 , the financial database module  202  is implemented and maintained by the system administrator in change of Trading System  204 . This may mean that database interface module  216  may not need to include the ability to access a database by means of the Internet and/or another suitable network. For example, the financial database module  202  may reside in the same memory space as database interface module  216  and may be accessible referencing a certain memory location. Alternatively, the financial database module  202  may reside in a different physical memory space than one or more of the modules included in Trading System  204 . In this case, the database interface module  216  may access the financial database module  202  by way of the Internet or other suitable network. 
     The database  202  may also include the data contained in a commercially available (i.e., the raw data). In this example, the database  202  is indexed by feature and also includes the raw data itself or a pointer to the raw data. Because in this embodiment the database  202  may include raw data, it should be appreciated that the database  202  included in the Trading System  204  may provide a user with the same integrated database services available to a user directly using a commercially available database. For example, the database  202  may provide the user the same links that would be available if the user was viewing data about a security&#39;s performance provided by YAHOO™ Finance (e.g., the same search functionality or real-time news availability). 
     Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the Trading System  204  may include a real-time data module  218 . In one embodiment, the database interface module  216  provides an interface not only to the locally-stored indexed database  202 , but also to the real-time data module  218 . Data available in the database  202  may not be updated real time—that is, it may contain historical data. Because traders frequently make decisions based on real-time data, the system and methods disclosed may provide the trader with an interface to a real-time data source. The real-time data source may be contained within the Trading System  204  as illustrated, or may be externally located. In the latter case, the real-time data module  218  provides an interface to enable the Trading System  204  to access external, real-time data sources. It should be appreciated that the real-time data source  218  may enable more accurate decision support by generating decisions based partly on real-time data, as will be discussed in more detail below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , from the perspective of the user utilizing a terminal  100  to access either Trading System  104  or the Trading System  204 , the Trading Systems  104  and  204  appear identical and the information retrieved from the financial databases  102  or  202  is processed and displayed in an identical fashion. The Trading System  104  may be implemented entirely on a client device, whereas the Trading System  204  may be implemented partly on a client device and partly on a Web server, or the Trading System  204  may be implemented entirely on a Web server. In this embodiment, the user at terminal  200  need not install software on any local client device. Rather, the terminal enables the user to log on to the Trading System  204  by accessing a Web server. 
     In one embodiment, as a prerequisite to performing content-based processing on time series data found in a financial database, the system and methods disclosed may include initially indexing the known financial database to enable quick and easy content-based manipulation of the data. It should be appreciated that in different embodiments, the data contained in the financial database need not be indexed; rather, as discussed below, the data in the financial database may be analyzed in its entirety each time content-based processing is performed. In these embodiments, the implementation choice not to index the database may reflect a desire to reduce the processing necessary at system startup by not requiring the entire financial database to be indexed. Further, this implementation may be chosen if the users of the disclosed system and methods will frequently be searching a small, known subset of the data contained in the financial database  102  or  202 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an example process  300  for indexing a financial database to enable quick and easy content-based searching and analysis. Although the example process  300  for indexing a financial database is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 3 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of indexing a financial database are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. Moreover, many of the blocks may be performed by one or more different modules than is described in the following detailed description. Additionally, the functions described may be performed by different modules than the modules referred to in the below-enumerated preferred embodiment. 
     To begin indexing a financial database, a financial database must be selected for indexing (block  302 ). For example, the database to be indexed may be chosen from the group of financial databases provided by firms such as Commodity Systems Inc., Hemscott, Morningstar, Cannex, Hoovers, Thomson Financial, Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s, Reuters, Bloomberg, Interactive Data, and Gradient Analytics, among others. 
     The selected financial database is indexed by analyzing each record about a financial object contained in the database (block  304 ). Depending on the type of data contained in the record about the financial object, the system and methods construct either a time series data set or a textual data set about each financial object contained in the database (block  304 ). For example, if a record in a database contains numerical information about a particular firm, the system and methods disclosed may construct a time series data set including the numerical data (block  304 ). Alternatively, if the record contains textual information about a firm, the system and methods disclosed may construct a text data set (block  304 ). 
     The system and methods disclosed determine the features included in a data set based on whether the data set contains time series data or textual data (blocks  306  and  308 ). A feature may be any set of characteristics about time series of data. For example, the cyclical nature of a particular time series of data may be a feature, or it may be a feature if a large jump in a time series of data occurs. Thus, the term “feature” is broadly defined to represent characteristics of time series of data that are or may be of interest to a trader. Preferably, features represent properties within data sets that are too complex for a trader to recognize by manual data analysis techniques. If the data sets include time series data sets, the system and methods disclosed use signal filtering and transformation techniques to determine whether the time series data contains any features as defined by the knowledge depository (block  306 ). For example, if the data includes time series data about the price of an instrument, or about price-to-earnings ratios, the system and methods disclosed may apply a known signal filter to determine whether any features exist. If the data set includes textual data, the system and methods use natural language parsing techniques to determine whether any features are present (block  308 ). For example, if the data includes text of a news item about a financial object, the system and methods disclosed may apply natural language parsing techniques to determine whether the news item contains any features. The techniques for determining whether any features are present will be described in detail below. It should be appreciated that the system and methods disclosed may also perform the indexing described above based on one or more user preferences. For example, a user preference may be in the form of a feature in which a particular user is particularly interested, or may include information about a past investment decision made by the user. The system and methods thus enable customized indexing that is tailored to an individual user based on the user&#39;s past investment decisions and actions within the system. 
     Finally, the system and methods disclosed construct an indexed database including the features present in the financial data about each financial object (block  310 ). In different embodiments, the features and the data in which the features were found are both stored locally in an indexed database. In other embodiments, the features are stored locally but the raw data from which the features were determined remains in the non-local financial database. In either case, the system and methods disclosed index the features contained in the data of the financial database to enable easy searching by feature. The features of the various financial objects represented in the financial database may be stored in the indexed database as vectors, and may be referred to as “feature vectors.” 
     In different embodiments, an indexed database of features contained in a locally stored data structure may be updated by repeatedly analyzing and indexing an entire financial database on a given schedule (e.g. once a week). Alternatively, the system and methods disclosed may index the financial database by analyzing each record contained in the database one time, and subsequently indexing only records added to the financial database. For example, if a financial database contains information about each security traded on a give exchange, the database may be indexed so as to include all securities represented by database records in the financial database on a given date. Subsequently, each time a new security is added to the exchange, or each time a currently-traded security is removed from the exchange, the system and methods disclosed may update the indexed database of features to reflect the addition or deletion. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of an example process  400  for indexing numerical data about financial objects, as indicated by block  306  of  FIG. 3 . Preferably, the example process  400  is used only when the system and methods have determined that numerical data needs to be indexed; thus, the example process  400  is preferably performed on time series data about a financial object found in a commercially available financial database. Although the example process  400  for indexing time series data found in a financial database is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 4 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of indexing time series data are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. 
     The process  400  for indexing time series data may be performed for each one of many time series data sets found in a financial database. Thus, process  400  begins by determining a time series data set from a financial set to be indexed (block  402 ). In different embodiments, as discussed above, the time series data set is determined by performing simple queries on a financial database such that all data in the financial database is analyzed serially. Alternatively, queries may be made to the database such that some but less than all of the data is analyzed serially. In either case, time series data such as data about price, volume, bid/ask spreads, or market indices over a period of time is appropriate for indexing (block  402 ). Similarly, data about a firm&#39;s financial statements over a period of time, such as data about price-to-earnings ratios or earnings-per-share ratios, are appropriate for indexing (block  402 ). 
     For each determined time series data set, the system and methods may apply additional generated signal functions to transform one or more sets of time series data (block  404 ). For example, the system and methods may calculate rolling betas for a time series data set, or may apply generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model parameters to a time series data set (block  404 ). It should be appreciated that the application of these additional signal functions is optional, and the system and methods disclosed may not perform this step during time series data indexing. 
     Based on the transformed or non-transformed time series data, the system and methods disclosed determine whether any features are contained in the time series data (block  406 ). For each feature determined to be present in a time series data set, the system and methods may create a time series matrix identifying the feature present and identifying the time series data in which the feature was found. For example, if a time series data set contains cyclical data, the system and methods may create a time series matrix including a representation of the cyclicality feature and including the cyclical time series data. In different embodiments, the time series matrix may include an identifier of the feature as well as the raw data contained in the time series data set, or may include information about the feature contained in the time series data set and a remote reference to the location of the time series data. 
     The system and methods disclosed may also transform various time series data set using known mathematical signal transforms to generate additional features (block  408 ). For example, the system and methods disclosed may apply a singular value decompression (SVD), a Fourier transform, a wavelet transform, or a time-frequency transform to a time series data set (block  408 ). Depending on the results of the application of these transforms, additional features may be generated about each time series data set (or, alternatively, about the transformed data set) and stored in the indexed database. Applying additional transforms enables the system and methods to generate and determine features that are too complex for a trader to identify, or that are unknown to a trader. 
     Once the features from all the time series data have been determined, the system and methods disclosed apply any domain knowledge to the determined features (block  410 ). For example, the system and methods disclosed may identify common search patterns of interest to users based on domain knowledge contained in an LKD (block  410 ). Additional identification of common search patterns of interest may be achieved using supervised and unsupervised learning techniques (block  410 ). 
     The system and methods in one embodiment also conduct dimension reductions in various transform domains according to identified user preferences and feature selection criteria (block  412 ). These dimension reductions are conducted based in part on users&#39; past identification of feature selection criteria, which may be contained in the LKD. In one embodiment, the dimension reductions serve to reduce the data stored in the indexed database to only data of interest to the users of the system and methods. Based on the dimension reductions, the system and methods may also calculate transformed time series data and features in the new dimension reduced feature space (block  414 ). It should be appreciated that blocks  412  and  414  may be combined such that the dimension reduction and calculation of transformed time series data sets may be done substantially simultaneously. Moreover, the dimension reduction and calculation of transformed time series data sets may in various embodiments not be performed at all. 
     Finally, the features detected in the data contained in the financial database are stored, along with the time series data in which the features are found, in an indexed database (block  416 ). The indexed database may be stored locally or remotely, but the Trading System engine is operable to search and manipulate data contained in the indexed database. In different embodiments, the features are stored in the indexed database but the time series data in which the features are found may not be—in these embodiments, the database may simply store a pointer or other data structure indicating the feature&#39;s relation to the time series data. 
     It should be appreciated that the feature-indexed database enables the system and methods disclosed to search for and manipulate time series data based on the features contained within the data. Additionally, as discussed below, the data stored in the LKD may be stored in terms of features, such that easy application of feature information in the LKD to features found in the financial database, stored in the indexed database, is possible. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flow chart of an example process  500  for indexing textual data contained in a financial database as indicated by block  308  of  FIG. 3 . Although the example process  500  for indexing a textual data in a financial database is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 5 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of indexing textual data in a financial database are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example process  500  for indexing textual data contained in a financial database as indicated by block  308  of  FIG. 3 . During indexing, if the system and methods determine that a database record in a financial database includes textual data such as a press release or a news story, a parsing algorithm is applied to the textual data to determine whether any of a predefined set of keywords are present in the textual data (block  502 ). Using any keywords found, the system and methods disclosed identify any characteristics of the textual data present in the text (block  502 ). For example, by searching for keywords such as stock ticker symbols, company names, gross domestic product, earnings, or Chief Executive Officer, the system and methods disclosed identify characteristics of the textual data such as the source of the data, its relation to a financial object, the time-stamp of the data, or a macroeconomic factor referenced in the data (block  502 ). 
     Once the keywords present in a given database record have been established, the system and methods disclosed use known natural language parsing techniques to associate a quantifying modifier with the keyword for a particular database record (block  504 ). Such quantifying modifiers typically include one of a set of modifiers that indicate different quantities of the same characteristic—for example, sets of quantifying modifiers may include {good, neutral, bad} or {increase, steady, decrease}. The quantifying modifier may be any modifier appropriate to modify the keyword representing a feature of the textual data. The keyword combined with the quantifying modifier results in a finding of a feature of the textual data. Where appropriate, the system and methods also parse the textual data to determine whether to associate a numerical indication of the quantifying modifier, for example “increase by 3.2%” (block  504 ). When such a numerical indication is applied, the numerical indication is included in the feature. Thus, a fully parsed textual record may result in a feature of a textual database record stating that “the price of Company X&#39;s stock increased by 3.2%” or that “the shareholders of Company Y feel that the CEO is doing a bad job.” It should be appreciated that the sets of quantifying modifiers may include more than three options, and may quantify any conceivable characteristic found in a financial database based on the text contained in a text data item. The features found in a textual database record are stored in the indexed database along with a reference to the data in the financial database (block  506 ). As discussed above, the textual data may be stored along with the feature, or a reference to the textual data may be stored in the indexed database. Either way, the indexed database enables fast, easy searching and manipulation of data contained therein based on features of textual data. 
     It should be appreciated that the system and methods disclosed enable content-based searching by enabling a user to identify a content-based query item. The content-based query item may be any suitable input which the system and methods may analyze to determine whether a feature is present in the content-based query item. For example, the content-based query item may be a feature, an example financial object including an example firm, a computer-generated or hand-drawn graph or image which describes a pattern in which one or more features are contained, or a description of one or more features. The use of example financial objects and example patterns as content-based query items is described immediately below. 
     The system and methods disclosed enable a user to utilize a database of financial information indexed by features contained in the data to search the database by example. For example, if a trader determines that Sears Holding Corp. is, in his or her opinion, a good buy opportunity based on a range of pricing and financial performance measure (e.g., its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio or its market-to-book value), the system and methods disclosed enable the trader to indicate that he or she would like to search the indexed database for firms similar to Sears Holding Corp. Though it would be possible to use keyword and rule-based searching to perform such a search, the task would be laborious, as the trader would have to input the exact values of the desirable financial features (e.g., a price-to-earnings ratio of 11). Moreover, current keyword and rule-based searching does not provide flexibility—that is, if a trader specifies that the minimum P/E ratio to be searched is 11, a P/E ratio of 10.9 would be excluded, though a firm with such a P/E ratio may useful to the trader. By searching for features included in the indexed database, the system and methods disclosed rank potential results according to a similarity score, and enable a user to assess the correlations. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart of an example process  600  for intelligently searching a financial database based on an example financial object. Although the example process  600  for searching based on an example financial object is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 6 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of searching based on an example financial object are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. 
     The example process  600  for intelligently searching a financial database based on an example financial object begins when a user identifies a financial object to use as an example (block  602 ). For example, a user may indicate to that he or she would like to search an indexed financial database for firms similar to Sears Holding Corp. (block  602 ). Alternatively, the user may specify an identifying characteristic of a financial object without specifying the name of the object such that the system performs an intelligent search to find financial objects with similar characteristics. It should be appreciated that a search may be performed on any type of financial object stored in the indexed database, and that the disclosure is not limited to searching based on example firm names. 
     The name of the identified financial firm in one embodiment is passed to the engine module  110 , where the engine module applies the domain knowledge appropriate for the user to extract specific financial features about the identified financial object (block  604 ). For example, the engine module  110  may extract features about the price, price-to-earnings ratio, or inventory time series associated with Sears Holding Corp. (block  604 ). In different embodiments, the features extracted depend upon the type of financial object specified, as certain types of financial objects cannot have certain features. It should be appreciated that the engine module  110  may also apply one or more user preferences, in the form of features or past user decisions, to further define the features which are extracted from the example financial object. 
     Once the system and methods have extracted the features of the example financial object, the time series data sets representing the features may have different mathematical signal transforms applied to them (block  606 ). For example, the system and methods may apply SVD, Fourier transforms, wavelet transforms, and/or time-frequently transforms to the time series data about the example financial object (block  606 ). The system and methods may project the transformed signals into the feature space defined in the construction of the indexed database (i.e. the feature space defined by the domain knowledge) to create a set of query vectors representing the features of the example financial object (block  606 ). It should be appreciated that the features contained in the example financial object need not have mathematical signal transforms applied. Indeed, some features (e.g., textual features such as news items) cannot have mathematical signal transforms applied to them. The system and methods may select the additional transforms to apply to the extracted features based in part on the user preferences, as discussed above. 
     After the query vectors have been defined, the query vectors are applied to the features (which in one embodiment are represented as feature vectors) in the indexed database (block  608 ). A similarity measure developed by training and domain knowledge is used to compare the query vectors with each feature vector in the indexed database (block  608 ). Moreover, a similarity score is calculated based on the training and domain knowledge for the feature vectors in the indexed database (block  608 ). The system and methods in one embodiment select a predetermined number of potential matches (i.e., six financial objects) to output and display to the user based on the similarity between the potential matches and the query vectors (block  608 ). In addition to outputting a representation of the financial object, the system and methods disclosed may also output the calculated similarity score (block  608 ). It should be appreciated that the similarity score may also be based, in part, on one or more user preferences stored by the system and methods disclosed 
     The system and methods disclosed enable a user to assess the similarity or correlation between the outputted results and the searched feature or features of the example financial object (block  610 ). The system and methods disclosed may provide a mechanism to enable the user to input a ranking or score about each returned financial object. If the ranking or scores indicated by the user are sufficiently high that the results are satisfactory to the user (block  610 ), the system and methods disclosed output the final results and store any user-entered similarity rankings or scores associated with the user and the query ( 612 ). 
     If the user ranking or scores indicate that the results are unsatisfactory (block  610 ), the system and methods store the ranking and scores in the domain knowledge, and perform a new comparison between the example financial object and the features contained in the indexed database based on the updated domain knowledge (block  614 ). The new results are outputted to the user and the similarity scoring process (block  610 ) begins again. 
     The system and methods disclosed also enable a user to search for features by providing a pattern to be matched. For example, if a user wishes to input a chart indicating a desired pattern for volume of a financial instrument traded over a given time period, the system and methods enable the user to do so. By simply drawing or uploading an envisioned pattern, the system and methods disclosed enable a user to search, for example, for all firms exhibiting a similar pattern of P/E ratios in a particular industry over the past 10 years. Moreover, because the knowledge base retains the user&#39;s inputs as to the similarity or applicability of a set of results, the logic used to assess “similar pattern” is customized to the user performing the search. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a similar intelligent search process to the process  600  illustrated by  FIG. 6 . However,  FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart of an example process  700  for intelligently searching a financial database based on a pattern. Although the example process  700  for intelligently searching a financial database based on a pattern is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 7 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of intelligently searching a financial database based on a pattern are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. 
     The example process  700  for intelligently searching a financial database based on a user-input pattern begins when a user identifies pattern to use as a search criterion (block  702 ). For example, a user may draw a chart indicating the shape of one or more specific financial features, such as price or price-to-earnings ratio time series data (block  702 ). Alternatively, the system and methods may enable the user to upload a chart containing the shape of a time series data set to be searched, or may enable the user to upload a spreadsheet or other numerical chart containing time series data to use as an example pattern. It should be appreciated that a search may be performed on a time series data set about any type of financial object stored in the indexed database, and that the disclosure is not limited to searching based on charts of price or price-to-earnings ratio. Additionally, it should be appreciated that the search based on a pattern may be based in part on one or more user preferences as disclosed above with respect to searching by example. 
     The chart or uploaded data in one embodiment is passed to the engine module  110 , where the engine module applies the domain knowledge appropriate for the user to extract specific financial features about the identified financial object (block  704 ). For example, the engine module  110  may extract the time series data represented by a hand-drawn or uploaded chart such that the features illustrated by the chart can be ascertained (block  704 ). In different embodiments, the features extracted depend upon the type of financial object specified, as certain types of financial objects cannot have certain features. 
     Once the system and methods have extracted the features of the example financial object, the time series data sets representing the features may have different mathematical signal transforms applied to them (block  706 ). For example, the system and methods may apply SVD, Fourier transforms, wavelet transforms, and/or time-frequently transforms to the time series data representing the example financial object (block  706 ). The system and methods may project the transformed signals into the feature space defined in the construction of the indexed database (i.e. the feature space defined by the domain knowledge) to create a set of query vectors representing the features of the example financial object (block  706 ). 
     After the query vectors have been defined, the query vectors are applied to the features (which in one embodiment are represented as feature vectors) in the indexed database (block  708 ). A similarity measure developed by training and domain knowledge is used to compare the query vectors with each feature vector in the indexed database (block  708 ). Moreover, a similarity score is calculated based on the training and domain knowledge for the feature vectors in the indexed database (block  708 ). The system and methods in one embodiment select a predetermined number of potential matches (i.e., six financial objects) to output and display to the user based on the similarity between the potential matches and the query vectors (block  708 ). In addition to outputting a representation of the financial object, the system and methods disclosed may also output the calculated similarity score (block  708 ). 
     The system and methods disclosed enable a user to assess the similarity or correlation between the outputted results and the searched feature or features of the example financial object (block  710 ). The system and methods disclosed may provide a mechanism to enable the user to input a ranking or score about each returned financial object. If the ranking or scores indicated by the user are sufficiently high that the results are satisfactory to the user (block  710 ), the system and methods disclosed output the final results and store any user-entered similarity rankings or scores associated with the user and the query ( 712 ). 
     If the user ranking or scores indicate that the results are unsatisfactory (block  710 ), the system and methods store the ranking and scores in the domain knowledge, and perform a new comparison between the features represented by the example pattern and the features contained in the indexed database based on the updated domain knowledge (block  714 ). The new results are outputted to the user and the similarity scoring process (block  710 ) begins again. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate screen shots of an example implementation of the searching by pattern process  700  discussed with reference to  FIG. 7 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , a screen shot  800  of an example interface displayed to a user is illustrated. The user in the illustrated embodiment is a commodities trader. The system and methods disclosed enable the trader to select the commodity whose data the trader would like to search  802 . In this embodiment, the commodity trader has selected to search data relating to seasonal pattern (corn). It should be appreciated that the system and methods disclosed may enable the trader to select from a list of stock names, markets, commodities, or any other relevant financial objects. 
     The system and method disclosed may provide the trader the opportunity to select the database to search  804 . In the illustrated example embodiment, the options about which database to search enable the trader to define the time period for which to search (i.e., daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly data). It should be appreciated that any suitable database selection is contemplated by the instant disclosure. Finally, the system and methods provide the trader the ability to select the display mode  806 . In the illustrated embodiment, the trader may select between the value of corn traded and the volume of corn traded. 
     The system and methods disclosed may enable a user to determine the x-axis and the y-axis of the graph the user wishes to use as an example. In the embodiment illustrated in screen  800  of  FIG. 8 , the x-axis is defined by the database options  804  such that the user may define the time period of the drawn graph. The y-axis is defined by the option to display the value of corn or the volume of corn sold  806 . Thus, the system and methods disclosed may provide the user with any appropriate choices for the x-axis and the y-axis, depending on the type of data  802  for which the user wishes to search using a user-drawn pattern. 
     The system and methods disclosed enable the trader in one embodiment to draw a graph to use as search input  808 . In a further embodiment, the trader may be provided with an import option that allows the user to select a file containing a digital representation of the shape of the graph such that the trader does not need to draw the graph by hand. In still another embodiment, the system and methods disclosed enable a trader to hand-draw a graph on paper, scan the paper into a personal computer, and use the scanned drawing as the basis for the pattern-based search disclosed. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a screen shot indicating the results of the pattern-based search based on the pattern  808  drawn by the trader. As illustrated in screen shot  900 , the trader&#39;s drawn pattern  808  is displayed to provide the trader a quick and easy way to visually compare the results of the pattern-based search. Additionally, six potential search matches are displayed to the trader and are arranged in the suggested order of relevance, with the most relevant result  904  being placed in the upper left result location and the least relevant result  908  being placed in the lower right result location. In one embodiment, the results screen  900  also provides the trader with one or more input boxes  906 . The input boxes  906  enable the trader to indicate the similarity score as a percentage. Thus, the trader inputs a value indicating the trader&#39;s assessment of the extent to which the result corresponds to the user-defined pattern  808 . The input boxes  906  may in different embodiments be check boxes that enable a trader to make a binary decision whether the result is relevant or not. Based on the check boxes  906  selected by the trader, the system updates its domain knowledge relative to the trader to further refine future searches, as discussed above. 
     The system and methods may enable automatic analysis of data customized to the user&#39;s preferences. For example, the knowledge base may build up sufficient information based on the user&#39;s decision history, similarity scores, or other input information to recognize that certain features or patterns of interest are of particular interest and use to the user. For example, the knowledge base may enable the system and methods to determine that a sudden change in the stock price or volume triggered by a news item is of particular interest to a user. Based on these determined patterns of interest, the system and methods may automatically or on a user&#39;s command search the features of the financial objects in the indexed database to determine whether any of the indexed features contain the features of interest to the user. These determinations may be made in any suitable way, including employing signal processing and pattern analysis algorithms. The results may then be provided to the user so as to enable the user to provide feedback assigning relevancy measures to the results. Alternatively, the system and methods may analyze the decisions the user makes based on the data provided to the user as a result of the automatic analysis to determine the relevance of the results. Either way, the information provided (explicitly or implicitly) by the user enables customization of the detection criteria for the user. 
     The system and methods disclosed also enable users to perform sophisticated processing on financial data by applying advanced signal processing techniques to features contained in data. For example, the system and methods disclosed enable a user to detect and remove the effects of any data series on another data series. This may enable a user to filter out the effects of inflation or other macroeconomic factors on a set of data, to enable the system and methods (or the user) to more easily detect cyclic patterns in the data. The user may apply any appropriate processing method including noise removal of stock price or volume data, noise removal of other financial ratios and/or data, customized trend removal from financial data, customized filtering of financial data, customized modeling of financial data, or any other desired content-based processing of financial data. It should be appreciated that the processing is performed by applying digital signal processing and/or pattern analysis algorithms, so any appropriate digital signal processing or pattern analysis algorithm may be used to perform content-based processing. Moreover, the system and methods disclosed may enable detection of abnormal patterns and automatic correlation of the abnormal patterns with market news contained in the indexed database. Since the system and methods learn from a user&#39;s past searches and processing requests, the system and methods may automatically process data according to a user&#39;s preferences to enable easier identification of certain features of the data. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an example process  1000  for performing intelligent, content-based processing of financial information. Although the example process  1000  for performing content-based processing of financial information is described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 10 , it will be appreciated that many other methods of performing content-based processing are contemplated. For example, the order of many of the blocks may be changed, and many of the blocks described are optional. Moreover, many of the blocks may be performed by one or more different modules than is described in the following detailed description. Additionally, the functions described may be performed by different modules than the modules referred to in the below-enumerated preferred embodiment. 
     The example process  1000  for performing intelligent, content-based financial information processing begins when a user at terminal  100  requests processing. The user may select one or more predefined signal processing tasks to perform on one or more time series data sets (block  1002 ). For example, the user may elect to perform a task such as noise removal, trend removal, or linear or nonlinear filtering on time series data such as price-to-earnings ratio for a given firm (block  1002 ). The user may select the financial object on which to perform processing based on one or more of the financial objects about which features are stored in the indexed database. Some of the signal processing tasks may not be applicable to all features about all financial objects in the indexed database. In different embodiments, the system and methods may select signal processing tasks based on one or more user preferences, such as a feature or a past investment decision. 
     After the user selects the time series data and the appropriate processing, the system and methods disclose apply one or more mathematical signal transforms to a feature space of interest (i.e., the feature space including the object which the user selected) (block  1004 ). For example, the system and methods may apply SVD, Fourier transforms, wavelet transforms, or time-frequency transforms to the time series data set selected by the user (block  1004 ). The system and methods also apply adaptive filtering algorithms such as LMS, Kalman filters, or decision feedback filters to the time series data set selected by the user (block  1004 ). These mathematical signal transforms and filters may be applied based on the selected type of processing, based on the domain knowledge about the user requesting the processing (i.e., the user preferences), or based on a combination of both factors. After the application of the transforms and filters, the results are output to the user (block  1006 ). 
     The system and methods then provide the user the opportunity to indicate whether the results of the filtering are satisfactory (block  1008 ). If the user indicates the results are satisfactory, the system and methods output the final results and store the request, the results, and the transforms and filters applied to the feature space of interest as part of the domain knowledge (block  1010 ). If the user indicates that the results of the filtering are unsatisfactory (block  1008 ), the system and methods enable the user to rate the results of the filtering and provide adjusted quantitative criteria such as mathematical error metrics (block  1012 ). Based on the supplied feedback, the system and methods disclosed adjust the feature space of interest and the filtering parameters (block  1012 ). Using the new parameters and feature space of interest, the system and methods again apply the transforms and filters (block  1004 ), output the results (block  1006 ), and enable the user to indicate whether the results are satisfactory (block  1008 ). This process is repeated until the user indicates that the results are satisfactory (block  1010 ). 
     For example, the domain knowledge may determine, or the user may explicitly request, that the statistical noise be removed from a time series data set about a particular financial object. Based on the processing explicitly commanded by the user or determined by the domain knowledge, the engine module  110  applies a digital signal processing algorithm to the feature space in representative of the time series data. For example, a noise-reducing algorithm may be applied to a set of data points about a particular financial object. 
     After applying the digital signal processing algorithm, the engine module  110  may display and store the new set of data and may enable the user to provide feedback about the processing by explicitly rating the accuracy of the results. For example, if the engine module  110  removes the noise from a chart of the performance of a certain stock, and the user takes a position in the stock, the domain knowledge may be updated to infer that future similar results from a digital signal processing algorithm favor taking positions in the stock on which the signal processing was performed. Alternatively, the engine module may make such positive inference only after the position is resolved favorably (i.e. the stock is sold for a financial gain). 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of an intelligent, content-based financial decision-making system  1100 . The decision-making system  1100  depicted in  FIG. 11  includes three modules  1101 ,  1102 , and  1103 . The first is an interface module  1101 , the second is a feedback module  1102 , and the third is a learning module  1103 . When all three modules function together, they enable the system to generate decisions  1106  in conformance with a user&#39;s past use of the system and the success of the decisions made by the user. In this way, the modules  1101 ,  1102 , and  1103  enable the system to apply domain knowledge learned by past use to suggest future decisions. It should be appreciated that each module may be implemented in any way known in the software design industry, and that each module may or may not be implemented to run on the same physical host machine. Moreover, one or more of the modules may be combined into a single module such that each module as depicted in  FIG. 11  may be implemented as a process included in a module. Finally, the disclosure contemplates the addition of further modules as needed to increase functionality, reporting, display, aesthetics, or to enable a networked implementation wherein multiple users may access one of the three illustrated modules simultaneously. 
     The interface module  1101  enables the decision-making system  1100  to receive input to define the conditions for decision-making. The interface module  1101  receives information from various sources indicating past system activities and users&#39; responses to those activities. The users&#39; responses enable the decision-making system  1100  to assess the desirability of certain outcomes as viewed by the user. The interface module  1101  may specifically accept three different types of input. First, the interface module  1101  may receive user input into the system (A)  1108 . For example, user input  1108  may include explicit user commands and responses to past decision-making system  1100  activities. These types of input are inputted into the decision-making system  1100  by the user by way of GUI module  106 . User input  1108  may also include a user&#39;s past history of decision making. Though such decision-making histories are not explicitly inputted into the decision-making system  1100  by way of the GUI module  106 , each decision is tracked (e.g. in the knowledge depository module  108 ) and can potentially be provided as an input to the interface module  1101 . Interface module  1101  may also take as an input the results of content-based queries (B)  1110 , performed as described above with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . For example, if a user performs a content-based query searching for “firms like firm X,” the results of the search may be provided to the interface module to enable the system to make decisions based on the users&#39; past activities. Finally, interface module  1101  may take as an input past signal and pattern analysis (C)  1112 , performed as described above with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . For example, if a user wishes to reduce the noise contained in a charted set of data, the interface module may take the reduced-noise data as an input to the decision-making system  1100  to help mold the decisions suggested to the preferences of a particular user. As illustrated by arrow  1116 , information and data flow from the interface module  1101  into the learning module  1103 , but in a preferred embodiment, information and data do not flow from the learning module  1103  to the interface module  1101 . 
     The feedback module  1102  enables the decisions made by the decision-making system  1100  to be evaluated as they are made either by the system itself or by a user. The feedback module  1102  thus provides information to the learning module  1103  representing user-inputted feedback and evaluation (D)  1114 , or representing system-generated feedback and evaluation (E)  1116 . The user-inputted feedback and evaluation  1114  may take the form of ratings of the accuracy of results or decisions, or may take the form of adjustments to the input conditions or to the decision and activity history. Additionally, the user-inputted feedback and evaluation  1114  may not be explicitly inputted by a user, but may be inferred based on the user&#39;s history of inputted requests, decisions, and the success of those decisions. Preferably, the system-generated feedback and evaluation  1116  is based on the system&#39;s accumulated domain knowledge, contained in knowledge depository module  108 . The system-generated feedback and evaluation  1116  may also be based in part upon real-time data available by way of the real-time data interface  218  as discussed above. It should be appreciated that in many embodiments, the ability to generate decisions based on real-time data is desirable in the financial industry. 
     Moreover, the system-generated feedback and evaluation  1116  may take the form of suggested alternative decisions and/or evaluation of the user&#39;s decision history. As indicated by arrow  1118 , the information flow from the feedback module  1102  to the learning module  1103  and vice versa enables the generated decisions  1106  that are eventually generated to be as accurate and reflective of the user&#39;s preferences and domain knowledge as possible. Thus, information may flow back and forth between the feedback module  1102  and the learning module  1103  many times before a decision is finally generated and executed, either by a user or by the system itself. 
     The learning module  1103  receives data from the interface module  1101  and the feedback module  1102 . The learning module  1103  preferably uses pattern analysis, neural networks, and other related algorithms to construct an automatic decision-making machine to simulate the user decision-making process based on the various input received. Once the learning module  1103  (and more specifically, the decision-making machine contained within the learning module  1103 ) arrives at a decision it concludes aligns with the various input it has received, the learning module  1103  sends potential decisions or recommendations to the feedback module  1102 , which, as discussed above, provides either user-based  1114  or system-based  1116  feedback as to the accuracy or applicability of a proposed decision. Based on the feedback received, the learning module  1103  refines its suggested decision and eventually arrives at an acceptable generated decision  1106 . This generated decision may be automatically made and carried out, for example resulting in the purchasing or sale of one or more financial instruments. Alternatively, the decision may be proposed to an individual for final determination whether to carry out the decision and purchase or sell one or more financial instruments. During the early learning stages of the learning module&#39;s  1103  operation, the proposed decisions may not actually be made, but may be charted and tracked to ensure that eventually the decisions being suggested are appropriate and prudent. It should be appreciated that the decision-making system  1100  disclosed herein may not provide reliable suggested decisions for some amount of time due to the required learning period. 
     It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.