Patent ID: 7676406

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for an exchange to adjust positions of market participants in a futures contract based on an underlying commodity, the exchange having a computer operable in accordance with computer programming stored in a computer readable medium to perform the method comprising: identifying, for physical delivery of the commodity, open first-nearby time positions of a particular size which were held through contract expiry, market participants having the open first-nearby time positions of the particular size being obligated to make or take physical delivery of the commodity pursuant to terms of the contract; matching the identified open first-nearby time positions of a particular size with other open first-nearby time positions, the other open first-nearby time positions including positions of the particular size or positions of less than the particular size; making additions to or subtractions from open first-nearby time positions of market participants that are less than the particular size, including making additions to the positions of less than the particular size; and updating an electronic database stored in electronic memory to reflect the additions or subtractions to positions of market participants.