Patent ID: 7930227

Claim:
A method for determining a type of an option spread based upon options received from an input device, the method comprising the steps of (a) determining, by a computer, a first previous option count; (b) receiving a first option from an input device, the first option comprising an optioncode, a contract, a strike, and a callput; (c) assigning a quantity for the first option; (d) determining, by said computer, a second previous option count; (e) receiving a second option from an input device the second option comprising an optioncode, a contract, a strike, and a callput; (f) comparing, by said computer, the second option to the first option; (g) assigning a quantity for at least one of the first option and the second option based upon the comparison of the second option to the first option; and (h) determining, by said computer, a type of option spread based upon at least one of the first and second option counts, the comparison of the second option to the first option, and the assigned quantities of the first and second options.