Method for organizing financial instruments in a CSD-system

1. A computerized Centralized Securities Depository (CSD)-system comprising:

a CSD memory including a register structure of a plurality of financial instruments and financial instrument templates, each of which is defined by attributes, and each attribute has an associated one of plural inheritance characteristics,

a CSD computer coupled to the CSD memory that configures the financial instruments and financial instrument templates in a hierarchical, multi-level structure based on the attributes and their associated inheritance characteristics such that a financial instrument or a financial instrument template on one level in a hierarchy is defined by selectively inheriting, dependent upon the associated inheritance characteristics of the attributes, the attributes of a financial instrument template on a next higher level in the hierarchy,

wherein the CSD computer is arranged to link each financial instrument to a financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy, and

wherein a highest level in the hierarchy includes financial instrument templates that cannot be traded within the CSD-system and financial instrument templates on lower levels in the hierarchy are also financial instruments which can be traded within the CSD-system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein an amendment to an attribute in a financial instrument or a financial instrument template will cause the same amendment in the same attribute of those financial instruments or financial instrument templates which are linked to the amended financial instrument or the amended financial instrument template, and which are on the lower levels in the hierarchy than the amended financial instrument or the amended financial instrument template.

3. The system of claim 1 , in which the financial instruments on the next higher level in the hierarchy are also the financial instrument templates.

4. The system of claim 1 , in which the financial instrument templates in the hierarchy are only allowed one link to a hierarchical level above their own hierarchical level, but more than one link to hierarchical levels below their own hierarchical level.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plural inheritance characteristics include a mandatory, an optional, and an exclude inheritance characteristics, and wherein the mandatory inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute must be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy, the optional inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute may be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy, and the exclude inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute shall not be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the attributes has an associated value that may be inherited at the one level in the hierarchy along with its associated attribute.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each attribute value has an associated inheritance characteristic, and wherein inheritance of each attribute value to a next lower level in the hierarchy depends on its associated inheritance characteristic.

8. A method comprising:

providing financial instruments and financial instrument templates for safekeeping in a computer-implemented Centralized Securities Depository (CSD)-system that includes a CSD computer,

defining, by the CSD computer, each of the financial instruments and each of the financial instrument templates by attributes, where each attribute has an associated one of plural inheritance characteristics,

configuring, by the CSD computer, the financial instruments and financial instrument templates together in a hierarchical, multi-level structure based on the attributes and their associated inheritance characteristics,

defining, by the CSD computer, a financial instrument or financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy by selectively inheriting, dependent upon the associated inheritance characteristics of the attributes, the attributes of a financial instrument template on a next higher level in the hierarchy, and

linking, by the CSD computer, each financial instrument to a financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy,

wherein a highest level in the hierarchy includes financial instrument templates that cannot be traded within the CSD-system and financial instrument templates on lower levels in the hierarchy are also financial instruments which can be traded within the CSD-system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein an amendment to an attribute in a financial instrument or a financial instrument template will cause the same amendment in the same attribute of those financial instruments or financial instrument templates which are linked to the amended financial instrument or the amended financial instrument template, and which are on the lower levels in the hierarchy than the amended financial instrument or the amended financial instrument template.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the financial instruments placed on the next higher level in the hierarchy are financial instrument templates on a lower level in the hierarchy.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the financial instrument templates in the hierarchy having only one link to a level above their own level can have more than one link to levels below their own level.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein a financial instrument is added to the CSD-system using the steps of:

finding an existing financial instrument or a financial instrument template in the CSD-system which has all of the attributes of the financial instrument which is to be added,

placing the financial instrument which is to be added on a level in the hierarchy which is below the existing financial instrument or the financial instrument template, and

creating a link between the financial instrument to be added and the existing financial instrument or the financial instrument template.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plural inheritance characteristics include a mandatory, an optional, and an exclude inheritance characteristics, and wherein the mandatory inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute must be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy, the optional inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute may be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy, and the exclude inheritance characteristic means that the associated attribute shall not be inherited by the financial instrument or the financial instrument template on one level in the hierarchy from the financial instrument template on the next higher level in the hierarchy.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of at least some of the attributes has an associated value that may be inherited at the one level in the hierarchy along with its associated attribute.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each attribute value has an associated inheritance characteristic, and wherein inheritance of each attribute value to a next lower level in the hierarchy depends on its associated inheritance characteristic.