Method and apparatus for a fair exchange
A fair exchange is disclosed to reduce potential inequities in an electronic trading environment. Market data is sent from a host system to client devices through one or more synchronized local communication servers such that the data can be displayed simultaneously or nearly simultaneously at each client device. Market data sent to client devices might include price information. Likewise, a host system may transaction data sent from client devices via the local communication servers. The ordering of transaction data is based, at least in part, on when the local communication servers received the transaction data from the client devices. Transaction data sent to a host system might include order information.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a processor, including instructions executable to:
determining a first time based on a first travel time and a first receipt time, wherein the first time is determined by subtracting the first travel time from the first receipt time, wherein the first travel time is a travel time from a first network device to an exchange host system including the processor, wherein the first receipt time is a time a first transaction message is received by the exchange host system, wherein the first transaction message is received by the exchange host system from a first client device through the first network device, wherein the first time is an approximation of the time at which the first client device sent the first transaction message;
determining a second time based on a second travel time and a second receipt time, wherein the second time is determined by subtracting the second travel time from the second receipt time, wherein the second travel time is a travel time from a second network device to the exchange host system, wherein the second receipt time is a time a second transaction message is received by the exchange host system, wherein the second transaction message is received by the exchange host system from a second client device through the second network device, wherein the second time is an approximation of the time at which the second client device sent the second transaction message; and
prioritizing the first transaction message and the second transaction message by ordering the first transaction message and the second transaction message for processing from earliest to latest based on the first time and the second time, wherein the prioritizing of the first transaction message and the second transaction message is not completed until after a delay period has elapsed.
2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first transaction message includes an order.
3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first network device is geographically positioned at approximately the same location as the first client device and wherein the second network device is geographically positioned at approximately the same location as the second client device.
4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first network device and the second network device are under control of the exchange host system.
5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first travel time and the second travel time are determined by the exchange host system.
6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first travel time and the second travel time are stored in a look-up table.
7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first time is determined before the second transaction message is received by the exchange host system.
8. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the delay period is based on at least one of the first travel time and the second travel time.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the delay period is preselected.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the delay period is based on a longest travel time from each of a plurality of network devices to the exchange host system, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the first network device and the second network device.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the delay period is based on a difference between the longest travel time and at least one of the first travel time and the second travel time.
12. A system including:
an exchange host system,
wherein the exchange host system is configured to determining a first time based on a first travel time and a first receipt time, wherein the first time is determined by subtracting the first travel time from the first receipt time, wherein the first travel time is a travel time from a first network device to the exchange host system, wherein the first receipt time is a time a first transaction message is received by the exchange host system, wherein the first transaction message is received by the exchange host system from a first client device through the first network device, wherein the first time is an approximation of the time at which the first client device sent the first transaction message;
wherein the exchange host system is configured to determining a second time based on a second travel time and a second receipt time, wherein the second time is determined by subtracting the second travel time from the second receipt time, wherein the second travel time is a travel time from a second network device to the exchange host system, wherein the second receipt time is a time a second transaction message is received by the exchange host system, wherein the second transaction message is received by the exchange host system from a second client device through the second network device, wherein the second time is an approximation of the time at which the second client device sent the second transaction message; and
wherein the exchange host system is configured to prioritizing the first transaction message and the second transaction message by ordering the first transaction message and the second transaction message for processing from earliest to latest based on the first time and the second time, wherein the prioritizing of the first transaction message and the second transaction message is not completed until after a delay period has elapsed.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first transaction message includes an order.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first network device is geographically positioned at approximately the same location as the first client device and wherein the second network device is geographically positioned at approximately the same location as the second client device.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first network device and the second network device are under control of the exchange host system.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first travel time and the second travel time are determined by the exchange host system.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first travel time and the second travel time are stored in a look-up table.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first time is determined before the second transaction message is received by the exchange host system.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delay period is based on at least one of the first travel time and the second travel time.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delay period is preselected.
21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the delay period is based on a longest travel time from each of a plurality of network devices to the exchange host system, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the first network device and the second network device.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the delay period is based on a difference between the longest travel time and at least one of the first travel time and the second travel time.