Systems and methods for trading with market depth information

A method for displaying market depth information and identifying unusual or aberrational trading patterns, comprising:

• receiving at a first computing device coupled with a display device, full-order or price aggregated market depth information for a market instrument as input from one or more second computing devices over a network, said market depth information including a plurality of bid and ask order metrics at corresponding prices of the market instrument and associated time information, wherein the bid and ask order metrics include a plurality of bid and ask order volumes;
• generating a graphical representation of the market depth information having a first axis corresponding to time and a second axis corresponding to price of the market instrument, the graphical representation being a two-dimensional grid demarked by time intervals along the first axis and price intervals along the second axis, wherein a historical market depth profile of the market instrument is represented along the first axis;
• generating a discrete color gradient corresponding to one or more of the plurality of bid and ask order metrics based on at least the market depth information;
• aligning the discrete color gradient corresponding to one or more of the plurality of bid and ask order metrics at corresponding locations within each of the first axis and the second axis intervals of the graphical representation of the market depth information, wherein the grid is indexed by time interval and price interval, and wherein the color gradient at each location within the grid corresponds to a volume over the corresponding time interval;
• comparing, with the first computing device, the grid with one or more predetermined criteria indicative of aberrational order volume at a location within the grid;
• changing the coloring of locations within the grid corresponding to aberrational order volume;
• continuously updating the color gradient and axis alignment based on at least the market depth information, and indicating, via the color gradient, a suggested price point for placing an order;
• displaying, with the display device, the graphical representation of the market depth information and the aligned color gradient, wherein the graphical representation is displayed onto a plot area and the aligned color gradient is displayed within the graphical representation wherein the plot area includes a button configured to accept a first user input corresponding to a desired trade price and a scroll bar configured to accept a second user input corresponding to a zoom action, and wherein the aligned color gradient corresponds to one or more of the plurality of bid and ask order metrics within the graphical representation, wherein the display device facilitates execution of a trade, and wherein the suggested price point identifies a price without signaling trade intentions;
• receiving a first input on the display device, via an input device;
• determining, in response to the receipt of the first input, a visual change in the plot area;
• updating the plot area on the display device to reflect the visual change;
• receiving a second input via the input device for an order to be placed at the suggested price point;
• displaying an entry dialog on the display device in response to receipt of the second input;
• and
• submitting the order at the suggested price point to a stock exchange in order to execute a trade.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes a computer system to display market depth information and identify unusual or aberrational trading patterns by performing the steps of:

• receiving full-order or price aggregated market depth information for a market instrument as input from one or more second computing device over a network, said market depth information including a plurality of bid and ask order metrics at corresponding prices of the market instrument and associated time information, wherein the bid and ask order metrics include a plurality of bid and ask order volumes;
• generating a graphical representation of the market depth information having a first axis corresponding to time and a second axis corresponding to price of the market instrument, the graphical representation being a two-dimensional grid demarked by time intervals along the first axis and price intervals along the second axis, wherein a historical market depth profile of the market instrument is represented along the first axis;
• generating a discrete color gradient corresponding to one or more of the plurality of bid and ask order metrics based on at least the market depth information;
• aligning the discrete color gradient corresponding to one or more of the plurality of bid and ask order metrics at corresponding locations within each of the first axis and the second axis intervals of the graphical representation of the market depth information, wherein the color gradient at each location within the two-dimensional grid corresponds to a volume over the corresponding time interval;
• comparing the two-dimensional grid with one or more predetermined criteria indicative of aberrational order volume at a location within the two-dimensional grid;
• changing the coloring of locations within the two-dimensional grid corresponding to aberrational order volume;
• continuously updating the color gradient and axis alignment based on at least the market depth information, and indicate, via the color gradient, a suggested price point for placing an order, wherein the suggested price point for placing an order identifies a price without signaling trade intentions;
• displaying, via a display device coupled with the first computing device, the graphical representation of the market depth information and the aligned color gradient, wherein the graphical representation is displayed onto a plot area and the aligned color gradient is displayed within the graphical representation, and wherein the plot area includes a button configured to accept a first user input corresponding to a desired trade price and a scroll bar configured to accept a second user input corresponding to a zoom action;
• determining a change in the display of the plot area in response to receipt of a first input within the plot area of the display device;
• updating the plot area on the display device, wherein the update reflects the change in the display of the plot area;
• displaying an entry dialog on the display device in response to receipt of a second user input via an input device for an order to be placed;
• and
• submitting the order at the suggested price point to a stock exchange to execute a trade.