Interactive financial charting and related news correlation

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed by which users looking for financial information about publicly traded or private companies may richly and interactively navigate both pricing and material news information about those companies. The techniques facilitate and encourage the user's use and understanding of financial information presented. Related company information can also be provided to the user, where related companies are organized by hierarchal categories for a meaningful display.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system configured for providing financial/company data in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 a is a block diagram of a server system shown in FIG. 1, configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 b is a block diagram of a related company identifier shown in FIG. 2a, configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a client-side finance module shown in FIG. 1, configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a user interface for a finance information service system, configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, and 5c each illustrate details of the user interface shown in FIG. 4, configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for computing a group of related companies, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A user interface of a system for providing financial information about a target entity in response to a user request, the user interface comprising: a main chart for showing a graph of financial data over a first time period;a second chart displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for showing a graph of financial data over a second time period that includes the first time period; anda user-adjustable viewing window displayed on the second chart, wherein the first time period of the main chart is defined by placement of the viewing window on the second chart.

2. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising: one or more news flags displayed on the graph of the main chart, with each flag anchored at a time included in the first time period that corresponds to publication of a related news article.

3. The user interface of claim 2 further comprising: a news section displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for displaying a link to each of the related news articles.

4. The user interface of claim 3 wherein related news article links displayed in the news section are updated responsive to the user-adjustable viewing window being adjusted, so that only news article links corresponding to the fist time period are displayed.

5. The user interface of claim 3 wherein candidate related news article links are ranked, and only N of top-ranked article links corresponding to the first time period are displayed in the news section.

6. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is a subset of the financial data of the second chart graph.

7. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the main and second charts are both stock price charts.

8. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is distinct from the financial data of the second chart graph.

9. The user interface of claim 1 wherein a user can select a first type of financial data for the main chart graph and a second type of financial data for the second chart graph.

10. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the target entity is a publicly traded company, and the main chart graph is stock price, and the second chart graph is a stock parameter other than stock price.

11. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the user-adjustable viewing window is configured with navigation handles that enable a user to adjust viewing window size and position.

12. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the second chart includes one or more pan controls that allow a user to adjust the second time period.

13. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the user interface is incrementally updated with new financial data received in response to subsequent data requests.

14. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the main chart is tile-based.

15. A method for providing financial information about a target entity in response to a user request, the method comprising: providing a main chart for showing a graph of financial data over a first time period;providing a second chart displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for showing a graph of financial data over a second time period that includes the first time period; andproviding a user-adjustable viewing window displayed on the second chart, wherein the first time period of the main chart is defined by placement of the viewing window on the second chart.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is a subset of the financial data of the second chart graph.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is distinct from the financial data of the second chart graph.

18. A machine-readable medium encoded with instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the processor to carry out a process for providing financial information about a target entity in response to a user request, the process comprising: providing a main chart for showing a graph of financial data over a first time period;providing a second chart displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for showing a graph of financial data over a second time period that includes the first time period; andproviding a user-adjustable viewing window displayed on the second chart, wherein the first time period of the main chart is defined by placement of the viewing window on the second chart.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, the process further comprising: providing one or more news flags displayed on the graph of the main chart, with each flag anchored at a time included in the first time period that corresponds to publication of a related news article.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the process further comprising: providing a news section displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for displaying a link to each of the related news articles.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein related news article links displayed in the news section are updated responsive to the user-adjustable viewing window being adjusted, so that only news article links corresponding to the fist time period are displayed.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein candidate related news article links are ranked, and only N of top-ranked article links corresponding to the first time period are displayed in the news section.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is a subset of the financial data of the second chart graph.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is distinct from the financial data of the second chart graph.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein a user can select a first type of financial data for the main chart graph and a second type of financial data for the second chart graph.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the target entity is a publicly traded company, and the main chart graph is stock price, and the second chart graph is a stock parameter other than stock price.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the user-adjustable viewing window is configured with navigation handles that enable a user to adjust viewing window size and position.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the user interface is incrementally updated with new financial data received in response to subsequent data requests.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the main chart is tile-based.

30. A system for providing financial information for a target entity in response to a user request, the system comprising: means for providing a main chart for showing a graph of financial data over a first time period;means for providing a second chart displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for showing a graph of financial data over a second time period that includes the first time period; andmeans for providing a user-adjustable viewing window displayed on the second chart, wherein the first time period of the main chart is defined by placement of the viewing window on the second chart.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising: means for providing one or more news flags displayed on the graph of the main chart, with each flag anchored at a time included in the first time period that corresponds to publication of a related news article.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising: means for providing a news section displayed concurrently with the main chart, and for displaying a link to each of the related news articles.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein related news article links displayed in the news section are updated responsive to the user-adjustable viewing window being adjusted, so that only news article links corresponding to the fist time period are displayed.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein candidate related news article links are ranked, and only N of top-ranked article links corresponding to the first time period are displayed in the news section.

35. The system of claim 30 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is a subset of the financial data of the second chart graph.

36. The system of claim 30 wherein the financial data of the main chart graph is distinct from the financial data of the second chart graph.

37. The system of claim 30 wherein a user can select a first type of financial data for the main chart graph and a second type of financial data for the second chart graph.

38. The system of claim 30 wherein the target entity is a publicly traded company, and the main chart graph is stock price, and the second chart graph is a stock parameter other than stock price.

39. The system of claim 30 wherein the user-adjustable viewing window is configured with navigation handles that enable a user to adjust viewing window size and position.