Methods and systems for retrieving data stored in a database

Abstract

A computer-implemented, transaction-making, municipal bond trading system having a capability to conduct a private electronic auction of bid wanteds between a central brokers' broker and multiple prospective remote bidders and to maintain a reference database of accurate individual bond lot descriptions and identifications, including CUSIP (trademark) numbers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for trading bonds electronically, the method comprising:
 transmitting a list of bonds to a selling user computer;   receiving from the selling user a selection of a bond from the list of bonds to be included in a bid wanted;   receiving from the selling user computer a bid wanted for at least one bond lot comprising the selected bond, the bid wanted comprising at least one item of bond data system-incorporated into the bid wanted;   transmitting the bid wanted to a plurality of bidding users;   receiving a plurality of bids responding to the bid wanted from the plurality of bidding users; and   transmitting to the selling user a list comprising the plurality of bids received from the plurality of bidding users.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises data for identifying the at least one bond lot. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a unique issue identifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a bond description. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a maturity date. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a par value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a coupon value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a yield. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a settlement date. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item of bond data is incorporated into the bid wanted based at least on another item of bond data provided by the selling user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving a bond lot description from the selling user and incorporating a unique issue identifier into the bid wanted. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bond lot description is received from the selling user with the selling user selecting a bond from the list of bonds. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of bonds represents a bond offering. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving a query from the selling user specifying at least one of an issuer, a maturity, a yield, and a coupon, wherein the list of bonds comprises a plurality of bonds retrieved in response to the query. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the list of the plurality of bids is sorted by at least one of yield and price. 
     
     
         16 . A system for trading bonds electronically, the system comprising at least one computer connected over a computer network to at least one selling user computer and a plurality of bidding user computers, the at least one computer configured to:
 transmit a list of bonds to a selling user computer;   receive from the selling user a selection of a bond from the list of bonds to be included in a bid wanted;   receive from the selling user computer a bid wanted for at least one bond lot comprising the selected bond, the bid wanted comprising at least one item of bond data system-incorporated into the bid wanted;   transmit the bid wanted to a plurality of bidding users;   receive a plurality of bids responding to the bid wanted from the plurality of bidding users; and   transmit to the selling user a list comprising the plurality of bids received from the plurality of bidding users.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises data for identifying the at least one bond lot. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a unique issue identifier. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a bond description. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a maturity date. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a par value. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a coupon value. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a yield. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data comprises a settlement date. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one item of bond data is incorporated into the bid wanted based at least on another item of bond data provided by the selling user. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , the at least one computer configured to receive a bond lot description from the selling user and incorporate a unique issue identifier into the bid wanted. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the bond lot description is received from the selling user with the selling user selecting a bond from the list of bonds. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of bonds represents a bond offering. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 16 , the at least one computer configured to receive a query from the selling user specifying at least one of an issuer, a maturity, a yield, and a coupon, wherein the list of bonds comprises a plurality of bonds retrieved in response to the query. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the list of the plurality of bids is sorted by at least one of yield and price. 
     
     
         31 . A method for trading bonds electronically, the method comprising:
 transmitting a list of bonds to a selling user computer;   receiving from the selling user a selection of a bond from the list of bonds to be included in a bid wanted;   receiving from the selling user computer a bid wanted for at least one bond lot comprising the selected bond, the bid wanted comprising a unique issue identifier system-incorporated into the bid wanted with the selling user selecting a bond from the list of bonds;   transmitting the bid wanted to a plurality of bidding users;   receiving a plurality of bids responding to the bid wanted from the plurality of bidding users;   transmitting to the selling user a list comprising the plurality of bids received from the plurality of bidding users;   receiving an acceptance of at least one of the bids; and   executing a trade of the at least one bond lot between the selling user and at least one of the plurality of bidding user that submitted the accepted at least one bids.