Circular Buffer for Instant Audio Playback in Trading Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current trading communication systems face challenges in quickly recalling and acting on specific audio conversations due to time-consuming playback processes and the need for management approvals, which can delay traders' responses to time-sensitive information.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for recording and reproducing audio channel signals using a processor that captures signals, stores them in a circular buffer, and allows for instant playback by copying signals into a temporary buffer while continuing to record, enabling immediate access to recent audio conversations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If recordings are stored on remote servers and require management approval for playback, then compliance and security are improved, but access time and response speed deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecomplianceVSAvoidaccess time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides recording storage into two segments: a local buffer on the trader's desktop for immediate access and a remote server for permanent compliant storage. This segmentation allows the trader to access recent recordings instantly from the local buffer while compliance requirements are met through remote server storage and approval mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The local buffer acts as an intermediary between the remote recording server and the trader. It temporarily holds copies of recent recordings, enabling fast local access without requiring direct connection to the remote server and management approval processes, thus resolving the time delay while maintaining compliance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traders monitor multiple audio channels simultaneously, then comprehensive market information is improved, but ability to focus on specific time-sensitive information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation coverageVSAvoidmissed information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by continuously recording all audio channels in the buffer before any playback is requested. This ensures that when a trader wants to review a specific channel or time period, the information is already captured and ready for immediate playback, eliminating the need to choose between monitoring multiple channels and capturing important information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of audio signals from multiple channels and stores them in the buffer simultaneously. This copying mechanism allows traders to access and review any channel's content at any time without affecting the continuous monitoring of all other channels, thus maintaining comprehensive information coverage while enabling focused review when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If a circular buffer continuously overwrites old recordings, then storage efficiency is improved, but availability of historical recordings deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidrecording retention period
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments recording storage into a volatile circular buffer for recent recordings and a permanent remote server for historical archives. The circular buffer efficiently overwrites old data to maintain storage efficiency for recent content, while the remote server preserves historical recordings indefinitely, resolving the contradiction between storage efficiency and historical availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous recording in the circular buffer while simultaneously archiving to the remote server. This continuous dual-action approach ensures that recent recordings are immediately accessible via the efficient circular buffer while historical recordings are continuously preserved on the remote server, maintaining both storage efficiency and long-term availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP1992094B1System, method and apparatus for recording and reproducing trading communications
Publication Date: 2016.07.20 IPC SYSTEMS INC
  • EP1992094B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1992094B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1992094B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Apparatus, method and system (700) are provided for recording and reproducing (718) audio channel signals. A processor (702) captures the audio channel signals communicated through communication channels over a network (712). A circular buffer (716) configured to store the audio channel signals captured by the processor (702), such that when the end of the circular buffer (716) is reached the storing starts at a beginning of the circular buffer (716), is also included. An actuator actuates the processor (702) to copy the audio channel signals stored in the circular buffer (716) into a temporary buffer (704) and cause the processor to reproduce the audio channel signals stored in the temporary buffer.