Patent ID: 6873620
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communication system comprising: at least two communication networks over which communications between physical devices connected to said communication networks are to be carried, said communication networks implementing different protocols for messaging; and a communication server acting between said communication networks and through which messages transmitted between said communication networks pass, said communication server comprising a knowledge base storing information identifying each physical device registered in said communication system, information identifying registered connections available in said communication system including protocol conversion information for each registered connection where necessary and information identifying the status of each actual connection between physical devices in said communication system, said communication server accessing said knowledge base upon receipt of a message and searching said knowledge base for appropriate protocol conversion information, wherein during said searching said communication server initially uses a header of said message as a key to searching said knowledge base for said protocol conversion information and if said search fails, said communication server uses a body of said message as said key to search said knowledge base for said protocol conversion information, said communication server converting the protocol of the received message to a protocol compatible with the communication network to which said message is being sent using the determined protocol conversion information.