Patent ID: 7925699

Claim:
A method for exchanging messages in a computer network using a public data template and a message transfer protocol involving the transmission of request and confirmation messages, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at a confirming system a request message via the computer network, the request message including a first data structure generated by packing application data that requires confirmation in the public data template, wherein the first data structure includes a message identification code unique to the first data structure; unpacking, into a different format, the application data and the message identification code included in the first data structure; providing the unpacked application data and the message identification code to a confirmation process to generate a confirmation result; creating a second data structure by re-packing the unpacked application data using a packing process, the packing process including packing the unpacked application data and the message identification code in the public data template; creating a confirmation message responsive to the request message, the confirmation message including the second data structure and the message identification code, wherein the message identification code and the content of the second data structure operate in conjunction to provide a basis for resuming or resetting the processing of the application data included in the first data structure upon receipt of the confirmation result by a first message recipient; and transmitting the confirmation message via the computer network to the first message recipient as a basis for detecting inconsistencies in the confirmation result reflective of a difference between content included in the first and second data structures.