Patent ID: 8099501

Claim:
A data processing system comprising: a. a first client work station for entering a first transaction request, wherein said first transaction request has a first one of a plurality of protocols; b. an enterprise server for responding to said first transaction request using an enterprise protocol which is not one of said plurality of protocols; c. a second client work station for entering a second transaction request wherein said second transaction request has a second one of said plurality of protocols which is different from said first one of said plurality of protocols responsively coupled to said enterprise server via said digital communication network; d. a generic gateway interposed between said first user terminal and said enterprise server and between said second user terminal and said enterprise server which responsively couples said first client work station and said second client work station to said enterprise server by converting said first one and said second one of said plurality of protocols to said enterprise protocol; and a plurality of adapters interposed between said generic gateway and said first client work station and said second client work station which responsively couples said first client work station to said generic gateway via a first one of said plurality of adapters which corresponds to said first one of said plurality of protocols and which responsively couples said second client work station to said generic gateway via a second one of said plurality of adapters which corresponds to said second one of said plurality of protocols.