Patent ID: 7143169

Claim:
In a first data communications device, a method for load balancing messages, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a message containing extra data, the extra data being inserted into a payload of the message by a second data communications device existing in a network coupling the first data communications device to a first computerized device that originated the message, wherein receiving a message comprises (i) extracting the extra data from the message, and (ii) adjusting the connection information included within the message such that the message no longer contains the extra data and is reverted to a state that existed before the second data communications device inserted the extra data into the message, wherein the payload is transmitted by the first computerized device; identifying, based on the extra data inserted into the message, a second computerized device that is to process the message, wherein identifying a second computerized device comprises (i) obtaining the extra data from the message, the extra data inserted into the message by the second data communications device including a demographic server identification that identifies a demographic server that maintains demographic information associated with the first computerized device that originated the message, and (ii) comparing the extra data to routing criteria to select an identity of a second computerized device, from a plurality of second computerized devices that are capable of processing the message, the identified second computerized device being a device to which the step of forwarding forwards the message, the routing criteria indicating groups of second computerized devices of the plurality of second computerized devices associated with respective demographic servers wherein comparing the extra data comprises (a) identifying a demographic server corresponding to the demographic server identification included in the extra data, (b) selecting, from the groups of second computerized devices indicated by the routing criteria, a specific group of second computerized devices associated with the identified demographic server, and (c) identifying one second computerized device from the selected specific group of second computerized devices associated with the demographic server corresponding to the demographic server identification included in the extra data, such that the step of forwarding forwards the message to the identified second computerized device; and forwarding the message, without the extra data, to the second computerized device for processing, the message including connection information that the second data communications device modified during the process of inserting the extra data such that a connection over which the message is transmitted between the first computerized device and the second computerized device is not disrupted by the insertion of the extra data into the message by the second data communications device.