Message handling system for automated gateway between first and second handling systems wherein first envelope is added to a second envelope respectively without changing text

• US 5,577,202 A
• Filed: 08/24/1992
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Padgett, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Sang Hui
• Application Number:
  US07/934,602
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/275, 395/200, 395/200.02, 395/200.16, 395/200.17, 395/200.18, 364/287, 364/604, 364/260.9, 364/840, 364/284.3, 379/219, 379/220, 379/229, 379/231
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

An automated gateway system for interfacing a first message handling system with a second message handling system. In the preferred embodiment, the automated gateway of the present invention allows the exchange between a formal system such as the United States Department of Defense AUTODIN message handling system and an informal system such as the International Standards Organization X.400 message handling system. Messages received from a first one of the message handling systems are processed and sent to a message routing unit which determines if the message should be sent to the first or second message handling system. If the second message handling system address exists, an automated gateway user agent validates the address and creates a second message handling system envelope around the entire message and submits it to the second message handling system.

Claims

1. A message handling system comprising:

a first preexisting message handling system including a plurality of user addresses connected to a first communication pathway;

a second preexisting message handling system including a plurality of user addresses connected to a second communication pathway wherein said first message handling system requires messages to contain specified message handling attribute information, such that messages from the second message handling system are incompatible with the first message handling system; and

automated gateway means for providing an interface between the first and second message handling systems, said gateway means being coupled to said first and second communication pathways means and including;

message routing means for receiving messages from one of said plurality of user addresses in said first and second message handling systems, said routing means including means for storing a table of said user addresses existing in the first message handling system;

means for determining if the text of said message received from one of said plurality of user addresses in said second message handling system contains one of said first message handling system addresses in said table;

means for creating a first message handling system envelope and adding it to said second message handling system message if it contains a first message handling system address, wherein said envelope contains said first message handling system message handling attribute information thereby making the second message handling system message compatible with the first message handling system while leaving the format of the text of said second message handling system message substantially unaltered, said first message handling system envelope being incompatible with said second message handling system;

means for transferring said second message handling system message containing said envelope to one of said plurality of user addresses in said first message handling system; and

means for transmitting said received second message handling system messages containing only second message handling system addresses back to said second message handling system communication pathway unchanged without said envelope.

2. The automated gateway of claim 1 further comprising a message transfer agent for determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains only addresses in said first message handling system, said message transfer agent including means for directing said message containing only addresses in said first message handling system back to said first message handling system, and means for directing a message received by said message transfer agent containing an address in said second message handling system to said second message handling system.

3. The automated gateway of claim 1 wherein said first message handling system is a formal message handling system and said second message handling system is an informal message handling system.

4. The automated gateway of claim 1 further comprising a user agent means usable in either a manual or automatic mode.

5. The automated gateway of claim 3 wherein said first message handling system is the Department of Defense AUTODIN network and the second message handling system is the International Standards Organization X.400 message handling system.

6. The automated gateway of claim 5 wherein said first message handling system message comprises at least one of ACP-127, JANAP-128 or DOI-103 message types.

7. The automated gateway of claim 5 further comprising message input processing means for providing security validation, message routing and logging functions.

8. The message routing system of claim 7 wherein said means for converting the format further comprises means for creating an envelope around said second type message which complies with said format requirements of the first message handling system.

9. The automated gateway of claim 7 wherein said message input processing means unit replicates messages containing both AUTODIN and X.400 message addresses and transfers multiple versions of said message to the message routing means.

10. A communication system comprising:

a first preexisting message handling system operative on messages on a first communication pathway, said messages conforming to a first message handling format and said first message handling system having first system addresses;

a second preexisting message handling system having second system addresses operative on messages on a second communication pathway, said messages conforming to a second message handling system format wherein messages from the second message handling system are incompatible with the first message handling system;

message routing means coupled to said first and second communication pathways for receiving messages from said first and second message handling systems and determining if a message received from said second message handling system should be sent to said first or to said second message handling system, said routing means including means for storing a table of addresses existing in the first message handling system;

means for determining if the text of said message received from said second message handling system contains one of said first message handling system addresses;

means for creating a first message handling system envelope and adding it to said message received from said second message handling system if it contains a first message handling system address, said envelope conforming to said first message handling format thereby making the second message handling system message compatible with the first message handling system while leaving the format of the text of said second message handling system message substantially unaltered; and

means for transferring said second message handling system message with said envelope to said first message handling system, wherein messages are transferred from said second message handling system to said first message handling system.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein said message routing means further includes means for routing said message to said second message handling system if said received message does not contain a first message handling system address.

12. The communication system of claim 10 further comprising a message transfer agent for determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains only addresses in said first message handling system, said message transfer agent including means for directing said message containing only addresses in said first message handling system back to said first message handling system, and means for directing a message received by said message transfer agent containing an address in said second message handling system to said second message handling system.

13. The communication system of claim 10 wherein said first message handling system is a formal message handling system and said second message handling system is an informal message handling system.

14. The communication system of claim 10 further comprising a user agent means usable in either an automatic or manual mode.

15. The communication system of claim 13 wherein said first message handling system is the United States Department of Defense AUTODIN network and the second message handling system is the International Standards Organization X.400 message handling system.

16. A method for interfacing a first message handling system having addresses on a first communication pathway with a second message handling system having addresses on a second communication pathway wherein said first message handling system requires messages to contain a specified first message handling system format incompatible with said second message handling system, said method comprising the steps of:

comparing the text of a message received from the second message handling system data pathway to a table of addresses in said first message handling system;

creating an envelope around said second message handling system message if it contains a first message handling system address, said envelope contains said first message handling system format and said envelope being incompatible with said second message handling system thereby making said second message handling system message compatible with the first message handling system while leaving the format of the text of said second message handling system message substantially unaltered;

transferring said second message handling system message with said envelope to said first message handling system; and

transferring second message handling messages containing only second message handling system addresses back to said second message handling system unchanged without said envelope.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of routing said second message handling system message back to said second message handling system if said received message does not contain a first message handling system address.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains only addresses in said first message handling system and if so directing said message back to said first message handling system; and

directing messages from said second message handling system containing only an address in said second message handling system back to said second message handling system.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said second message handling system has a second system format and further comprising the step of determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains an address in said second message handling system and, if so, converting said message to said second message handling system format and transmitting said message to said second message handling system.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said first message handling system requires messages to contain specific message attribute information and said step of creating an envelope around said second message handling system message further comprises the step of creating an envelope containing said specified message attribute information.

21. A method for interfacing a first formal message handling system having addresses on a first communication pathway with a second informal message handling system having addresses in a second communication pathway wherein said first message handling system requires messages to contain specified message handling attribute information not contained in said second message handling system messages, said message handling attribute information including data indicative of said addresses on said first communication pathway, said method comprising the steps of:

comparing the text of a message received from the second message handling system data pathway, to a table of addresses in said first message handling system;

creating an envelope and adding it to said second message handling system message if it contains a first message handling system address, said envelope containing said first system handling attribute information and said envelope being incompatible with said second message handling system thereby making said second message handling system message compatible with the first message handling system while leaving the format of the text of said second message handling system message substantially unaltered, wherein said first message handling system address is an ultimate recipient of said second message handling system message, wherein said second message handling system address is an original sender of said second message handling system message;

transferring said envelope with said second message handling system message to said first message handling system; and

routing said second message back to said second message handling system data pathway if said received message does not contain a first message handling system address.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains only addresses in said first message handling system and if so directing said message back to said first message handling system.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said second message handling system has a second system format and further comprising the step of determining if a message received from said first message handling system contains an address in said second message handling system and if so, converting said message to said second message handling system format and transmitting said message to said second message handling system.

24. A message routing system comprising:

first message handling system including first data pathway carrying messages of a first type;

second message handling system including a second data pathway carrying messages of a second type, said first message handling system having message handling system format requirements which are incompatible with said messages of a second type said message handling system format requirements including data indicative of destinations on said first data pathway;

input/output means for receiving and transmitting said message to and from each of said first and second message handling system data pathways;

means for determining from their text the type and destination of said messages received by said input/output means;

means for determining if a received message of a second type contains a destination in said first message handling system;

means for converting the message handling system format of said second type message containing a destination in said first message handling system so it will be compatible with said first message handling system while leaving the format of the text of said second type message substantially unaltered, wherein said destination is an ultimate recipient of said second type message, wherein said second message handling system includes an original sender of said second type message;

means for transmitting said converted message to said first message handling system data pathway; and

means for transmitting received first and second message handling systems messages unchanged back to the first or second message handling systems data pathway if they only contain destinations in the same respective message handling system.

25. The message routing system of claim 24 wherein some of the messages contain plain language addresses in their text and said means for determining the type and destination of said messages reads said plain language addresses.