Communication stack for network communication and routing

Abstract

A communication stack enables computers implementing it to send, receive, or route network communications. The communication stack includes a message layer, a communication layer, a security layer, and a transport protocol layer, with plug-in transport protocol modules and plug-in security protocol modules. Each of the origin computer, target computer, and routing computers involved in delivering a message implements the communication stack. An application on the origin computer calls the message layer of the computer to send messages to a target computer and identifies routing computers on the route for delivering the message to the target computer. The message layer calls the communication layer to establish a connection to the target computer. The communication layer uses the transport protocol layer to establish an initial connection with the target computer, and uses the security layer to negotiate security parameters and to handle secured communications between the origin and target computers.

1 - 41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a message header markup language data structure, the message header comprising: 
 a first data field containing data representing message handling and delivery characteristics;    a second data field containing data representing a message; and    a third data field containing data representing a communications header.    
   
   
       43 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 42  wherein the message comprises: 
 a fourth data field containing data representing a unique identifier for the message; and    a fifth data field containing data representing a target message handler for the message.    
   
   
       44 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 43  wherein the unique identifier for the message is a GUID.  
   
   
       45 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 43  wherein the message further comprises: 
 a sixth data field containing data representing a retry interval for the message; and    a seventh data field containing data representing a delivery timeout interval for the message.    
   
   
       46 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 42  wherein the Message Header further comprises: 
 a fourth data field containing data representing a reply.    
   
   
       47 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 42  wherein the communications header comprises: 
 a fourth data field containing data representing connection characteristics; and    a fifth data field containing data representing a communications protocol.    
   
   
       48 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 47  wherein the communications header further comprises: 
 a sixth data field containing data representing communications security; and    a seventh data field containing data representing a reply route.    
   
   
       49 . A method for communicating between an application and a message layer, the method comprising: 
 issuing, by the message layer, a message handler call with input parameters comprising a message header, a payload type, a payload size, a payload, and a message context;    receiving, by the application, the message handler call and parsing the call to retrieve the input parameters; and    issuing, by the application, a return to the message handler return call with output parameters comprising a reply type, a reply size, and a reply.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the message header is in a markup language format.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the payload type and the reply type are selected from the group consisting of: binary and a markup language.  
   
   
       52 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for communicating between an application and a message layer, the method comprising: 
 issuing, by the message layer, a message handler call with input parameters comprising a message header, a payload type, a payload size, a payload, and a message context;    receiving, by the application, the message handler call and parsing the call to retrieve the input parameters; and    issuing, by the application, a return to the message handler return call with output parameters comprising a reply type, a reply size, and a reply.    
   
   
       53 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 52  wherein the message header is in a markup language format.  
   
   
       54 . The computer-readable medium of claim method of  claim 52  wherein the payload type and the reply type are selected from the group consisting of: binary and a markup language.