Method and apparatus for message processing to locate network devices

摘要

In one aspect, a communication system comprising a message processing computer and a plurality of communication networks, respectively provided with an interface computer that is respectively coupled to the message processing computer in order to reproduce a data flow between the respective interface computer and the message processing computer is provided. In another aspect, a device in which at least one electronic file is requested, the device determines a request message on the communication appliance side, forms at least one communication network request message, and sends the communication network request message to the interface computer(s) in the communication network in question is provided.

主权项

1. A communication system, comprising:
a message processing computer; a plurality of communication networks, each of the networks comprising an interface computer linked to the message processing computer and a plurality of communication devices connected to the interface computer; at least one database, the at least one database comprising a plurality of identification codes corresponding to communication devices located within at least one communication network of the plurality of communication networks such that a query of the at least one database based on the identification code identifies any communication device assigned to the identification code; and wherein a first communication device transmits a request message to the message processing computer, the request message comprising a first identification code that is assigned to a user associated with a plurality of target communication devices, at least one of the target communication devices being in a different one of the plurality of communication networks than another one of the target communication devices; and in response to the request message, the message processing computer queries the at least one database to determine the target communication devices assigned to the first identification code such that the communication networks that the target communication devices are located within are identifiable; and wherein the message processing computer sends a communication network request message to each interface computer of the communication networks that the target communication devices are located within, each of the communication network request messages requesting at least one further parameter related to the target communication device in the network of that interface computer; and wherein each interface computer of the communication networks sends a response message having the at least one further parameter to the message processing computer; and wherein the message processing computer evaluates the at least one further parameter of the response messages to determine a location of a target communication device of the target communication devices that the user is currently using.