Method and apparatus for routing messages in an electronic messaging system

摘要

A method and apparatus for routing a message embodied in a signal received by an electronic messaging system includes formatting a search key using address codes parsed from a user address specified in the message, where each of the address codes corresponds to a different level of specificity for the user address. An attempt is made to retrieve a record from a database of routing information using the search key. If no record is found, the address code corresponding to the most detailed level of specificity in the user address is stripped from the search key and another attempt is made to retrieve a record. This process continues until a record is successfully retrieved from the database or a predetermined base level of specificity is reached.