How Software Services Pass Messages Across Different Network Zones
A method for letting different parts of a large software network communicate by linking their notification services together like a relay race.
Original patent title: “Method of transmitting a notification to a receiver from plural notification services in a distributed application network, and a network for implementing the method”
A method for letting different parts of a large software network communicate by linking their notification services together like a relay race. Granted to Alcatel SA in 2000 with 23 claims and 13 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to send data notifications between two separate zones in a distributed computer network. Normally, a notification service only talks to devices within its own zone. This method allows a first notification service to register itself with a second notification service, essentially creating a bridge. When an emitter sends a message to the first service, it automatically forwards that message to the second service, which then delivers it to the final receiver. It acts like a relay, ensuring information can travel across boundaries that were previously isolated.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover direct communication between an emitter and a receiver that bypasses the notification services.
- Does not cover systems where a single central server handles all notifications for the entire network.
- Does not cover hardware-level signal routing or physical network cabling protocols.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer messaging that lacks a formal registration or enrollment step between services.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
Instead of forcing the sender to know the location of the final receiver, the patent treats the entire notification service as a 'subscriber' to another service, effectively turning one service into an emitter for the next.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Enterprise message bus systems
Distributed telecommunications management software
Microservices architecture event-driven communication
Why it matters
The bigger picture
In the late 1990s, as telecommunications networks grew more complex, managing how software components talked to each other became a major bottleneck. This patent provided a structured way to scale messaging systems by allowing different network segments to interoperate without needing a single, massive, monolithic controller.
Filed
May 1, 1998
Granted
June 6, 2000
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Large telecommunications infrastructure providers like Nokia (which acquired Alcatel-Lucent) and major cloud platform providers like AWS and Microsoft Azure utilize similar patterns for event-driven messaging across distributed regions.
Market impact
This patent helped formalize the design patterns for distributed event-driven systems in the telecom era. It contributed to the shift away from centralized management toward the modular, service-oriented architectures that define modern cloud computing.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to send data notifications between two separate zones in a distributed computer network. Normally, a notification service only talks to devices within its own zone. This method allows a first notification service to register itself with a second notification service, essentially creating a bridge. When an emitter sends a message to the first service, it automatically forwards that message to the second service, which then delivers it to the final receiver. It acts like a relay, ensuring information can travel across boundaries that were previously isolated.
The clever bit
Instead of forcing the sender to know the location of the final receiver, the patent treats the entire notification service as a 'subscriber' to another service, effectively turning one service into an emitter for the next.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover direct communication between an emitter and a receiver that bypasses the notification services.
- Does not cover systems where a single central server handles all notifications for the entire network.
- Does not cover hardware-level signal routing or physical network cabling protocols.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer messaging that lacks a formal registration or enrollment step between services.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
23/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$13K – $42K
Midpoint $26K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Meulen, M. V. D., Couturier, A., & Ruffin, M. (2000). How Software Services Pass Messages Across Different Network Zones (U.S. Patent No. 6,073,184). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6073184/method-of-transmitting-a-notification-to-a-receiver-from-plural-notification-services-in-a-distributed-application-network-and-a-network-for-implementing-the-method
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Software Services Pass Messages Across Different Network Zones cover?
A method for letting different parts of a large software network communicate by linking their notification services together like a relay race.
Who owns patent US 6073184?
Alcatel SA owns this patent, granted in 2000.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 6073184 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 13 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
In the late 1990s, as telecommunications networks grew more complex, managing how software components talked to each other became a major bottleneck. This patent provided a structured way to scale messaging systems by allowing different network segments to interoperate without needing a single, massive, monolithic controller.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover direct communication between an emitter and a receiver that bypasses the notification services.
Patent monitoring