# 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. - **Patent:** US 6073184 - **Original 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 - **Owner:** Alcatel SA - **Granted:** 2000 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 13 - **Field:** telecommunications, software, consumer_electronics ## What it does 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. ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Enterprise message bus systems 2. Distributed telecommunications management software 3. Microservices architecture event-driven communication ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** 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 **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US6073184 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Send Data Streams Independently Without Connection Overload](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7904576/reliable-datagram-via-independent-source-destination-resources) — A method for sending multiple streams of data between devices using independent, reliable paths that keep data in the correct order without needing a constant connection. - [How Distributed Servers Find Data Using Location Pointers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7233978/method-and-apparatus-for-managing-location-information-in-a-network-separate-from-the-data-to-which-the-location-information-pertains) — A system that uses a network of specialized servers to track where specific data is located, allowing computers to find information by asking a server for its address rather than searching every machine. - [How to Seamlessly Switch Video Streams for Many Viewers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6732183/video-and-audio-streaming-for-multiple-users) — This patent describes a computer system that allows an administrator or viewer to smoothly switch between different video or audio sources for many people watching at the same time, without interrupting their viewing experience. - [How Software Automatically Collects and Organizes Data from Multiple Websites](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8112476/amazon-ec2-elastic-compute-cloud) — A system that automatically logs into multiple websites, pulls information, and stores it locally before you even ask for it, so it is ready to view instantly. - [How Home Gateways Manage Video Streaming Traffic to Prevent Buffering](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9479807/netflix-interactive-content-bandersnatch) — A system where home internet gateways report device buffer status to a central server to intelligently manage bandwidth for multiple video streams.