APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MESSAGE MATCHING USING PATTERN DECISIONS IN A MESSAGE MATCHING AND AUTOMATIC RESPONSE SYSTEM

A system for automatically responding to character-based messages is disclosed. A pattern database is defined with pattern definitions for matching input messages and response definitions for automatically responding to matching input messages. Patterns definitions include token definitions which define criteria for matching a portion of an input message. The pattern definitions further include pattern decisions that contain logical expressions which increases the flexibility in defining patterns to match messages. The response definitions include function definitions and optional function decisions. Functions to be performed in response to a matching message are specified in the function definitions, wherein performance of the specified functions is dependent upon evaluation of the function decisions.