Difference between gateway and protocol

[vensriram]

I am working for BUSINESS TO BUSINESS concepts project. It has been mentioned that the messages are transmitted through protocols like AS1, AS2, AS3 and there is also a gateway.

1. What is the function of the GATEWAY?
2. In what way the GATEWAY is different from PROTOCOLS like AS2 OR HTTP

[sicarie]

The gateway is a device that allows access to a network and a protocol is the way the data is converted from electrical impulses to go across the wire to the data that is shown (such as this web page appearing on your computer).