Method and System for Instant Messaging Traffic Routing

• US 20080201441A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synchronica PLC (Myriad Group AG)
• Original Assignee: OZ Communications Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Regnier, Jean, Laflamme, Manuel, Caron, Alain, Bodic, Gwenael Le
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

There is described an interconnect hub for routing an Instant Message (IM) or related communication between a sending IM device in a first IM community and a recipient IM device in one of a plurality of potential second IM communities. The interconnect hub comprises a router for determining the destination of IM communications and routing the IM communications to the intended recipient, a search function for finding the service provider providing IM services to the user identifier, and a cache comprising a plurality of records associating user identifiers with corresponding service providers (mobile or Internet). When the IM communication is received by the interconnect hub, the router examines the recipient user identifier, accesses the cache keying on the recipient user identifier, retrieves the service provider associated with the recipient user identifier, and forwards the IM communication to the associated service provider for delivery to the intended recipient. If there is no record in the cache for the user identifier, the searcher initiates a search to identify the service provider and to update the cache if the service provider is found.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an interconnect hub interconnecting a plurality of instant message communities for routing instant message communications, said method comprising:

storing in a cache at said interconnect hub, records of associations between user identifiers for instant message users and corresponding service providers for said instant message users;

receiving, at said interconnect hub, an instant message communication from a sender including a user identifier for a recipient;

if a record exists in said cache for the user identifier specified in the instant message communication, forwarding the instant message communication to the service provider associated with the user identifier in said cache; and

if no record exists in said cache for said user identifier, initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier, and, if a service provider for the user identifier is found, forwarding the instant message communication to the service provider for the user identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier comprises sending parallel verification requests to a plurality of candidate service providers, and receiving verification responses from said candidate service providers indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier comprises sending a verification request to one or more candidate service providers in a first group determined to be likely service providers for the user identifier, and receiving verification responses from said candidate service providers in said first group indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier comprises sending a verification request to one or more candidate service providers in a second group, and receiving verification responses from said candidate service providers in said second group indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier comprises sending a query to a directory service and receiving a query response from said directory service indicating one or more candidate service providers for the user identifier.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier further comprises sending a verification request to the candidate service providers identified in the query response and receiving verification responses from said candidate service providers indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating said cache based on results of said search.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising initiating a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier responsive to a routing failure indication, and, if a service provider for the user identifier is found, updating the cache and forwarding the instant message communication to the service provider for the user identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising marking the user identifier in said cache as invalid if a service provider for the user identifier is not found in said search.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising sending a notification message to the instant message sender indicating that the user identifier is invalid.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating a number portability database based on the results of said search.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising adding or modifying a record for said user identifier in said number portability database if said search returns one or more service providers for said user identifier.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising deleting or modifying a record for said user identifier in said number portability database if said search fails to return a service provider for said user identifier.

14. An interconnect hub for routing instant message communications between instant message users, said interconnect hub comprising:

a cache for storing records of associations between user identifiers for said instant message users and corresponding service providers for said instant message users;

a router for receiving instant message communications including a user identifier for a recipient of said instant message communication and for forwarding said instant message communications to a service provider for said recipient, said router configured to check said cache to find the service provider for the recipient; and

a searcher for identifying a service provider for the user identifier when no record exists in the cache for the user identifier and for updating said cache if a service provider is identified.

15. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein the searcher is configured to send parallel verification requests to a plurality of candidate service providers, and to receive verification responses from said candidate service providers indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

16. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein the searcher is configured to send a verification request to one or more candidate service providers in a first group determined to be likely service providers for the user identifier, and to receive verification responses from said candidate service providers in said first group indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

17. The interconnect hub of claim 16 wherein the searcher is configured to send a verification request to one or more candidate service providers in a second group, and to receive verification responses from said candidate service providers in said second group indicating whether the candidate service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

18. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein the searcher is configured to send a query to a directory service and to receive a query response from said directory service indicating one or more candidate service providers for the user identifier.

19. The interconnect hub of claim 18 wherein the searcher is configured to send a verification request to the candidate service providers identified in the query response and to receive verification responses from said candidate service providers indicating whether the candidates service providers are service providers for the user identifier.

20. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein said router is further configured to update said cache if said searcher returns one or more service providers for said user identifier.

21. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein the searcher is further configured to initiate a search to identify a service provider for the user identifier responsive to a routing failure indication.

22. The interconnect hub of claim 21 wherein said router is further configured to mark the user identifier in said cache as invalid if a service provider for the user identifier is not found in said search.

23. The interconnect hub of claim 21 wherein said router is further configured to send a notification messages to the instant message sender indicating that the user identifier is invalid.

24. The interconnect hub of claim 14 wherein said searcher is further configured to update a number portability database based on the results of said search.

25. The interconnect hub of claim 24 wherein said searcher is configured to add or modify a record for said user identifier in said number portability database if said search returns one or more service providers for said user identifier.

26. The interconnect hub of claim 24 wherein said searcher is configured delete or modify a record for said user identifier in said number portability database if said search fails to return a service provider for said user identifier.