Universal instant messaging system for the internet
First Claim
1. A system for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the system comprising:
- a user interface module to permit user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network, the user interface module having a format compatible with an application software program;
first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively;
an application program interface coupled to the user interface module and communicating therewith, the application program interface defining a set of data structures to support data transfer, including the outgoing message, from the user interface to the first and second service providers; and
a conversion platform coupled to the application program interface and to the first and second service providers, the conversion platform converting data defined by at least one of the data structures of the application program interface to the first and second communication protocols for communicating with the first and second service providers, respectively, the conversion platform converting the outgoing message received from the application program interface to the first and second communication protocols and transmitting the outgoing message using the first and second communication protocols to the first and second service providers, respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Two or more users with PCs or similar devices to access the Internet may establish a connection between each other for instant messaging, even when the user are associated with different realms. For this purpose, the PCs are provided with an IM manager which oversees the instant messaging sessions. In addition, an IM server is provided associated either with a particular SP (service provider), or alternatively, having its own PS. The IM server is used to keep track of all the active users that have registered for the IM service and their corresponding current IP address. The IM manager includes a database which stores protocols of foreign realms. When a user requests an instant messaging session, his PC establishes the connection to the other user based on the protocol of the other user'"'"'s realm and the other user'"'"'s current IP address indicated by the IM database.
213 Citations
78 Claims
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1. A system for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the system comprising:
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a user interface module to permit user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network, the user interface module having a format compatible with an application software program;
first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively;
an application program interface coupled to the user interface module and communicating therewith, the application program interface defining a set of data structures to support data transfer, including the outgoing message, from the user interface to the first and second service providers; and
a conversion platform coupled to the application program interface and to the first and second service providers, the conversion platform converting data defined by at least one of the data structures of the application program interface to the first and second communication protocols for communicating with the first and second service providers, respectively, the conversion platform converting the outgoing message received from the application program interface to the first and second communication protocols and transmitting the outgoing message using the first and second communication protocols to the first and second service providers, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network comprising:
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sensing user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
placing the entered data in a format compatible with an application software program;
establishing a communication link with first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively;
defining a set of application program interface data structures to support data transfer, including the outgoing message, from the user interface to the first and second service providers;
converting data defined by at least one of the set of data structures of the application program interface to at least one of the first and second communication protocols; and
transmitting the outgoing message using the at least one of the first and second communication protocols to a corresponding one of the first and second service providers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the method comprising:
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sensing user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
placing the entered data in a format compatible with an application software program;
establishing a communication link with first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively;
defining a set of application program interface data structures to support data transfer, including the outgoing message, from the user interface to the first and second service providers;
converting data defined by at least one of the data structures of the application program interface to the first and second communication protocols; and
transmitting the outgoing message using the first and second communication protocols to the first and second service providers. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the system comprising:
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a user interface to permit user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively; and
a message manager in communication with the user interface, the message manager converting data entered through the user interface to the first and second communication protocols for communication over the computer network. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A system for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the system comprising:
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a user interface to permit user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively; and
a message manager in communication with the user interface, the message manager converting data entered through the user interface to at least one of the first and second communication protocols for communication over the computer network.
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59. A system for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the system comprising:
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a user interface to permit user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively;
a database containing the first and second communication protocols; and
a message manager in communication with the user interface and the database, the message manager retrieving at least one of the first and second communication protocols and converting data entered through the user interface to at least one of the first and second communication protocols for communication over the computer network.
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60. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the method comprising:
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sensing user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
establishing a communication link with first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively; and
converting data entered by a user to at least one of the first and second communication protocols for communication over the computer network. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A method for multi-protocol messaging communication on a computer network, the method comprising:
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sensing user entry of data for an outgoing message to be transmitted on the computer network;
establishing a communication link with first and second service providers having first and second communication protocols, respectively; and
converting data entered by a user to the first and second communication protocols for communication over the computer network. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78)
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Specification