Method of and a network server and mobile user equipment for providing chat/VoIP services in a mobile telecommunications network

1. A method implemented by an application server for providing at least one of chat and Voice over Internet Protocol (chat/VoIP) services to a mobile User Equipment (UE) in a mobile telecommunications network, wherein said mobile UE comprises a UE chat/VoIP client for accessing a chat/VoIP communication environment, and wherein the method comprises:

executing a chat/VoIP service application,

connecting said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via said mobile telecommunications network,

executing a plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server that are configured to access a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments operated by a plurality of different chat/VoIP service providers,

connecting said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server to thereby enable said UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said UE chat/VoIP client,

wherein said executing comprises each application server chat/VoIP client emulating the UE chat/VoIP client over a link to a respective one of the chat/VoIP communication environments, when that environment is accessed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, via said chat/VoIP service application and said application server chat/VoIP clients:

acting as a chat/VoIP client towards an accessed chat/VoIP communication environment, wherein said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment is proprietary or standardized, and

acting as a chat/VoIP communication environment towards said UE chat/VoIP client.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said acting as a chat/VoIP client and acting as a chat/VoIP communication environment comprise setting up and accepting chat/VoIP communication sessions that provide privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said connecting comprises connecting said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, and connecting said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising, via said application server chat/VoIP clients, providing protocol conversion between said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment and the chat/VoIP communication environment that said chat/VoIP service application is acting as towards said UE chat/VoIP client.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein providing said protocol conversion comprises coordinating and mapping of chat/VoIP services, features and, functions of said accessed chat/VoIP communication environment to and from the UE chat/VoIP client.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients are configured to access functions of different chat/VoIP communication environments, wherein said functions include at least one of providing status information associated with a mobile UE, updating statuses of buddies, setting up sessions, and accepting sessions.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, via said service application, at least one of:

acting as an interworking unit for signalling between an application server chat/VoIP client and the UE chat/VoIP client;

coordinating at least one of input and output streams between an application server chat/VoIP client and the UE chat/VoIP client;

providing an application server chat/VoIP client access to services offered by the mobile telecommunications network;

reading and representing at the mobile UE in a single Graphical User Interface (GUI) statuses from different application chat/VoIP clients, and

selecting which application server chat/VoIP client to use when setting up a chat/VoIP session from a mobile UE.

9. An application server for providing at least one of chat and Voice over Internet Protocol (chat/VoIP) services to a mobile User Equipment (UE) in a mobile telecommunications network, wherein the application server comprises communications equipment and processing equipment, wherein the processing equipment is configured to:

execute a chat/VoIP service application,

connect said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via said communications equipment and said mobile telecommunications network,

execute a plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server that are configured to access a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments operated by a plurality of different chat/VoIP service providers,

connect, via said communications equipment, said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients at the application server to thereby enable said UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said UE chat/VoIP client,

wherein each application server chat/VoIP client is configured to emulate the UE chat/VoIP client over a link to a respective one of the chat/VoIP communication environments, when that environment is accessed.

10. The application server according to claim 9 , wherein said processing equipment and said communications equipment are configured to support Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).

11. The application server according to claim 9 , further comprising storage equipment that is configured to interface said processing equipment and that is accessible, via said communications equipment, to the UE chat/VoIP client for defining and storing a local nickname or identity in association with a unique nickname or identity used in at least one of said plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

12. The application server according to claim 9 , wherein said processing equipment is configured to communicate with the UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

13. The application server according to claim 9 , wherein the different chat/VoIP communication environments comprise proprietary chat/VoIP communication environments.

14. The application server according to claim 9 , wherein the processing equipment is configured to:

connect said chat/VoIP service application to said UE chat/VoIP client via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, and

connect said chat/VoIP service application to one or more of the plurality of application server chat/VoIP clients, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.

15. A mobile User Equipment (UE) configured to operate in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile UE comprising input and output equipment, communications equipment, and processing equipment, wherein said processing equipment is configured to execute a UE chat/VoIP client and is further configured, via said input and output equipment, said communications equipment, and said UE chat/VoIP client, to:

access the chat/VoIP services of one or more of a plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments by connecting the UE chat/VoIP client, via said mobile telecommunications network, to an application server that emulates the UE chat/VoIP client over each link between the application server and an accessed chat/VoIP communication environment, and

represent Graphical User Interfaces of the plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

16. The mobile UE according to claim 15 , wherein the processing equipment, via the UE chat/VoIP client and the input and output equipment, is configured to provide a single Graphical User Interface for the plurality of different chat/VoIP communication environments.

17. The mobile UE according to claim 15 , wherein the UE further comprises a local database connected to the processing equipment for storing and retrieving records comprising nicknames corresponding to nicknames used in the different chat/VoIP communication environments.

18. The mobile UE according to claim 15 , wherein said UE chat/VoIP processing equipment and communication equipment support IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling.

19. The mobile UE according to claim 15 , wherein the different chat/VoIP communication environments comprise proprietary chat/VoIP communication environments.

20. The mobile UE according to claim 15 , wherein the processing equipment is configured to connect the UE chat/VoIP client to the application server via privileged use of said mobile telecommunications network, said privileged use providing guaranteed quality of service for chat/VoIP communication over said mobile telecommunications network, to thereby enable the UE chat/VoIP client to access different chat/VoIP communication environments via said privileged use of the mobile telecommunications network.