SYSTEM AND METHOD OF WIRELESS INSTANT MESSAGING
A method of operating a server includes receiving a single message, from a messaging client, addressed to a group. The group is resolved to user identifiers that identify both wireless device clients and Internet clients. A message is sent to each of the wireless device clients and each of the Internet clients.
1 . A method of operating a server, comprising:
receiving a single message, from a messaging client, addressed to a group;
resolving the group to user identifiers that identify both wireless device clients and Internet clients; and
sending a message to each of the wireless device clients and each of the Internet clients.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the group is identified by a unique group identifier.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the resolving comprises consulting a database that relates group identifiers to user identifiers.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the messaging client is on a wireless device.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the single message is an instant message, and the server is an instant messaging server.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the Internet clients is on a desktop computer.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the server performing the method maintains presence information for the wireless device clients.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising determining that a wireless device client, from among said wireless device clients, is in an unknown presence state based on a predetermined time period having passed after receipt of presence information from the wireless device client without having received additional presence information from the wireless device client.
9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising refraining from transmitting a message to those of the wireless device clients that are in an unknown state.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the single message has presence information indicating a presence state of the messaging client.
11 . A mobile communication device comprising:
a communication subsystem configured to send, to an instant messaging server, a single instant message addressed to a group that comprises both wireless device clients and Internet clients.
12 . The mobile communication device of claim 11 wherein the group is identified by a unique group identifier.
13 . The mobile communication device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the Internet clients is on a desktop computer.
14 . A wireless instant messaging system comprising:
a wireless messaging server configured to receive a single message addressed to a group, and to resolve the group to client identifiers that identify both wireless device clients and Internet clients, and to send a message to each of the wireless device clients and each of the Internet clients.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the group is identified by a unique group identifier.
16 . The system of claim 15 further comprising a database that relates the group's unique identifier to user identifiers for the wireless device clients and the Internet clients.
17 . The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the Internet clients is on a desktop computer.
18 . The system of claim 14 wherein the single message is an instant message, and the server is an instant messaging server.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the server is configured to determine that a wireless device client, from among said wireless device clients, is in an unknown presence state based on a predetermined time period having passed after receipt of presence information from the wireless device client without having received additional presence information from the wireless device client.
20 . The system of claim 19 further comprising refraining from transmitting the message to those of the wireless device clients that are in an unknown state.