Method of supporting third-party applications in an instant messaging system and a system using the same

1. A data exchange method between an instant messaging open platform and a third-party application, the method comprising:

at the instant messaging open platform running on a mobile terminal having memory and one or more processors:

reading identifier data from a predefined location in the memory;

determining whether the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes an application identifier and a logo icon of a newly registered third-party application;

in accordance with a determination that the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes a respective application identifier and a respective icon of a first third-party application that is a newly registered third-party application, adding the first third-party application to a user interface of the instant messaging open platform;

receiving a data exchange request from the first third-party application, the data exchange request including the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and a data notification;

determining whether the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform using the respective application identifier;

if the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform:

retrieving content data from the predefined location in the memory according to the data notification; and

forwarding the content data to a plurality of mobile terminals associated with the instant messaging open platform; and

if the first third-party application is not authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform, denying the data exchange request.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before receiving the data exchange request:

receiving an application registration request from the first third-party application;

associating the first third-party application with the respective application identifier of the first third-party application at the at the instant messaging open platform;

designating the predefined location in the memory for storing data from the first third-party application; and

returning information about the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and the predefined location in the memory as well as a software development toolkit (SDK) to the first third-party application such that the first third-party application can exchange data with the instant messaging open platform via an open application program interface (API).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first third-party application also runs on the mobile terminal and the first third-party application uses the SDK for storing data at the predefined location in the memory and notifying the instant messaging open platform of the data in the memory.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first third-party application invokes the SDK to initiate the data exchange request with the instant messaging open platform.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first third-party application includes the respective application icon of the first third-party application in the application registration request.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the instant messaging open platform is associated with a user of the mobile terminal that is a member of a group of users, each other user in the group being associated with a respective one of the plurality of mobile terminals for receiving the data provided by the first third-party application.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before receiving the data exchange request:

identifying the respective application identifier associated with first third-party application; and

sending a data retrieval request to the first third-party application using the respective application identifier of the first third-party application,

wherein, in response to the data retrieval request, the first third-party application stores the data at the predefined location in the memory and then sends the data exchange request to the instant messaging open platform.

8. A mobile terminal for supporting data exchange between an instant messaging open platform and a third-party application, the mobile terminal comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory for storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the instant messaging open platform to perform the following instructions:

reading identifier data from a predefined location in the memory;

determining whether the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes an application identifier and a logo icon of a newly registered third-party application;

in accordance with a determination that the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes a respective application identifier and a respective icon of a first third-party application that is a newly registered third-party application, adding the first third-party application to a user interface of the instant messaging open platform;

receiving a data exchange request from the first third-party application, the data exchange request including the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and a data notification;

determining whether the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform using the respective application identifier;

if the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform:

retrieving content data from the predefined location in the memory according to the data notification; and

forwarding the content data to a plurality of mobile terminals associated with the instant messaging open platform; and

if the first third-party application is not authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform, denying the data exchange request.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

before receiving the data exchange request:

receiving an application registration request from the first third-party application;

associating the first third-party application with the respective application identifier of the first third-party application at the at the instant messaging open platform;

designating the predefined location in the memory for storing data from the first third-party application; and

returning information about the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and the predefined location in the memory as well as a software development toolkit (SDK) to the first third-party application such that the first third-party application can exchange data with the instant messaging open platform via an open application program interface (API).

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the first third-party application also runs on the mobile terminal and the first third-party application uses the SDK for storing data at the predefined location in the memory and notifying the instant messaging open platform of the data in the memory.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the first third-party application invokes the SDK to initiate the data exchange request with the instant messaging open platform.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the first third-party application includes the respective application icon of the first third-party application in the application registration request.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the instant messaging open platform is associated with a user of the mobile terminal that is a member of a group of users, each other user in the group being associated with a respective one of the plurality of mobile terminals for receiving the data provided by the first third-party application.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

before receiving the data exchange request:

identifying the respective application identifier associated with first third-party application; and

sending a data retrieval request to the first third-party application using the respective application identifier of the first third-party application,

wherein, in response to the data retrieval request, the first third-party application stores the data at the predefined location in the memory and then sends the data exchange request to the instant messaging open platform.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in conjunction with a mobile terminal for storing an instant messaging open platform and a third-party application and supporting data exchange method between the instant messaging open platform and the third-party application, the instant messaging open platform including one or more instructions for:

one or more processors; and

memory for storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the instant messaging open platform to perform the following instructions:

reading identifier data from a predefined location in the memory;

determining whether the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes an application identifier and a logo icon of a newly registered third-party application;

in accordance with a determination that the identifier data read from the predefined location in memory includes a respective application identifier and a respective icon of a first third-party application that is a newly registered third-party application, adding the first third-party application to a user interface of the instant messaging open platform;

receiving a data exchange request from the first third-party application, the data exchange request including the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and a data notification;

determining whether the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform using the respective application identifier;

if the first third-party application is authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform:

retrieving content data from the predefined location in the memory according to the data notification; and

forwarding the content data to a plurality of mobile terminals associated with the instant messaging open platform; and

if the first third-party application is not authorized to exchange data with the instant messaging open platform, denying the data exchange request.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instant messaging open platform further includes instructions for:

before receiving the data exchange request:

receiving an application registration request from the first third-party application;

associating the first third-party application with the respective application identifier of the first third-party application at the at the instant messaging open platform;

designating the predefined location in the memory for storing data from the first third-party application; and

returning information about the respective application identifier of the first third-party application and the predefined location in the memory as well as a software development toolkit (SDK) to the first third-party application such that the first third-party application can exchange data with the instant messaging open platform via an open application program interface (API).

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the first third-party application also runs on the mobile terminal and the first third-party application uses the SDK for storing data at the predefined location in the memory and notifying the instant messaging open platform of the data in the memory.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the first third-party application invokes the SDK to initiate the data exchange request with the instant messaging open platform.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the first third-party application includes the respective application icon of the first third-party application in the application registration request.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instant messaging open platform is associated with a user of the mobile terminal that is a member of a group of users, each other user in the group being associated with a respective one of the plurality of mobile terminals for receiving the data provided by the first third-party application.