Patent ID: 7917594
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving an access request from an inviting terminal requesting access to a social networking application, the access request being associated with a user identifier; searching a contact database, based on the user identifier and on an application identifier associated with the social networking application, to identify contact information associated with an invitee terminal not logged into the social networking application during a time of the searching; querying a messaging server based on the contact information to determine whether the invitee terminal is communicating via the messaging server; processing a query response that either includes a data network address assigned to the invitee terminal if the invitee terminal is communicating via the messaging server or includes a data network address unknown response; and sending, in response to the access request, a notification message based on the contact information, the notification message containing the application identifier, the notification message useable to indicate to the invitee terminal that the inviting terminal has accessed the social networking application and to provide a geographical location of the inviting terminal to the invitee terminal, wherein the application identifier is usable to distinguish among a plurality of social networking applications.