Patent ID: 8209384
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of administering instant messaging (IM), comprising: receiving input from a plurality of subscribers in a conversation associated with a persistent-IM-group; wherein the input is associated with the persistent-IM-group using a persistent-IM-group identifier that uniquely identifies the persistent-IM-group; storing, at an instant messaging server, subscriber-to-identifier information that associates the plurality of subscribers with the persistent-IM-group identifier; accessing the subscriber-to-identifier information to determine to whom to send messages that are part of the conversation associated with the persistent-IM-group; sending over a network, to each subscriber of the conversation, messages to allow the subscriber to view contents of the conversation; after all sessions associated with the persistent-IM-group identifier have been terminated: receiving an explicit request to end the persistent-IM-group; and in response to receiving the request, ceasing to allow subscribers to establish sessions associated with the persistent-IM-group identifier; wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.