Patent ID: 6757365
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A system for supporting access to an instant messaging service from a telephone over a network, the network supporting the instant messaging service, the system comprising:a telephone interface, the telephone interface supporting transmission and receipt of audio from a telephone; a computer system, the computer system coupled in communication with the telephone interface and the network, the computer system including: a first program code for searching an availability list for a user requested by a telephone user, the availability list including users currently accessing the instant messaging service; a second program code for verbally indicating to the telephone user whether a requested user is available; a third program code for generating a first instant message from the telephone user to an available requested user; a fourth program code for presenting content over the telephone interface to the telephone user; a fifth program code for receiving a second instant message from a user over the network, wherein the user is one of the available requested user and another user on the availability list, and notifying the telephone user with an audio signal over the telephone interface of receipt of the second instant message during the presenting content; and a sixth program code for allowing the telephone user to respond to the second instant message over the telephone interface to the instant messaging service via the network.