Patent ID: 7792912
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: receiving at a server a plurality of user IDs associated with a message recipient, each user ID associated with a different messaging account; receiving at the server a first command from the message recipient to link a first user ID of the message recipient to at least a second user ID of the message recipient; linking the first user ID to at least the second user ID in response to the received first command; tracking idle time for each linked messaging account; receiving a message from a message sender, the message being directed to the first user ID of the message recipient; and sending the message to a user ID associated with one of the linked messaging accounts that exhibits a least idle time; wherein the message recipient controls management of its own user IDs via the first command received at the server, such that the message sender only needs to know one of the user IDs of the message recipient.