Abstract:
A group management method and system for group communication in an interworking system of an IMPS system and a SIMPLE IM system is provided. In the method, a client currently connected to one of the IMPS system and the SIMPLE IM system requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the other system to which the client is not connected. The group property retrieval request is converted into a protocol format supported by the other system and is forwarded to the other system. The other system retrieves the group properties of the group, generates a group property response including the retrieved group properties, and forwards the group property response. The group property response is converted into a protocol format supported by the currently connected system and is forwarded to the currently connected system. The currently connected system forwards the group property response to the client.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 12/063,009, filed on Feb. 5, 2008, which claimed the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §371 of an International application filed on Aug. 12, 2006 and assigned application No. PCT/KR2006/003173, and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §365(b) of a Indian patent application filed on Aug. 12, 2005 in the Indian Intellectual Property Office and assigned Serial No. 1125/CHE/2005, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an instant messaging system, and in particular, to a user group management method and system for group communications in an interworking system of an Instant Messaging and Presence Services (IMPS) system and a Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE) IM system. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Presently, within Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), there are two different Instant Messaging technologies; the Instant Messaging and Presence Services (IMPS) based IM technology and SIMPLE protocol based IM technology. These IM technologies use groups defined by a user of an instant message to enable group communication. In an IMPS system, the user defined groups are stored in an IMPS server. The IMPS system uses IMPS specific protocols such as Client Server Protocol (CSP) and Server to Server Protocol (SSP) for performing various operations on these groups like getting the group information and setting the group information. In a SIMPLE IM system, user-defined group related information is stored in Extensible Markup Language (XML) formats in an Instant Messaging XML Document Management Server (IM XDMS) and uses XML Configuration Access Protocol (XCAP) to access or modify the group information. 
         [0006]    In OMA, if the architecture for interworking between theses two IM systems should be generated, for example, if an IMPS user sends an instant message to a SIMPLE IM user or SIMPLE IM users send an instant message to an IMPS user, new network elements and message flows need to be identified because the IM systems use different protocols. OMA has already come out with the architecture for delivering IMPS instant messages to an SIMPLE IM system and vice-versa. 
         [0007]    When a SIMPLE IM user sends an instant message to an IMPS user, a process of sending the instant message is as follows. A SIMPLE IM user composes a message using a SIMPLE IM Client and sends the message to a SIMPLE IM server. A message header contains the ID of the IMPS User. From the recipient ID, the SIMPLE Server understands that the message is targeted for the IMPS user. The SIMPLE IM server sends the message to an Interworking Function (IWF). The IWF converts the instant message sent by the SIMPLE system based on the IMPS protocols and sends to the IMPS Server. Finally the IMPS Server delivers the instant message to the IMPS recipient. In the case of notifications from the SIMPLE IM user to the IMPS server, the IWF receives the IMPS specific notifications from the IMPS server and converts them as per the SIMPLE protocol and notifies the SIMPLE IM Client through the SIMPLE IM server. 
         [0008]    When the IMPS user sends an instant message to the SIMPLE IM user, a process of sending the instant message is as follows. The IMPS user composes the message using the IMPS client and sends the message to the IMPS server. The message header contains the ID of the SIMPLE IM user. From the recipient ID, the IMPS server understands that the message is targeted for the SIMPLE IM user. The IMPS server sends the message to the IWF. The IWF converts the instant message sent by the IMPS system, based on the SIMPLE protocol and sends to the SIMPLE server. Finally the SIMPLE server delivers the message to the SIMPLE IM recipient. In the case of notifications from the SIMPLE IM server to the IMPS user, the IWF receives the SIMPLE specific notifications from the SIMPLE server and converts them as per the IMPS protocols and notifies the IMPS client through the IMPS server. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The existing IMPS-SIMPLE IM interworking system provides an IM transmission and reception service to each system, but does not have group management methods for group communication of an IM service. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides a method for managing groups used for group communication in interworking between an IMPS system and a SIMPLE IM system. 
         [0011]    The present invention also provides a method by which an IMPS user can set and retrieve the properties/information of a group, which is included in a SIMPLE IM system. 
         [0012]    The present invention also provides a method by which a SIMPLE IM user can set and retrieve the properties/information of a group, which is included in an IMPS system. 
         [0013]    To achieve the foregoing objects, there is provided a group management method for group communication in an interworking system of an Instant Messaging and Presence Services (IMPS) system and a Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions Instant Messaging (SIMPLE IM) system. In the group management method, a client currently connected to one of the IMPS system and the SIMPLE IM system requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the other system to which the client is not connected. The group property retrieval request is converted into a protocol format supported by the other system and is forwarded to the other system. The other system retrieves the group properties of the group, generates a group property response including the retrieved group properties, and forwards the group property response. The group property response is converted into a protocol format supported by the currently connected system and is forwarded to the currently connected system. The currently connected system forwards the group property response to the client. 
         [0014]    There is also provided a group management system for group communication in an interworking system of an IMPS system and a SIMPLE IM system. The group management system includes the IMPS system, the SIMPLE IM system, and an InterWorking Function (IWF). The IMPS system forwards a group property retrieval request GetGroupPropsRequest and a group property setting request SetGroupPropsRequest received from an IMPS client to the IWF if they include the group ID of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system, retrieves the group according to a GetGroupPropsRequest received from the WIF, forwards a GetGroupPropsResponse including the retrieved group properties to the IWF, and sets the group properties of the group based on the group properties included in the group property setting request according to a SetGroupPropsRequest received from the IWF. The SIMPLE IM system forwards a group property retrieval request HTTP XCAP GET request and a group property setting request HTTP XCAP PUT request received from an XDM client of the SIMPLE IM system to the IWF if they include the group ID of a group included in the IMPS system, retrieves the group according to the HTTP XCAP GET request received from the IWF, forwards an XCAP 200 OK including an XML document with group properties to the IWF, and sets the group properties of the group based on the group properties included in the group property setting request according to an HTTP XCAP PUT request received from the IWF. The IWF converts the GetGroupPropsRequest and the SetGroupPropsRequest received from the IMPS system into the HTTP XCAP GET request and the HTTP XCAP PUT request to forward them to the SIMPLE IM system, converts the HTTP XCAP GET request and the HTTP XCAP PUT request received from the SIMPLE IM system into the GetGroupPropsRequest and the SetGroupPropsRequest to forward them to the IMPS system, converts the GetGroupPropsResponse including the group property retrieval response received from the IMPS system into the XCAP 200 OK with the group XML document in which the group property retrieval response is converted suitably for the SIMPLE IM system to forward it to the SIMPLE IM system, converts the XCAP 200 OK with the XML document including the group property retrieval response received from the SIMPLE IM system into the GetGroupPropsResponse including the group property retrieval response converted suitably for the IMPS system to forward it to the IMPS system, converts the Status including the group property setting response received from the IMPS system into the XCAP response having the XCAP 200 OK in which the group property setting response is converted suitably for the SIMPLE IM system to forward it to the SIMPLE IM system, and converts the XCAP 200 OK including the group property setting response received from the SIMPLE IM system into the Status including the group property setting response converted suitably for the IMPS system to forward it to the IMPS system. 
         [0015]    The present invention enables the SIMPLE IM user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system. The present invention may also enable the SIMPLE IM user to set the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to set the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates the structure of an OMA SIMPLE IM system; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and directly receives a response to the request without using an aggregation proxy, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in a trusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and directly receives a response to the request without using an aggregation proxy, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in a trusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system through an IM XDM server and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in a SIMPLE IM system and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the setting of the properties of a group included in a SIMPLE IM system and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and directly receives a response to the request without using an aggregation proxy, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and directly receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and directly receives a response to the request without using an aggregation proxy, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in a trusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  illustrates a process in which an XDM client in a trusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in a SIMPLE IM system through an aggregation proxy and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the setting of the properties of a group included in a SIMPLE IM system through an aggregation proxy and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. Like reference numerals and symbols refer to like elements throughout drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein has been omitted for conciseness. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates the structure of an interworking system of a SIMPLE IM system and an IMPS system to which the present invention is applied. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the interworking system includes an XML Document Management (XDM) client  10 , an Instant Message (IM) client  80 , a presence client  90 , a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)/Initiation Protocol (IP) CORE  100 , a shared XDM  130 , an aggregation proxy  20 , an IM XDM server  30 , an IM server  60 , a presence server  120 , an Interworking Function(IWF)  40 , an IMPS server  50 , and an IMPS client  70 . The XDM client  10 , the IM client  80 , and the presence client  90  are connected to a SIMPLE IM system and the SIP/IP CORE  100 , the shared XDM  130 , the aggregation proxy  20 , the IM XDM server  30 , the IM server  60 , and the presence server  120  are included in the SIMPLE IM system. The IMPS client  70  is connected to an IMPS system and the IMPS server  50  is included in the IMPS system. The IWF  40  converts a message received from the SIMPLE IM system into an IMPS protocol format to forward it to the IMPS server  50  and converts a message received from the IMPS server into a SIMPLE protocol format to forward it to the IM server  60  or the IM XDM server  30  for interworking between the SIMPLE IM system and the IMPS system. 
         [0035]    In the interworking system, a user connected to the IMPS system retrieves and sets the properties of a specific group included in the SIMPLE IM system as follows. The IMPS client  70  of a user of the IMPS system generates a request for retrieving or setting the properties of a group included in the SMPLE IM and sends the request to the IMPS server  50 . If the IMPS client  70  requests the retrieval of the properties of a group, it sends an IMPS group property retrieval request ?GetGroupPropsRequest? with the ID of the group to the IMPS server  50 . If the IMPS client  70  requests the setting of the properties of a group, it sends an IMPS group property setting request SetGroupPropsRequest with the ID of the group and the properties to be set to the IMPS server  50 . Upon receipt of GetGroupPropsRequest? or SetGroupPropsRequest, the IMPS server  50  understands that a targeted group is included in the SIMPLE IM system through the included group ID and sends the request to the IWF  40 . The IWF  40  performs necessary protocol conversions from the IMPS protocol to the SIMPLE protocol and sends a SIMPLE IM group property retrieval request HTTP XCAP GET request or a SIMPLE IM group property setting request HTTP XCAP PUT request to the IM XDM server  30 . If the request is the group property retrieval request, the IM XDM server  30  retrieves the properties of the group and sends a XCAP 200 OK message with an XML document of the group included in the body of the message to the IWF  40  as a group property retrieval response. If the request is the group property setting request, the IM XDM server  30  sets the properties of the document of the group as requested and sends an XCAP 200 OK message alone to the IWF  40  as a group property retrieval response. Upon receipt of the XCAP 200 OK response, as the group property retrieval response, the IWF  40  converts it into a group property retrieval response of the IMPS system GetGroupPropsResponse to forward it to the IMPS server  50 . Upon receipt of the XCAP 200 OK response as the group property setting response, the IWF  40  converts it into a group property setting response of the IMPS system Status to forward it to the IMPS server  50 . The IMPS server  50  transmits these responses to the IMPS client  70 . 
         [0036]    According to the present invention, a user connected to the SIMPLE IM system retrieves and sets the properties of a group included in the IMPS system as follows. The XDM client  10  of the user of the SIMPLE IM system generates a request for retrieving or setting the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and sends it to the IM XDM server  30 . If the XDM client  10  requests the retrieval of the properties of a group, the XDM client  10  transmits the HTTP XCAP GET request with the ID of the group. If the XDM client  10  requests the setting of the properties of a group, the XDM client  10  transmits the HTTP XCAP PUT request with the ID of the group and an XML document for the properties to be set. The request is transmitted to the IM XDM server  30  through the aggregation proxy  20 . The IM XDM server  30  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the ID of the group included in the HTTP XCAP GET request or HTTP XCAP PUT request and transmits the request to the IWF  40 . The IWF  40  performs necessary protocol conversion (SIMPLE to IMPS), generates an IMPS specific request for group management operations of the IMPS system, i.e., GetGroupPropsRequest for group property retrieval or SetGroupPropsRequest for group property setting, and transmits the request to the IMPS server  50 . If the request is a group property retrieval request, the IMPS server  50  responds with an IMPS group property retrieval response including corresponding group properties, i.e., GetGroupPropsResponse. If the request is a group property setting request, the IMPS server  50  responds with an IMPS group property setting response, i.e., Status, as the result of group property setting. The IWF  40  receives the response, converts it into a SIMPLE group property response, and transmits it to the IM XDM server  30 . In other words, if the response is the group property retrieval response GetGroupPropsResponse, the IWF  40  converts the response into an XCAP 200 OK including an XML document in which IMPS group properties included in the response are converted into SIMPLE group properties to the IM XDM server  30 . If the response is the group property setting response Status, the IWF  40  converts the response into an XCAP 200 OK and transmits it to the IM XDM server  30 . The IM XDM server  30  transmits the response to the XDM client  10  of the SIMPLE IM system. 
         [0037]    A process in which a SIMPLE IM user manages a static group included in the IMPS system according to an embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 7 . 
         [0038]    A process in which the SIMPLE IM user retrieves the properties of a group included in the IMPS using the XDM client  10  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and receives a response to the request according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in an IMPS system and receives a response to the request according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0039]    A process in which the XDM client  10  as the SIMPLE IM user retrieves the properties of a group included in an IMPS will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . Here, it is assumed that the XDM client  10  is included in an untrusted domain. In this scenario, the XDM client  10  transmits a group property retrieval request HTTP XCAP GET request to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  201 . The HTTP XCAP GET request includes the group ID of the targeted group (HTTP XCAP GET request having the IMPS group ID). The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the request to the IM XDM server  30  (Forwards the request). The IM XDM server  30  understands that the group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP GET request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  205  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  receives the HTTP XCAP GET request including the IMPS group ID. The IWF  40  converts the protocol of the group ID with the HTTP XCAP GET request to generate an IMPS group property retrieval request GetGroupPropsRequest and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  (GetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including IMPS group ID). The IMPS server  50  retrieves the properties of the group and forwards an IMPS group property retrieval response GetGroupPropsResponse including the properties to the IWF  40  in step  209  (GetGroupPropsResponse with properties). The IWF  40  retrieves group properties from the GetGroupPropsResponse received from the IMPS server  50  to generate an XML document including the group properties according to the SIMPLE protocol and forwards the XCAP 200 OK including the XML document to the IM XDM server  30  in step  211  (XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc). The IM XDM server  30  forwards the received XCAP 200 OK to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  213  (Forwards XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc) and the aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received XCAP 200 OK to the XDM client  10  in step  215  (XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc). The IM XDM server  30  may also forwards the response directly to the XDM client  10  like in step  233  without using the aggregation proxy  20  like in  FIG. 3 . Steps  221  through  231  of  FIG. 3  correspond to steps  201  through  211  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0040]    If the XDM client  10  is included in a trusted domain, a process in which the XDM client  10  requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request is as shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in a trusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request according to an embodiment of the present invention. This scenario may also be applied to a case where the IM server  60  as an XDM client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the XDM client  60  directly sends an HTTP XCAP GET request including the group ID of the targeted group to the IM XDM server  30  without using the aggregation proxy  20  in step  281  (HTTP XCAP GET request having the IMPS group ID). The IM XDM server  30  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP GET request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  291  (Forwards the request). The subsequent process is similar to a process shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In other words, step  293  of  FIG. 4  is similar to step  207  of  FIG. 2 , step  295  of  FIG. 4  is similar to step  209  of  FIG. 2 , step  297  of  FIG. 4  is similar to step  211  of  FIG. 2 , and step  299  of  FIG. 4  is similar to step  233  of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0041]    A process in which the SIMPLE IM user requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS server  50  through the XDM client  10  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  illustrates a process in which an SIMPLE IM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the XDM client  10  forwards an HTTP XCAP PUT request including the group ID of the targeted group and an XML document including the group properties of the targeted group to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  241  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the IMPS group ID and XML document). The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the request to the IM XDM server  30  in step  243  (Forwards the request). The IM XDM server  30  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP PUT request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  24  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  converts the XCAP PUT request having the IMPS group ID and the group XML document into the IMPS protocol format to generate an IMPS group property setting request SetGroupPropsRequest and forwards the generated SetGroupPropsRequest to the IMPS server  50  in step  247  (SetGroupPropsReuqest with parameters including IMPS group ID and Parameter value pair). The IMPS server  50  sets the group properties of the targeted group according to the contents of the received SetGroupPropsRequest and forwards Status to the IWF  40  as a response to the SetGroupPropsRequest in step  249 . The IWF  40  generates an XCAP 200 OK corresponding to the Status and forwards it to the IM XDM server  30  in step  251 . The IM XDM server  30  forwards the same response to the XDM client  10  through the aggregation proxy  20  like in steps  253  and  255  of  FIG. 5  or directly to the XDM client  10  like in step  273  of  FIG. 6 . Steps  261  through  271  of  FIG. 6  correspond to steps  241  through  251  of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0043]    If the XDM client  10  is included in a trusted domain, a process in which the XDM client  10  requests the setting of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request is as shown in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in a trusted domain requests the setting of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to an embodiment of the present invention. This scenario may also be applied to a case where the IM server  60  as an XDM client requests the setting of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request. 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the XDM client  60  directly forwards an HTTP XCAP PUT request having the group ID of the targeted group and an XML document including the group properties of the targeted group without using the aggregation proxy  20  in step  301  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the IMPS group ID and XML document). The IM XDM server  30  understands that the group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP PUT request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  303 . The subsequent process is similar to that shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In other words, step  247  of  FIG. 5  is similar to step  305  of  FIG. 7 , step  249  of  FIG. 5  is similar to step  307  of  FIG. 7 , step  251  of  FIG. 5  is similar to step  309  of  FIG. 7 , and step  311  of  FIG. 7  is similar to step  273  of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0045]    A process in which an IMPS user manages a static group included in a SIMPLE IM system will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 8  and  9 .  FIG. 8  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system and receives a response to the request according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 9  illustrates a process in which the IMPS client requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0046]    A process in which the IMPS user requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE system and receives a response to the request will be described with reference to  FIG. 8 . The IMPS client  70  forwards a GetGroupPropsRequest for requesting the retrieval of the properties of the group included in the SIMPLE IM system to the IMPS server  50  in step  311  (GetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including SIP URI of the Group in SIMPLE system). The GetGroupPropsRequest includes an SIP URI of the group included in the SIMPLE system. The IMPS server  50  detects the SIP URI included in the received GetGroupPropsRequest to confirm that the group is included in the SIMPLE IM system and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  313  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  converts the received GetGroupPropsRequest based on an XCAP protocol, generates an HTTP XCAP GET request including the SIP URI of the targeted group, and forwards the request to the IM XDM server  30  in step  315 . The IM XDM server  30  retrieves the group properties of the group, composes a group XML document including the retrieved group properties, as a SIMPLE IM group property retrieval response, and forwards an XCAP 200 OK with the XML document to the IWF  40  in step  317 . The IWF  40  detects the XML document included in the XCAP 200 OK received from the IM XDM server  30 , generates a GetGroupPropsResponse as an IMPS group property response including the retrieved group properties, and forwards the GetGroupPropsResponse to the IMPS server  50  in step  319  (GetGroupPropsResponse with properties). The IMPS server  50  forwards the response to the IMPS client  70  in step  321  (Forwards the Response). 
         [0047]    A process in which the IMPS user requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system using the IMPS client  70  will be described with reference to  FIG. 9 . 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the IMPS client  70  generates a SetGroupPropsRequest including the SIP URI of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system and the group properties of the targeted group and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  331  (SetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including SIP URI of the Group in SIMPLE system). The IMPS server  50  detects the SIP URI included in the received SetGroupPropsRequest, confirms that the targeted group is included in the SIMPLE IM system, and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  333  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  converts the received SetGroupPropsRequest into the XCAP protocol format, generates an HTTP XCAP PUT request including the SIP URI of the targeted group and an XML document having the group properties to be set, and forwards it to the IM XDM server  30  in step  3335  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the SIP URI of the Group and the XDM document). The IM XDM server  30  recognizes the group properties included in the received HTTP XCAP PUT request to set the group properties of the targeted group as requested, and forwards an XCAP 200 OK to the IWF  40  in step  337  (XCAP 200 OK). The IWF  40  converts the XCAP 200 OK received from the IM XDM server  30  into the IMPS protocol format, generates an IMPS Status corresponding to the converted XCAP 200 OK, and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  339 . The IMPS server  50  forwards the IMPS Status to the IMPS client  70  in step  341  (Forwards the Status). 
         [0049]    The present invention enables the SIMPLE IM user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system. Moreover, the present invention enables the SIMPLE IM user to set the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to set the properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system. 
         [0050]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the SIMPLE IM client request the retrieval and setting of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system, the aggregation proxy  20  may enable the retrieval and setting of the group properties by directly transmitting a message to and receiving a message from the IWF  40  without using the IM XDM server  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 through 15 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 10  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in an untrusted domain requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 10 , the XDM client  10  in an untrusted domain forwards a group property retrieval request HTTP XCAP GET request to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  351 . The HTTP XCAP GET request includes the group ID of the targeted group (HTTP XCAP GET request having the IMPS group ID). The aggregation proxy  20  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP GET request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  353  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  receives the HTTP XCAP GET request including the IMPS group ID. The IWF  40  converts the protocol of the group ID with the HTTP XCAP GET request to generate an IMPS group property retrieval request GetGroupPropsRequest and forwards the request to the IMPS server  50  in step  355  (GetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including IMPS group ID). The IMPS server  50  retrieves the properties of the group and forwards an IMPS group property retrieval response GetGroupPropsResponse including the retrieved group properties to the IWF  40  in step  357  (GetGroupPropsResponse with properties). The IWF  40  detects the group properties from the GetGroupPropsResponse received from the IMPS server  50 , generates an XML document including the detected group properties according to a SIMPLE protocol, and forwards an XCAP 200 OK including the XML document to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  359  (Forwards XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc), and the aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received XCAP 200 OK to the XDM client  10  in step  361  (XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc). The IWF  40  may also directly forward the XCAP 200 OK to the XDM client  10  without using the aggregation proxy  10  as in step  399 . Steps  371  through  377  of  FIG. 11  correspond to steps  351  through  357  of  FIG. 10 . 
         [0052]    The structure of  FIG. 10  may be applied to a case where the XDM client  60  is included in a trusted domain as shown in  FIG. 14 .  FIG. 14  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in a trusted domain requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention. This scenario may also applied to a case where the IM server  60  as the XDM client requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request. Referring to  FIG. 14 , the XDM client  60  in a trusted domain understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system and forwards a group property retrieval request HTTP XCAP GET request including the group ID of the targeted group to the IWF  40  in step  411  (HTTP XCAP GET request having the IMPS group ID). The IWF  40  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP GET request, performs protocol conversion to generate an IMPS group property retrieval request GetGroupPropsRequest, and forwards the request to the IMPS server  50  in step  413  (GetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including IMPS group ID). The IMPS server  50  retrieves the properties of the group and forwards a GetGroupPropsResponse including the retrieved properties of the group to the IWF  40  in step  415  (GetGroupPropsResponse with properties). The IWF  40  detects the group properties from the GetGroupPropsResponse received from the IMPS server  50  to generate an XML document including the detected group properties according to a SIMPLE protocol and forwards an XCAP 200 OK including the XML document to the XDM client  60  in step  417  (XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc). 
         [0053]      FIG. 12  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in an untrusted domain requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 12 , the XDM client  10  in an untrusted domain forwards an HTTP XCAP PUT request including the ID of a targeted group and an XML document including the group properties of the targeted group to be set to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  381  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the IMPS group ID and XML document 0 . The aggregation proxy  20  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP PUT request and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  383  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  performs protocol conversion with respect to the XCAP PUT request including the IMPS group ID and the group XML document to generate a SetGroupPropsRequest and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  385  (SetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including IMPS group ID and Parameter value pair). The IMPS server  40  sets the group properties of the group according to the contents included in the received SetGroupPropsRequest and forwards a Status as a response to the SetGroupPropsRequest to the IWF  40  in step  387 . The IWF  40  generates an XCAP 200 OK corresponding to the Status, forwards it to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  389 , and the aggregation proxy  20  forwards the XCAP 200 OK to the XDM client  10  in step  391 . The IWF  40  may also forwards the XCAP 200 OK directly to the XDM client  10  without using the aggregation proxy  20  as in step  409  of  FIG. 13 . Steps  401  through  407  of  FIG. 13  correspond to steps  381  through  387  of  FIG. 12 . 
         [0054]    If the XDM client  60  is included in a trusted domain, it setting of the properties of a group included in the IMPS system and receives a response to the request as shown in  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 15  illustrates a process in which a SIMPLE IM client in a trusted domain requests the setting of the properties of the group included in the IMPS system according to another embodiment of the present invention. This scenario may also be applied to a case where the IM server  60  as the XDM client requests the setting of the group properties of the group included in the IMP system and receives a response to the request. 
         [0055]    Referring to  FIG. 15 , the XDM client  60  in a trusted domain understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system and forwards an HTTP XCAP PUT request including the ID of the targeted group and a group XML document with the group properties of the group to be set directly to the IWF  40  without using the aggregation proxy  20  in step  421  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the IMPS group ID and XML document). The IWF  40  understands that the targeted group is included in the IMPS system through the group ID included in the HTTP XCAP PUT request, performs protocol conversion with respect to the XCAP PUT request including the IMPS group ID and the group XML document to generate an IMPS group property setting request SetGroupPropsRequest, and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  423  (SetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including IMPS group ID and Parameter value pair). The IMPS server  50  sets the group properties of the group according to the contents included in the received SetGroupPropsRequest and forwards a Status as a response to the SetGroupPropsRequest to the IWF  40  in step  425 . The IWF  40  generates an XCAP 200 OK corresponding to the Status and forwards it directly to the XDM client  10  in step  427 . 
         [0056]    When the IMPS client requests the retrieval or setting of the properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system, the IM XDM server  30  and the IWF  40  may be constructed to be connected with each other by the aggregation proxy  20  as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 .  FIG. 16  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the retrieval of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 17  illustrates a process in which an IMPS client requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system and receives a response to the request, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0057]    A process in which an IMPS user requests the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the SIMPLE system and receives a response to the request will be described with reference to  FIG. 16 . The IMPS client  70  forwards a GetGroupPropsRequest for requesting the retrieval of the properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system to the IMPS server  50  in step  431  (GetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including SIP URI of the Group in SIMPLE system). The GetGroupPropsRequest includes the SIP URI of the group included in the SIMPLE system. The IMPS server  50  detects the SIP URI included in the received GetGroupPropsRequest, understands that the targeted group is included in the SIMPLE IM system, and forwards the request to the IWF  40  in step  433 . The IWF  40  converts the received GetGroupPropsRequest according to the XCAP protocol to generate an HTTP XCAP GET request and forwards it to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  435  (HTTP XCAP GET request including SIP URI of Group). The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received request to the IM XDM server  30  in step  437 . The IM XDM server  30  retrieves the group properties of the group, composes a group XML document including the retrieved group properties as a SIMPLE IM group property retrieval response, and forwards an XCAP 200 OK including the group XML document to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  439  (XCAP 200 OK with XML Doc). The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received response to the IWF  40  in step  441 . The IWF  40  detects the XML document included in the XCAP 200 OK received from the IM XDM server  30 , generates an IMPS group property response GetGroupPropsResponse including the retrieved group properties, and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  443  (GetGroupPropsResponse with properties). The IMPS server  50  forwards the received GetGroupPropsResponse to the IMPS client  70  in step  445  (Forwards the Response). 
         [0058]    A process in which the IMPS user requests the setting of the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system using the IMPS client  70  will be described with reference to  FIG. 17 . 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIG. 17 , the IMPS client  70  generates a SetGroupPropsRequest including the SIP URI of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system and the group properties to be set and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  451  (SetGroupPropsRequest with parameters including SIP URI of the Group in SIMPLE System and the Property value pairs). The IMPS server  50  detects the SIP URI included in the received SetGroupPropsRequest, understands that the targeted group is included in the SIMPLE IM system, and forwards it to the IWF  40  in step  435  (Forwards the request). The IWF  40  converts the received SetGroupPropsRequest into the XCAP protocol format, generates an HTTP XCAP PUT including the SIP URI of the targeted group and an XML document with the group properties to be set, and forwards it to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  455  (HTTP XCAP PUT request having the SIP URI of the Group and the XDM document). The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received request to the IM XDM server  30  in step  457 . The IM XDM server  30  recognizes the group properties included in the received HTTP XCAP PUT, sets the group properties of the group as requested, and forwards an XCAP 200 OK to the aggregation proxy  20  in step  459 . The aggregation proxy  20  forwards the received response to the IWF  40  (XCAP 200 OK). The IWF  40  converts the XCAP 200 OK received from the IM XDM server  30  according to the IMPS protocol, generates a corresponding IMPS Status, and forwards it to the IMPS server  50  in step  513 . The IMPS server  50  forwards the IMPS Status to the IMPS client  70  in step  515  (Forwards the Status). 
         [0060]    While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0061]    As described above, the present invention enables the SIMPLE IM user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to retrieve the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system. The present invention may also enable the SIMPLE IM user to set the group properties of a group included in the IMPS system and the IMPS user to set the group properties of a group included in the SIMPLE IM system.