Patent ID: 7218921

Claim:
A method for registering or inviting registration of a prospective user of an instant messaging system comprising a plurality of clients having IM applications of the same or different types, selectively interconnected to an IM server by way of a computer network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a client specific access address of a prospective user on the computer network together with a request to register or tentatively register an account for said prospective user; automatically generating and allocating a unique identifier to the prospective user; matching said unique identifier to the client specific access address of the prospective user; wherein if the initial receiving was a direct request to register from the prospective user, registering an account for said prospective user by storing the matched unique identifier and client specific access address with said IM server under the unique identifier; determining whether the initial receiving was associated with a request to register the prospective user from someone other than the prospective user and in response to said determining step, tentatively registering an account for said prospective user by storing the matched unique identifier and client specific access address with said IM server under the unique identifier; and sending notification of said unique identifier to said prospective user at the client specific address of the prospective user, wherein said notification confirms the registering of the prospective user if the initial receiving was associated with a direct request to register from the prospective user; and in response to said determining step, said notification invites registration of the prospective user.