Patent ID: 7185059

Claim:
A method comprising: establishing a first instant-messaging (IM) session between a user on a client device and a first contact in a single IM-session window, the first IM session being initiated with the first contact having a first IM account, the first IM account adapted to transmit and receive IM messages using a first IM protocol; and establishing a second IM session between the user and a second contact in the single IM-session window, the second IM session being initiated with the second contact having a second IM account, the second IM account adapted to transmit and receive IM messages using a second IM protocol, the client device being configured to permit IM communications between the first contact and the second contact, wherein the IM communications between the first contact and the second contact are communicated via the client device of the user, and wherein the first IM protocol is different than the second IM protocol.