Patent ID: 8019363

Claim:
A method of facilitating messaging between a mobile device and a sender, the method comprising steps of: providing a plurality of reserved routing codes for exchanging messages between senders and mobile devices; in response to receiving a message from the sender directed to the mobile device, temporarily associating one of the routing codes with the sender, said associating of said routing code persisting until reassignment of said routing code; including the temporarily associated routing code in a reply message as a reply address; and transmitting the reply message with the included temporarily associated routing code to the mobile device; the method further comprising the steps of: composing a message for the sender at said mobile device, said message including at least said sender's personal identifier in body of said message; sending said message to a routing code assigned to an ‘unlisted’ function on said mobile device; receiving said message at an instant messaging system; capturing said sender's personal identifier by said instant messaging system; temporarily assigning a routing code from said plurality of reserved routing codes to said sender's personal identifier by said instant messaging system, said assigning of said routing code persisting until reassignment of said routing code; sending said message to said sender; and returning notice of said assignment to said mobile device.