Patent ID: 7761526

Claim:
A communications apparatus, comprising: a single, network-based IM client situated on a server, said IM client comprising an interface from multiple endpoints of presence to an IM network; each of said multiple endpoints of presence comprising a handset that is in communication with a single, separate home telephone system base station via a session initiation protocol that is, in turn, in communication with said IM client via an IM protocol such that said handset obtains IM functionality without requiring the ability to decipher IM protocol; wherein a firewall/router separate the home telephone system base station from said IM client situated on said server; wherein the firewall/router includes: a security module; caching and content facilities; personalization modules; and call handling modules; wherein state of said home telephone system base station and state of any IM sessions associated with said users devices are maintained by said IM client on said server independently ; and means associated with said IM client for using event notification for IM session synchronization amongst said handsets that are in communication with said home telephone system base station; wherein multiple, independent endpoints of presence are in communication with said IM network via said IM client; and wherein multiple users can simultaneously access a same IM network with a separate handset from a single, network-based IM client via a single, separate home telephone system base station.