Patent ID: 7233979

Claim:
A method for arranging peer-to-peer communications between first and second applications, the first application executing at a first device, the method comprising: leveraging, by the first application, online presence information of an instant messaging service to select a second application with which to engage in the peer-to-peer session, the second application being registered with the instant messaging service as being peer-to-peer session invite capable; and arranging, by the first application via components of the instant messaging service, a peer-to-peer session with the second application, the second application being associated with the second device, the peer-to-peer session being functionally independent of the instant messaging service, wherein the peer-to-peer session is between the second application and a third application executing on the first device, the second and third applications not being client platforms of the instant messaging service, and wherein arranging further comprises coordinating, by the first application, the peer-to-peer session via a fourth application executing on the second device, the first and fourth applications being respective client platforms of the instant messaging service.