Patent ID: 7016978

Claim:
A computer network system for allowing at least one user from a first plurality of users associated with a first Internet Service Provider (ISP) network to establish an Instant Messaging (IM) session with at least one user from a second plurality of users associated with a second ISP, comprising: a distributed network connecting the first ISP and the second ISP, wherein the first ISP and the second ISP each comprises: a Universal IM server coupled to the distributed network, the Universal IM server comprising a database containing routing information and Presence information associated with at least one user registered on the other ISP network, wherein the Universal IM server is configured to facilitate communication between users using a universal IM protocol; and a bimodal Local IM server configured to establish an IM connection between at least two users registered with the ISP using a proprietary IM protocol, wherein upon determination that the users are configured to communicate using the universal IM protocol, the bimodal Local IM server is configured to facilitate communication between users using the universal IM protocol.