Patent ID: 8239464

Claim:
An instant messaging system, comprising: at least two instant messaging service servers configured to deliver instant messaging services to mobile terminals connected to the at least two instant messaging service servers and to which users of the mobile terminals have opened an instant messaging session; and a virtual presence server independent of the at least two instant messaging service servers, the virtual presence server being connected to a mobile client terminal and to the at least two instant messaging service servers in such a way that information intended for or sent by the mobile client terminal transits via the virtual presence server, wherein the at least two instant messaging service servers are configured to transmit contact lists intended for the mobile client terminal, the contact lists being intercepted by the virtual presence server, the virtual presence server aggregating the contact lists received into a single list in which are registered identities of users, without distinction as to community membership of the users, wherein a computer application executed by the mobile client terminal transmits a piece of information to the virtual presence server in order that one of the users appearing in multiple of the contact lists is represented only once in the single list generated by the virtual presence server, and wherein the virtual presence server transmits the single list to the mobile client terminal.