Patent ID: 7283539

Claim:
A system for a network operator to manage a message-based application, provided to a subscriber, and an application provider, providing said application, in a communications network connected to a message gateway for relaying and translating messages between said application and said subscriber comprising: a subscription management module for managing publication of said application and subscription to said application by said subscriber, having a mechanism for: publicizing the existence of a community to the subscriber; adding the subscriber as a member of the community responsive to a request for membership from the subscriber; including the service in the community responsive to an availability state of the application; publicizing the application to the subscriber as a member of the community; and subscribing the subscriber to the application responsive to a request to subscribe from the subscriber; an application management module for managing the availability of said application based on authorization by said network operator and said application provider; and a message handler module for managing relaying and translating of said messages via the message gateway based on information from said subscription management module and said application management module.