Patent ID: 7894837

Claim:
A handheld instant messaging terminal comprising: a handheld terminal housing; a data entry device integrated in the terminal housing, the data entry device being configured to generate textual characters and graphical symbols in response to actuation of the data entry device; a display mounted in the terminal housing to display textual characters and graphical symbols including the textual characters and graphical symbols generated by the data entry device; an Internet protocol communications module located within the handheld terminal housing to generate data messages in an Internet protocol; a wireless transceiver mounted within the handheld terminal housing and coupled to the Internet protocol communications module to generate wireless data messages that include the data messages in the Internet protocol, the wireless transceiver radiates the wireless data messages from an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver; and a control module located within the handheld terminal housing and coupled to the Internet protocol communications module, the control module including at least one processor that executes an application program to implement at least one instant messaging protocol for generation of instant messaging (IM) data messages that are compatible with an instant messaging service, the control module providing the IM data messages that are compatible with an instant messaging service to the Internet protocol communications module to enable the IM data messages to be communicated during at least one conversation session through the Internet protocol communications module and the wireless transceiver.