Patent ID: 7363378

Claim:
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising: establishing an instant messaging session between a first client computer and a second client computer through a first connection via a switchboard server; establishing a peer-to-peer connection, comprising: initiating, at the first client computer, an invitation to the second client computer through the first connection to establish one or more feature sessions between the first client computer and the second client computer, the invitation identifying all transport bridge types supported by the first client computer; receiving, from the second client computer, an acceptance though the first connection in response to the invitation at the first client computer, the acceptance identifying at least one or more transport bridge types preferred at the second client computer; creating, on the basis of the received acceptance, the one or more feature sessions between the first client computer and the second client computer through a second connection, wherein the second connection is a peer-to-peer connection through the one or more preferred transport bridges; transmitting a first portion of a blob of first data associated with the instant messaging session though the first connection via the switchboard server; and transmitting, upon the establishment of the second connection, a subsequent portion of the blob of the first data associated with the instant messaging session through the peer-to-peer connection.