Patent ID: 7356345

Claim:
A system for providing help to users of mobile phones within a wireless network, the system comprising: at least one mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the mobile phone includes: user input buttons, a display device, and a middleware application for providing instant messaging capabilities, wherein the mobile phone is configured to display on the display device at least two instant messaging help addresses associated with help services for providing help to the user by way of instant messaging transactions, and wherein at least one of the instant messaging help addresses is automatically or initially added to a list of instant messaging addresses displayed by the mobile phone and which can not be removed by the user; at least one help facility mapped to the at least two instant messaging help addresses, wherein the help facility is configured to: receive a user-initiated instant message help request from the mobile phone based on user actuation of the input buttons and selection of one of the displayed instant messaging help addresses, determine an appropriate response based on the received user-initiated instant message help request, and provide at least one instant message help response for display on the mobile phone to assist the user; and at least one telecommunications server coupled to the mobile phone and the help facility by way of the wireless network, wherein the telecommunications server includes an instant messaging facility for facilitating communication between the mobile phone and the help facility.