Patent ID: 7685241

Claim:
A method for mapping a first user identification (ID) to a second user ID between separate online services, comprising: storing an association between the first user ID of a user and the second user ID of the same user; accessing a monitor service that monitors at least a first online service and is independent of each monitored online service, wherein the first online service comprises an online name service, wherein the first user ID comprises an alias that is associated with a fixed ID registered with the first online service, and wherein the fixed ID is not equivalent to the second user ID; determining from the monitor service that the first user ID is actively participating in the first online service; accessing a second online service that receives a message from a client identified by the second user ID, wherein the message indicates that the client detected the second user ID actively participating in the first online service, wherein the second online service comprises an online portal service that is independent of the online game service and the online portal service provides a messaging service, and wherein the second user ID is registered with the online portal service, but the second user ID is not registered with the online game service; and determining from the association that the first user ID corresponds to the client identified by the second user ID.