Routing instant messages using configurable, pluggable delivery managers

A method of routing instant messages, said method comprising:

• selecting a delivery manager to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message, said delivery manager being pluggable;
• configuring, at runtime, said delivery manager, wherein the configuring comprises selecting a configuration for said delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, said selecting using content of the instant message to make the selection;
• querying, by the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient to determine one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the intended recipient;
• determining, by the delivery manager, one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• identifying, by the delivery manager, one or more delivery mechanisms that are common to a result of the querying and the determining to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms;
• selecting, from the one or more possible delivery mechanisms, at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager;
• and
• routing the instant message to the intended recipient using the at least one delivery mechanism.

A system of routing instant messages, said system comprising:

• means for selecting a delivery manager to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message, said delivery manager being pluggable;
• means for configuring, at runtime, said delivery manager, wherein said means for configuring comprises means for selecting a configuration for said delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, the selecting using content of the instant message to make the selection;
• means for querying, by the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient to determine one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the intended recipient;
• means for determining, by the delivery manager, one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• means for identifying, by the delivery manager, one or more delivery mechanisms that are common to a result of the querying and the determining to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms;
• means for selecting, from the one or more possible delivery mechanisms, at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager;
• and
• means for routing the instant message to the intended recipient using the at least one delivery mechanism.

A system of routing instant messages, said system comprising:

• a delivery manager to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message, wherein said delivery manager is pluggable, and configured, at runtime, by selecting, using content of the instant message, a configuration for said delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations;
• said delivery manager being adapted to:
• query a user configuration of the intended recipient to determine one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the intended recipient;
• determine one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• identify one or more delivery mechanisms that are common to a result of the query and the determination to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms;
• select, from the one or more possible delivery mechanisms, at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager;
• and
• route the instant message to the intended recipient using the at least one delivery mechanism.

At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of routing instant messages, said method comprising:

• selecting a delivery manager to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message, said delivery manager being pluggable;
• configuring, at runtime, said delivery manager, wherein the configuring comprises selecting a configuration for said delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, said selecting using content of the instant message to make the selection;
• querying, by the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient to determine one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the intended recipient;
• determining, by the delivery manager, one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• identifying, by the delivery manager, one or more delivery mechanisms that are common to a result of the querying and the determining to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms;
• selecting, from the one or more possible delivery mechanisms, at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager;
• and
• routing the instant message to the intended recipient using the at least one delivery mechanism.