Transparent combination of instant message protocols

A system of routing instant messages comprising:

• a configurable delivery manager associated with an ordered list of one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the configurable delivery manager;
• a first memory comprising a user configuration of an intended recipient, the user configuration comprising a list of one or more delivery mechanisms supported by the intended recipient;
• a delivery manager service, communicatively coupled to the configurable delivery manager and the first memory, for determining available delivery mechanisms supported by both the configurable delivery manager and the user configuration of an intended recipient;
• a second memory comprising one or more available delivery mechanisms communicatively coupled to the configurable delivery manager, for dispatching an instant message to an intended recipient;
• a user interface, communicatively coupled to the delivery manager service, for displaying an availability of the intended recipient and for notifying a user of a failed delivery attempt when all the available delivery mechanisms have been attempted;
• and
• a user presence service, communicatively coupled to the user interface, for displaying availability of the intended recipient to a user.

A system of routing instant messages, the system comprising:

• means for determining to send an instant message to an intended recipient based on user availability information provided by a user presence service;
• means for defining, at runtime by a configurable delivery manager, a delivery policy to be used to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message, wherein the delivery policy is based upon a configuration of the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• and
• means for routing the instant message to the intended recipient using the delivery policy.

A computer readable medium comprising instructions for routing instant messages, the instructions comprising:

• determining to send an instant message to an intended recipient based on user availability information provided by a user presence service;
• defining, at runtime by a configurable delivery manager, a delivery policy to be used to route an instant message to an intended recipient of the instant message,
• wherein the delivery policy is based upon a configuration of the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms;
• and
• routing the instant message to the intended recipient using the delivery policy.