Media Instant Messaging for Mobile Device

An instant messaging (IM) server comprising:

• a communication interface for receiving IM service requests from a receiving device and polling requests from a sending device;
• a control processor operatively connected to the communication interface and configured to:
• receive a first IM service request from the sending device via said communication interface;
• create a message lock for a pending message responsive to receipt of the first IM service request message from the sending device;
• initiate traffic channel set-up by the receiving device responsive to said IM service request message;
• receive a polling request from the receiving device via said communication interface;
• determine if a message lock exists for the pending message in response to said polling request from said receiving device;
• wait to receive said pending message from the sending device if the message lock exists;
• receive the pending message from said sending device via said communication interface;
• and
• forward the pending message to the receiving device via the communication interface.

A method of sending media instant messages (IM) by a mobile device, comprising:

• detecting when a media IM is being generated;
• sending an IM service request to a media IM server when the media IM generation is detected and before the media IM generation is complete;
• and
• sending the media IM to the media IM server when generating the media IM is complete.

A mobile device comprising:

• an communication interface for communicating with a mobile network over an air interface;
• a control processor operatively connected to said communication interface and configured to:
• detect when a media instant message (IM) is being generated;
• send an IM service request to a media IM server when the media IM generation is detected and before the media IM generation is complete;
• and
• send the media IM to the media IM server when the media generation is complete.