Method and system for wireless instant messaging

A method of facilitating communication between a first terminal and a second terminal, the method comprising, in combination:

• at an IM server, maintaining a registration record indicating that the second terminal is available to receive messages, but pointing to a proxy address defined by an IM client proxy as an address to which messages destined for the second terminal should be sent;
• receiving at the proxy address a first message provided by the first terminal, the message comprising (i) a return address associated with the first terminal, (ii) a destination address associated with the second terminal, and (iii) payload;
• the IM client proxy recording a correlation between the return address and the second terminal;
• the IM client proxy sending at least a portion of the payload to the second terminal;
• the IM client proxy thereafter receiving from the second terminal a response message, and, based on the correlation, the machine identifying the return address;
• and
• the IM client proxy sending to the return address, for receipt by the first terminal, a second message embodying the response message.

A wireless messaging method comprising:

• at a machine, registering a mobile station as being available to receive a message;
• maintaining a registration record at the machine indicating that the mobile station is available to receive messages, but pointing to a proxy address of the machine as an address to which messages destined for the mobile station should be sent;
• receiving at the machine a first message provided by the first terminal and destined for the mobile station, the first message comprising a payload;
• storing a data record that correlates the mobile station with the first terminal;
• sending the payload to the mobile station, whereby the payload may be presented to a user at the mobile station;
• establishing a call connection between the mobile station and the machine;
• via the call connection, receiving a spoken response message from a user at the mobile station;
• and
• sending to the first terminal a message embodying the spoken response message.

A method of facilitating communication between a first machine and a second machine, wherein at least the second machine comprises a mobile station, the method comprising, in combination:

• sending a registration message to a messaging server so as to register the second machine as being available to receive messages, the registration message providing (a) an ID associated with the second machine and (b) a network address associated with a third machine, whereby wherein the message server maintains a registration record indicating that the second machine is available to receive messages but pointing to the network address associated with the third machine as an address to which messages destined for the second machine should be sent;
• receiving at the third machine a set of data packets representing a message provided by the first machine, the data packets defining at least (i) a return address associated with the first machine and (ii) payload;
• the third machine generating an SMS message carrying at least a portion of the payload and including in the SMS message a callback number associated with the third machine;
• the third machine sending the SMS message to the second machine;
• the third machine thereafter receiving a call placed from the second machine to the callback number and, via the call, receiving a spoken response message from a user at the second machine;
• and
• the third machine sending the spoken response message to the return address, for receipt by a user at the first station.

A wireless instant messaging (IM) system comprising, in combination:

• an IM server coupled with a network;
• an IM client proxy coupled with the network, the IM client proxy defining an IM client proxy address;
• a mobile station;
• the IM server maintaining a registration record indicating that the mobile station is available to receive messages but pointing to the IM client proxy address as an address to which messages destined for the mobile station should be sent;
• the IM client proxy receiving from the network a message provided by a sender on the network and destined for the mobile station, and the IM client proxy responsively sending the message to the mobile station;
• the mobile station receiving the message sent from the IM client proxy and presenting the message to a user;
• the mobile station placing a call to the IM proxy;
• the IM proxy receiving, via the call, a spoken response message;
• and
• the IM client proxy sending the spoken response message to the sender on the network.

A wireless instant messaging (IM) system comprising, in combination:

• an IM server coupled with a network;
• an IM client proxy coupled with the network, the IM client proxy defining an IM client proxy address;
• the IM server being configured to maintain a registration record indicating that a mobile station is available to receive messages, but pointing to the IM client proxy address as an address to which messages destined for the mobile station should be sent;
• the IM client proxy being configured to (a) receive from the network a first message provided by a sender on the network and destined for the mobile station, (b) send at least a portion of the first message to the mobile station in response to receiving the first message, (c) receive, via a call, a spoken response message from the mobile station, and (d) send the spoken response message to the sender on the network.