Routing instant messages using configurable, pluggable delivery managers

Abstract

Configurable, pluggable delivery managers are responsible for routing instant messages to intended recipients. A delivery manager is selected for a particular message, and that delivery manager defines, at runtime, a delivery policy to be used to route the instant message to an intended recipient of the message. 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. The delivery manager routes the instant message using the delivery policy.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of routing instant messages, said method comprising: 
 defining, at runtime by a pluggable 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 pluggable delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms; and    routing said instant message to the intended recipient using said delivery policy.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said defining of the delivery policy comprises: 
 defining a routing policy based on said user configuration and said one or more available delivery mechanisms, wherein said routing policy includes one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    selecting from the routing policy at least one delivery mechanism to be included in the delivery policy, said selecting being based upon the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said defining of the delivery policy comprises: 
 determining, from the user configuration, one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient;    determining which of said one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient are included in the one or more available delivery mechanisms to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    determining which of the one or more possible delivery mechanisms are supported by the pluggable delivery manager, as indicated in the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager, a result of which defines the delivery policy.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the pluggable delivery manager from a plurality of delivery managers.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring said pluggable delivery manager.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said configuring comprises selecting a configuration for said pluggable delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, wherein said selecting uses content of the instant message to make the selection.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said configuring comprises configuring said pluggable delivery manager at runtime.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intended recipient is indicated by the instant message.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.  
     
     
         12 . 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.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager is included within the configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching, by the delivery manager, the instant message to one or more delivery mechanisms of the at least one delivery mechanism in accordance with a policy specified by said configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.  
     
     
         16 . A system of routing instant messages, said system comprising: 
 means for defining, at runtime by a pluggable 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 pluggable delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms; and    means for routing said instant message to the intended recipient using said delivery policy.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said means for defining the delivery policy comprises: 
 means for defining a routing policy based on said user configuration and said one or more available delivery mechanisms, wherein said routing policy includes one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    means for selecting from the routing policy at least one delivery mechanism to be included in the delivery policy, the selecting being based upon the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said means for defining the delivery policy comprises: 
 means for determining, from the user configuration, one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient;    means for determining which of said one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient are included in the one or more available delivery mechanisms to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    means for determining which of the one or more possible delivery mechanisms are supported by the pluggable delivery manager, as indicated in the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager, a result of which defines the delivery policy.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said means for routing comprises means for dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said means for routing comprises means for dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising means for selecting the pluggable delivery manager from a plurality of delivery managers.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising means for configuring said pluggable delivery manager.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said means for configuring comprises means for selecting a configuration for said pluggable delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, wherein the selecting uses content of the instant message to make the selection.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said means for configuring comprises means for configuring said pluggable delivery manager at runtime.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the intended recipient is indicated by the instant message.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.  
     
     
         27 . 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.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager is included within the configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein said means for routing comprises means for dispatching, by the delivery manager, the instant message to one or more delivery mechanisms of the at least one delivery mechanism in accordance with a policy specified by said configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.  
     
     
         31 . A system of routing instant messages, said system comprising: 
 a delivery policy defined, at runtime by a pluggable delivery manager, 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 pluggable delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms; and    said pluggable delivery manager to route said instant message to the intended recipient using said delivery policy.    
     
     
         32 . 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.  
   
     
     
         33 . 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: 
 defining, at runtime by a pluggable 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 pluggable delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms; and    routing said instant message to the intended recipient using said delivery policy.    
     
     
         34 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein said defining of the delivery policy comprises: 
 defining a routing policy based on said user configuration and said one or more available delivery mechanisms, wherein said routing policy includes one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    selecting from the routing policy at least one delivery mechanism to be included in the delivery policy, said selecting being based upon the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager.    
     
     
         35 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein said defining of the delivery policy comprises: 
 determining, from the user configuration, one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient;    determining which of said one or more delivery mechanisms supported by said intended recipient are included in the one or more available delivery mechanisms to yield one or more possible delivery mechanisms; and    determining which of the one or more possible delivery mechanisms are supported by the pluggable delivery manager, as indicated in the configuration of the pluggable delivery manager, a result of which defines the delivery policy.    
     
     
         36 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 35 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         37 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching the instant message to at least one delivery mechanism of the delivery policy, as indicated by the delivery policy.  
     
     
         38 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein said method further comprises selecting the pluggable delivery manager from a plurality of delivery managers.  
     
     
         39 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein said method further comprises configuring said pluggable delivery manager.  
     
     
         40 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 39 , wherein said configuring comprises selecting a configuration for said pluggable delivery manager from a set of one or more configurations, wherein said selecting uses content of the instant message to make the selection.  
     
     
         41 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 39 , wherein said configuring comprises configuring said pluggable delivery manager at runtime.  
     
     
         42 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein the intended recipient is indicated by the instant message.  
     
     
         43 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 33 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.  
     
     
         44 . 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.    
     
     
         45 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 44 , wherein said at least one delivery mechanism supported by the delivery manager is included within the configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         46 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 44 , wherein said routing comprises dispatching, by the delivery manager, the instant message to one or more delivery mechanisms of the at least one delivery mechanism in accordance with a policy specified by said configuration of the delivery manager.  
     
     
         47 . The at least one program storage device of  claim 44 , wherein at least one available delivery mechanism of said one or more available delivery mechanisms is pluggable.