Userplane, founded in 2001, has licensed its chat technology to more than 100,000 sites and online communities, and has a presence in more than 25 countries. Key clients include MySpace, Honda, Date.com, Spark, IGN, Tagged, Red Bull, and Marvel Comics among others.
Userplane essentially allows advertisers to target based on user profiles and demographics, utilizing streaming audio and video in the process. The company runs under three different business models, including a monthly licensing model, a free model and a hybrid model, whereby licensed can place Userplane’s advertising inventory on their site and share in the proceeds.

“Userplane will expand and extend the reach and relevance of the AOL(R) instant messaging franchise, while continuing to provide social networking audiences and specialized communities with brandable clients tailored to meet their needs,” said Ted Leonsis, vice chairman and president, AOL Audience Business, in a statement. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Userplane’s entrepreneurial leaders and talented technologists to AOL, and we look forward to offering optional federation to Userplane communities with our global network of 83 million AOL, AIM and ICQ users.”

Userplane’s 12 employees will remain in the LA area, where the company will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOL.

This marks the third major acquisition for AOL in 2006 alone, the previous being Lightningcast in May and Truveo in January. The Userplane deal, meanwhile, was signed on July 28th and closed last week. Financial terms were not disclosed