Patent ID: 8370756

Claim:
A method for re-sending a message, originally intended for receipt at an instant messaging client of a messaging user, to at least one alternate address, comprising: waiting for acknowledgement of receipt of an instant message by the instant messaging client of the messaging user; and in the absence of an acknowledged receipt of the instant message, automatically re-sending, from an instant messaging client of a sender that initially sent the instant message, content of the instant message to the messaging user at at least one alternate address for the second messaging user, wherein receipt of the instant message by the messaging user is determined responsive to a graphical window of the instant messaging client of the messaging user displaying the instant message, detecting an operation of the messaging user bringing the graphical window into focus, wherein the instant messaging client of the messaging user is further configured to receive instant messages from other users, the instant messaging client of the messaging user configured to present the messaging user an option of responding to a received instant message and wherein the instant messaging client of the messaging user is configured to play or display contents of the instant message without opening a chat window.