Patent ID: 8230024

Claim:
A system comprising at least one processor coupled to at least one machine-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to implement: a delegation component configured to automatically re-direct an instant messaging communication from an entity intended for receipt of the instant messaging communication to a delegate, based on a rule; a continuation component configured to continue or restart the instant messaging communication with the entity; a log component configured to monitor at least one of an approval to send the instant messaging communication to the delegate or a disapproval to send the instant messaging communication to the delegate, and correspondingly modify the rule to indicate a preference, monitor a topic of the instant messaging communication, and provide a logged summarization of a content, including the topic, of communications during the instant messaging communication; and an extender component configured to apply the rule in at least one additional communication mode other than instant messaging, the at least one additional communication mode including at least one of email, voice, audio, voicemail or text messaging, wherein the extender component is further configured to translate a forwarding rule associated with the at least one additional communication mode for application by the delegation component, and wherein the extender component is further configured to automatically create the rule based on evaluating disparate data communication modes and identifying delegation and forwarding rules associated with the disparate data communication modes for emulating in the instant messaging communication.