Patent ID: 8499050

Claim:
A method for automatically replying to mail, comprising: setting a mail automatic reply time interval; receiving a new mail sent to a user; obtaining presence information of the user; searching for a mail automatic reply message corresponding to the presence information of the user; determining whether the presence information indicates that a presence state of the user has changed during the mail automatic reply time interval; and sending the corresponding mail automatic reply message to a sender of the mail when it is determined that the presence state of the user has changed during the mail automatic reply time interval, and wherein the corresponding mail automatic reply message corresponds to a current presence state of the user, wherein sending the corresponding mail automatic reply message comprises determining whether a subsequent mail from the same sender of the mail is received after receiving the new mail and before the mail automatic reply time interval of the new mail is reached, and determining whether the presence information of the user changes when receiving the subsequent mail, and wherein the subsequent mail is automatically replied to and the automatic reply to the new mail is cancelled when it is determined that the presence information of the user has changed when the subsequent mail is received.