Patent ID: 7184524

Claim:
A method of supporting real-time communication between at least two users, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one request for at least one real-time action, wherein said request includes a list of participant users to participate in said real-time action; in a first determining step, determining, responsive to said at least one request, a status of at least one condition, wherein said status of said at least one condition indicates whether at least one of said participant users is available to participate in said real-time action, and wherein said status of said at least one condition is responsive to an online presence of said at least one of said participant users; in a second determining step, determining whether said at least one real-time action can be performed responsive to said status of said at least one condition; and performing said real-time action in the event that a determination is made that said real-time action can be performed, wherein said second determining step and said performing step are responsive to a processing of at least one rule, said at least one rule having a logical structure defined by at least one of at least one condition and at least one event notification, said at least one rule defining a specified relationship between said at least one condition, said at least one event notification, and said real-time action.