Patent ID: 8639755

Claim:
A computerized method for managing communications by a user of a computing device who participates in an awareness service system, the method comprising: receiving instant messages (IM) directed to the user for immediate display on the computing device of the user; determining, in response to each received instant message, a current activity of the user; determining, for each received instant message, a collaborative relationship between the user and a sender of that received instant message within context of this current activity; determining, in response to the collaborative relationship determined for a given received instant message, whether the user is currently available to accept instant messages from the sender of the given instant message; and in response to determining that the user is currently unavailable to accept instant messages from the sender of the given instant message, preventing the given instant message from appearing on a display of the computing device of the user and sending an automated reply message related to the currently unavailability of the user to the sender of the given instant message.