Patent ID: 8180840

Claim:
A communication method comprising: receiving, by a messaging client of a first recipient, an instant messaging message from a first sender to the first recipient; performing, by the messaging client of the first recipient, a forwarding operation comprising: waiting, by the messaging client of the first recipient, a predefined time interval for an input from the first recipient, the input being responsive to the instant messaging message; determining, by the messaging client of the first recipient, whether input from the first recipient is received during the predetermined time interval; and in response to determining, by the messaging client of the first recipient, that no input from the first recipient is received during the predetermined time interval, querying the first sender to grant permission to forward, by the messaging client of the first recipient, the instant messaging message from the first recipient to a second recipient and indicate, by the messaging client of the first recipient, that the instant messaging message originated from the first sender; and performing, by the messaging client of the first recipient, a joining operation comprising: in response to receipt, by the messaging client of the first recipient, of the instant messaging message from the first sender to the first recipient and a determination, by the messaging client of the first recipient, that the first recipient is engaged in an instant messaging session with a second sender, querying the first sender to join the instant messaging session, wherein in response to receiving, by the messaging client of the first recipient, confirmation that the first sender desires to join the instant messaging session, querying the second sender to grant permission allowing the first sender to join the instant messaging session; and joining the first sender in the instant messaging session with the first recipient and the second sender after receiving permission from the second sender.