Patent ID: 7123695

Claim:
A method for delivering a voice instant message to a user from a party who has logged into an instant messaging network, comprising: in response to a request to initiate an instant message session with the user, checking for authorization from the user for sending the voice instant message from the party to the user before prompting the party with a request for generating the voice instant message from the party, wherein authorization is maintained in profile information for the user; in response to declination of the request from the party, generating a textual instant message from the party and sending the textual instant message to the user via the instant messaging network; in response to acceptance of the request from the party, generating the voice instant message from the party if authorization is received, wherein the voice instant message comprises a voice recording in an instant message and the voice recording in the voice instant message includes vocal characteristics of the party that generated the voice instant message; and sending the voice instant message from the party to the user via the instant messaging network.