Patent ID: 8200753

Claim:
A method for establishing an Instant Messaging, IM, relationship, comprising: receiving user information of a first user, wherein the user information of the first user comprises filter conditions of the first user; and initiating an IM to a first IM client and establishing an IM relationship with the first IM client, when the user information of the first user meets filter conditions of a second user, and user information of the second user meets the filter conditions of the first user; initiating, by a second IM client, the IM to the first IM client and establishing the IM relationship with the first IM client when the first user submits the user information of the first user, updates the user information of the first user, logs on, changes from an offline status to an online status, when the user information of the first user meets the filter conditions of the second user, and the user information of the second user meets the filter conditions of the first user; and sending the user information of the first user to the second IM client when the first user sets the release flag in the user information of the first user as on.