Patent ID: 7912903

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving an instant messaging operation directed to a given user of an instant messenger, wherein the instant messaging operation is received from another instant messenger, wherein said given user is not offline, wherein said instant messaging operation is associated with a specific presence state of the instant messenger, wherein the specific presence state associated with the received instant messaging operation is determined separately from a current presence state that is currently assigned to the instant messenger, and wherein said current presence state is selected from a plurality of possible presence states other than a presence state that indicates only that the given user of the instant messenger is online; in response to receiving said instant messaging operation, determining whether the current presence state that is currently assigned to said instant messenger matches the specific presence state associated with the received instant messaging operation, wherein said current presence state corresponds to said given user and indicates presence information other than just that the given user of the instant messenger is online; and in response to determining that said specific presence state of the received instant messaging operation matches said current presence state assigned to said instant messenger, performing said instant messaging operation by the instant messenger of the given user; wherein each of said receiving, said determining, and said performing is implemented by one or more computer systems.