Patent ID: 8050695

Claim:
A method of operating a server comprising: receiving a single instant message from a first messaging client addressed to a group, the single instant message having presence information indicating a presence state of the first messaging client; responsive to receiving the presence information, determining that the first messaging client is in a communicative state; determining that the first messaging client is in an unknown state if a predetermined time period passes after the receipt of the presence information from the first messaging client without receiving additional presence information from the first messaging client; resolving the group to two or more user ids (identifications), the two or more user ids (identifications) identifying second messaging clients that are in a communicative state; sending a message and a notification of a presence state of the first messaging client to each of the two or more user ids (identifications) when the first messaging client is in the communicative state; and refraining from transmitting the notification when the first messaging client is in the unknown state.