Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for sorting seller listings or advertisements of a seller network. One embodiment includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue that is expected to be generated from presentation of advertisements, based on statistical data indicating performance of the advertisements; and presenting one or more of the advertisements based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to facilitate connections between peoples for real time communications. In one embodiment, a method includes: identifying an entity based at least in part on relevancy to a content of a document to be presented to a user; and for presentation to the user adding a communication reference separately from the content used to identify the entity; where the communication reference has been assigned to the entity and the communication reference can be used to request a connection for real time communications with the entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide a reference for communication with a business is disclosed here. One embodiment includes providing a reference for real-time communication with a business to be placed in a representation of a geographical region at a location within the representation corresponding to a location of the business, tracking usage of the reference, and billing the business for providing the reference for real-time communication based on quantitative usage of the reference.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to present advertisements which provide references to request real time communication connections. One embodiment includes presenting an advertisement including information usable to request a real time communication connection to a predetermined advertiser, which is to be charged a fee for the advertisement responsive to the real time communication connection established to the advertiser using the information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements for groups of advertisers. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a telephone call at a second telephone number from a caller; connecting the telephone call to a first telephone number of a first entity who provides a price bid for a phone lead to be directed to the first telephone number of the first entity; where the first entity is to be billed for the telephone call connected to the first telephone number according to the price bid in response to a determination that the telephone is not a repeated telephone call from the caller to the first entity within a time period.

Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate the management of multiple pay for performance advertisements. In one embodiment, a method includes: generating a user interface to show a plurality of advertisements simultaneously and to allow editing of any of the plurality of advertisements; and updating an advertisement database according to input received in the user interface. In one embodiment, the each advertisement of the plurality of advertisements is charged for according to a price bid in response to a communication lead generated from the advertisement. In one embodiment, the plurality of advertisements are selected from advertisements of more than one user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide services to people who wish to make connections for real time communication, such as live telephone conversation, chat, video conferencing, etc. In one embodiment, a method includes: presenting to a communicatee a plurality of requests for real time communication connections to the communicatee, the requests being received from a plurality of communicators; prioritizing the requests according to an input from the communicatee; and establishing a real time communication connection to the communicatee according to the prioritizing of the requests.

Abstract: Methods and systems for converting a call generated from an advertisement. One embodiment includes: establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity; billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

Abstract: Methods and systems to schedule delivery of advertisements. In one embodiment, an indication of one or more periods of time during which the advertiser is callable to receive real time communications generated from advertising is received. Delivery of an advertisement for the advertiser is then managed according to the indication of one or more periods of time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to present information to sellers/advertisers/advisors for connections to customers for real time communications. One embodiment includes: responsive to a request from a customer, determining a telephonic reference of the customer; presenting to at least one entity an option to be connected to the customer; responsive to a first entity selecting the option, initiating a telephonic connection to the customer using the determined telephonic reference of the customer to provide a telephonic connection between the customer and the first entity; and charging the first entity a fee for a lead to the customer in response to establishing the telephonic connection between the customer and the first entity.

Abstract: Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications via a telephonic apparatuses that support data communications. In one embodiment, a telephonic apparatus includes: a network interface to submit a query over a data communication network and to receive a listing with embedded information about the query; and a call module coupled to the network interface, the call module to embed the information about the query in a call signaling message for a telephonic connection according to the listing.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a communication interface to receive an input from a merchant; a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers for delivery of premium messages sent by the system to collect funds for purchases made by customers; and a common format processor coupled with the plurality of converters to send the premium messages. The common format processor determines a combination of one or more premium messages, in response to a first customer making a first purchase from the merchant at a first price. The total price of the one or more premium messages is based on the first price and a portion of service charges associated with the one or more premium messages, where the portion is specified by the input received via the interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for advertising where the advertisement performance is determined via tracking the deals made as a result of communication leads generated from the advertisements. One embodiment includes: providing an advertisement containing a communication reference to a customer on behalf of a party; providing a connection via the reference for real time communications between the customer and the party; and charging an advertisement fee in response to an action of a predetermined type being performed by the customer (or an agreement between the customer and the party being reached) as a result of the real time communications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide services to people who wish to make connections for real time communication, such as live telephone conversation, chat, video conferencing, etc. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a seller with a code to be embedded in a document, the document to be distributed by the seller, the code to generate a display of a call button when the document is displayed; in response to a selection of the call button, initiating a process to make a telephonic connection between the seller and a buyer; and charging the buyer on behalf of the seller for a service delivered by the seller over the telephonic connection to the buyer.

Abstract: Systems and methods to selectively block calls from reaching destinations based on an input received from a callback connection. One embodiment includes a web server to receive a selection of an advertisement from an customer and to obtain a communication reference from the customer in response to the selection; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers coupled to the session border controller and the web server, the one or more telecommunication servers to establish a connection for real time communications using the communication reference, to initiate a connection for real time communications with an advertiser of the advertisement after receiving an indication of acceptance of the connection established using the communication reference; where the advertiser is charged an advertisement fee in response to establishing a connection for real time communications between the advertiser and the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide advertisements based on the content of documents in which the advertisements are presented. One embodiment includes: a web server to receive a request for an advertisement in reference to a document provided to a user by a content provider; a backend server to identify the advertisement based on relevancy of the advertisement to the content of the document and to associate a communication reference with the advertisement and the content provider, the web server to provide the advertisement and the reference for inclusion in the document; and a telecommunication server coupled to a session border controller and the backend server to receive a connection request via the reference, to determine contact information of the advertiser and identify the content provider based on the reference, and to establish the connection between the user and the advertiser using the determined contact information.

Abstract: Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and/or commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to a request from a first member of a social network, determining a preference of a second member of the social network based at least in part on a characteristic of a social connection between the first and second members who are not socially directly connected in the social network; and facilitating real time communications between the first and second members in accordance with the preference. In one embodiment, the presentation of the advertisement or the advertiser is at least partially based on the social network.

Abstract: Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications via a telephonic apparatuses that support data communications. In one embodiment, a telephonic apparatus includes: a network interface to submit a query over a data communication network and to receive a listing with embedded information about the query; and a call module coupled to the network interface, the call module to provide the received information about the query in a message sent over the data communication network for a telephonic connection according to the listing. In one embodiment, the telephonic apparatus receives a telephonic reference of a callee of the listing as a response to the message and initiates a telephonic connection to the callee using the telephonic reference of the callee received as a response to the message. In another embodiment, telephonic apparatus receives a callback responsive to the message for the telephonic connection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide telephonic connections to members of a social network. One embodiment includes: identifying a first member connected to a second member in a social network; determining whether profile data of the first member of the social network includes a telephonic reference of the first member; presenting a user interface element to the second member over a data communication network in response to a determination that the profile data of the first member includes the telephonic reference of the first member; and responsive to a selection of the user interface element, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first member using the telephonic reference of the first member and a second telephonic connection to the second member to provide a telephonic connection between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide user interfaces dynamically customized according to partners through which the user interfaces are accessed in a customer acquisition process. One embodiment includes providing to a plurality of entities a platform, configured to assign references for embedding in listings for presentation and configured to connect people for real time communications according to the references embedded in the listings, the references to be used to request the platform to provide the connections; responsive to a request received via a first entity of the plurality of entities, presenting a user interface of the platform in a first format to identify the first entity; and responsive to a request received via a second entity of the plurality of entities, presenting the user interface of the platform in a second format to identify the second entity.