Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for providing telephone number sharing services to subscribers over public switched telephone network or data network. The disclosed system maintains a bank of reusable caller identifiers (IDs). The system receives call details of a call from a subscriber of the system. The call details include a caller identifier (ID) preference of the subscriber and a called number corresponding to the called party. The system stores the call details in a database. The system determines whether the call from the subscriber is a first call to the called number. In response to the call being the first call to the called number, the system assigns a call ID from the bank of reusable caller IDs that satisfies the reusable caller ID preference of the subscriber, and connects the call to the called number along with the caller ID.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus enabling a wireless network to provide differentiated services to a machine-to-machine (M2M) client. In one embodiment, the wireless network comprises a UMTS network, and the Home Location Register (HLR) entity identifies subscriptions as machine-to-machine (M2M) enabled devices based on flags or other descriptors associated with each M2M device, and imposes one or more rule sets (e.g., service restrictions) based on this identification. The classification of M2M devices within the HLR may optionally include additional capability or profile data for the M2M device (e.g. static, low mobility, low data activity, etc.). Various other network entities may use the M2M identification to modify the delivered data service, so as to optimize network resources. Furthermore, monitoring of M2M client behavior can be used to detect and notify the network operator of abnormal, fraudulent, or malicious activity. Business methods utilizing the aforementioned methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: Identifying a caller includes establishing, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device and accessing information enabling determination of a location of the user. A request to place a call to a call recipient is received from the user and a pool of temporary telephone numbers is accessed. Based on the location of the user, a temporary telephone number from the pool of temporary telephone numbers is selected. The temporary telephone number is associated with the call, the call is initiated to the call recipient, and information sufficient to identify the temporary telephone number is provided in call information sent to the call recipient.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for integrating a private branch exchange (PBX)-equipped client and an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for integrating a PBX-equipped client and an on-demand database service can enable embodiments with additional infrastructure at the client that is better equipped to leverage the on-demand database service. The ability of embodiments to provide such client side infrastructure can enable additional enhanced services in conjunction with telephone calls, etc.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of associating first data identifying a first party with second data to allow future recognition of the first party, including the steps of: conducting a telephone call with the first party; storing second data derived from the telephone call with the first party, the second data being different to the first data and characterizing a feature of the first party to allow future recognition of the first party; and associating the first data with the second data.

Abstract: Detailed information about a party can be provided during interparty communication. Data-capable mobile devices query at least a public database to retrieve information about a set of parties engaged in communication. The results of the database query are employed to provide detailed caller identification and detail functionality to telephones or communication devices not utilizing traditional landlines or commercial caller identification service. Storage can be included to include address book function, query caching, and user preferences. An interface can be provided to facilitate display of rich caller identification information. The interface can further update displayed information without user input, or provide user selection control to request more information on a selected portion of displayed information. These features can be applied to determine the information about a party that is either receiving a communication or initiating a communication.

Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method for updating information of contacts is provided, and the mobile terminal includes: an edition module, configured to provide a contact update interface containing a selection control and an edition control, wherein the selection control is used for generating a selection instruction according to an operation from a user, and the edition control is used for generating an edition instruction according to an operation from the user; a control module, configured to select information of multiple contacts according to the selection instruction from the selection control and edit the information of the multiple contacts according to the edition instruction from the edition control; and an update module, configured to update information of the multiple contacts stored in a database as the information of the multiple contacts being edited by the control module. Advantageously, the effect of improving user experience is reached.

Abstract: A system including a database storing a plurality of callback telephone numbers. The plurality of callback telephone numbers have area codes corresponding to at least two different area codes. An information processor is configured to process a trigger comprising at least an area code of a telephone number of a call target, select a telephone number from the database having at least an area code the same as the area code of the telephone number of the call target, set caller identification data to the selected telephone number for an outbound call to the call target, and transmit the caller identification data to the call target in connection with the outbound call.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the presentation of telephone information about a company or other enterprise over the Internet in response to consumer searches for names or products. Department information is included. The system uses a database to determine product slightly sold my search for companies to provide advertisers or sponsors with preferential placement of their ads. Revenue is charged response to clicking on an advertisement. The system also places telephone calls over the Internet to users of the inventive search engine. Advertisers are charged for such calls. Optionally, the system may not allow direct dialing for non-advertisers.

Abstract: A method system and apparatus for enhancing digital voice call initiation between a first telephony device and a second telephony device is provided. Text data is associated with digital voice data conveyed between the first telephony device and the second telephony device, the associating occurring prior to initiating transmitting the digital voice data, the text data based on input data received via an input device associated with the first telephony device. The text data is transmitted to the second telephony device in conjunction with transmitting the digital voice data, the text data to be provided synchronously at the second telephony device with an announcement of the digital voice data.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing additional information to called parties comprises receiving a call from a calling party, performing a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database, receiving the information from the database, and forwarding the information to a called party. The system comprises at least one device for receiving a call from a calling party, and at least one database for storing information associated with the calling party, wherein the at least one device is operable to perform a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database, receive the information from the database, and forward the information to a called party.

Abstract: Network servers in a session initiation protocol (SIP) telecommunication network implement playback of announcements to end-users by embedding programming scripts defining how the announcements are to be played in a SIP message. In particular, the scripts may define the sequence in which a series of announcements are to be played, duration information relating to a playback length of the announcements, and repetition information defining how many times an announcement is to be repeated. By including a script in a single message, announcement instructions may be efficiently communicated in the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a message in Caller-ID information are described. In one embodiment of the present invention, an applications server, such as service control point (SCP), substitutes a message for Caller-ID information when a switch serving the called party's line requests the Caller-ID information. An embodiment may also include an application that provides a user interface, for example, a web-enabled interface, to allow the subscriber to add or change the message.

Abstract: A system and a method for processing calls. The system comprises a database including: a plurality of telephony identifiers; and for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of persons that is associated with the telephony identifier, each person of the group of persons being reachable by placing a call to the telephony identifier, the information comprising, for each person of the group of persons, information related to processing of calls involving the person. The system also comprises a processing element having access to the database and being operative for: determining that a given call involves a particular person of the group of persons that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers; and processing the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular person.

Abstract: Enhanced telephony computer user interfaces seamlessly integrate and leverage the features of personal computers and telephones. The manner in which media is presented at a computing system can also be modified automatically in response to detected telephone operations. These modifications can include pausing media in response to a detected telephone call and/or adjusting a volume of the media presentation. The media presentation/volume can also be resumed/restored upon detecting that the telephone call has terminated.

Abstract: An apparatus having a picture caller identification (“CID”) feature provides enhanced entertainment value and is also capable of preventing screen burn. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory operative to store data indicating an association between a first plurality of pictures and a first phone number, and a processor operative to enable display of the first plurality of pictures in response to receiving a phone call from the first phone number.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting additional information about a user are provided. The user may be a calling party or a called party. A request for information in addition to the information normally contained in the caller ID may be constructed and sent to a repository of additional information that returns the additional information. If the user is a calling party, the additional information may be presented on the called party's communication device. If the user is a called party, the additional information may be presented on the calling party's communication device. A system including the repository may receive the request. An authoring and editing component of the system may allow the user or others to edit the additional information about the user. The system may select and send the additional information based on a set of parameters in the request and the access type of the requestor.

Abstract: A system and method for customized caller identification and call routing are disclosed. A disclosed method of providing customized caller identification information for a phone call includes associating a first phone number in a database with a plurality of user specified identifications, selecting one of the plurality of user specified identifications in response to the phone call placed from the first phone number to a second phone number as a function of the second phone number, and providing the selected one of the plurality of identifications to a device associated with the second telephone number.

Abstract: A communication device, wherein when the communication device is in a ringing mode, audio data is output from the speaker, and when the communication device is in a silent mode, audio data is converted to a text data and the text data is output from the display in a visual fashion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a user with control over telecommunications services provided by a service provider. Using almost any type of communications device, a user may gain access to, view, and make changes or modifications to profile information related to the services. The changes may be made quickly and efficiently, but accuracy and thoroughness in the implementation of the changes are not sacrificed. Further, the changes to the communications services are implemented almost immediately and without involvement by the service provider. Particularly, profile information about the telecommunications service is stored on a server in a data network. A change action relating to the profile information may be received at the server from a data device (such as a wireless unit) operating on the network. The change action is implemented on the profile information to result in changed profile information, which may be provided from the server via the data network to the telecommunications system.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a user with the ability to enter and validate contact addresses when composing a message on a mobile device. The user may access at least one of a local contact address data store and a remote contact address data store when entering and validating contact addresses.

Abstract: A method can include detecting an incoming voice mail message and accessing information associated with the incoming voice mail message. The information associated with the incoming voice message may then be compared with some other information, which may comprise one or more of these attributes associated with each message: a caller ID; a time stamp; a user extension; a message length; a caller identification; message content; and whether a user has tagged each message as spam.

Abstract: Method for providing caller information during a telephony ringing signal, including the procedures of storing caller information, associated with at least one of a caller and a callee, on a caller information server, installing a client application on a callee device, dialing a callee device CLI by the caller, identifying a caller device CLI by the callee device, contacting the caller information server by the callee device and providing the caller information server with at least one of the caller device CLI and the callee device CLI, retrieving, by the callee device, from the caller information server the caller information associated with at least one of the caller and the callee according to at least one of the caller device CLI and the callee device CLI, and presenting, on the callee device, the retrieved caller information.

Abstract: A method and system for providing computer-network related information about a second party. First, the second party receives a telephone number of a first party. The second party's customer premises equipment (CPE) or elements in a telephone network then use the telephone number to index a database, which contains combinations of telephone numbers and computer-network addresses. Once the first party's computer-network address is retrieved, first-party-customized information present at the computer-network location specified by the computer-network address can be sent to and displayed on the second party's CPE. Also, the first party's telephone number can be sent to an application in the computer network, causing the first-party-customized information to be automatically displayed on the second party's CPE.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list.

Abstract: A method and system for a dial plan parser includes a state machine configured upon a dial plan to which is applied call signaling data, and a call routing module/switch to transfer a call to a next point.

Abstract: A method, a system and a terminal for occupying a key and a display field that is associated with the key of a first end device of a first subscriber. An address identifies the second end device of a second subscriber. Following user input of the first subscriber. The detected second address is assigned to the key as a target address for setting up a future connection. Associated subscriber information is determined for the detected address, and the determined subscriber information is assigned to the display field.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving identification of a party in a communication transaction is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that presents an image identifier that identifies one among a calling party in at least one among an unanswered call and a voicemail message, and a called party in a dialed call. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a caller identification system and method for identifying a caller with a partial phone number look-up table. The caller identification system comprises a database that stores received calls and can be personalized to include information specific to partial phone numbers. In one embodiment, the caller identification system disclosed can be integrated into a cellular phone. In this embodiment, an incoming call initiates a search in a database to retrieve information about the caller. If a match is found, the identity of the caller is displayed. When an exact match is not found, a search for a partial match is executed with wild card values and information about the partial match is displayed. Information for a partial match can be personalized or pre-programmed into the caller ID system such as the city associated with a particular area code or prefix.

Abstract: A phone network in a wireless environment that does not perform CNAM queries when a number is already stored in the receiving handsets' caller directory. CNAM query fees are charged only to obtain caller information on a new caller. The network does not make CNAM queries when the caller information is already available, whether in the contact information stored on the receiver's handset or through some other reliable source.

Abstract: Methods, media, and network devices are provided for detecting errors in caller identifier records. A caller name provider is identified for a terminating endpoint that is a recipient of a communication from a transmitting device. The caller name provider receives queries for caller identifier information that will be transmitted to the terminating endpoint. The caller name provider returns records having the caller identifiers in response to the queries. When the records contain an error, the caller name providers receive update requests from a calling party of the transmitting device. The update requests include changes to the records that correct the errors.

Abstract: A system for handling an outbound call from a call originator to a plurality of call targets, including a database storing a plurality of outgoing telephone numbers, each outgoing telephone number having one of two or more area codes. The system including an information processor configured to process at least an area code of a telephone number of the call targets, select from the database telephone numbers from the plurality of outgoing telephone numbers where the selected telephone numbers have at least an area code the same as the area code of the telephone number of the call targets, set caller identification data of the outbound calls to the selected telephone numbers, and transmit the caller identification data to the call targets in connection with the outbound calls.

Abstract: A call tracking system and method that uses an automated filtering function to increase accuracy of call tracking. In some embodiments, the system utilizes a spam blocking module, such as a challenge-response test (e.g., a CAPTCHA), a blacklist for callers sharing certain criteria indicative of robo-dialed or spam calls, or other similar spam filter to block unwanted calls from being routed to an advertiser. By using a spam blocking module, the amount of noise in the call tracking system can be reduced and the attribution of calls correspondingly more accurate. In some embodiments, an interactive voice response (IVR) module is utilized to reduce the noise in the system by filtering or blocking unwanted calls. By utilizing an automated filtering function, the disclosed system improves the accuracy of call tracking and allows advertisers to better track the performance of advertising campaigns that they undertake.

Abstract: The invention relates to an internal communication terminal (iK1, iK2, iK3) of a private branch exchange (PBX), having at least one device (E11, . . . , E32), by means of the activation (act) of which said internal communication terminal (iK) or the private branch exchange (PBX) is put into a state in which said internal communication terminal or the private branch exchange identifies the telephone number of an incoming call from an external communication terminal (eK). The identified telephone number of the external communication terminal is then associated with the internal communication terminal in a database (DB), provided that the type of the association of said external communication terminal with said internal communication terminal connected with the activation of said device is not yet entered in the database. Otherwise, said association is deleted.

Abstract: Detailed information about a party can be provided during interparty communication. Data-capable mobile devices query at least a public database to retrieve information about a set of parties engaged in communication. The results of the database query are employed to provide detailed caller identification and detail functionality to telephones or communication devices not utilizing traditional landlines or commercial caller identification service. Storage can be included to include address book function, query caching, and user preferences. An interface can be provided to facilitate display of rich caller identification information. The interface can further update displayed information without user input, or provide user selection control to request more information on a selected portion of displayed information. These features can be applied to determine the information about a party that is either receiving a communication or initiating a communication.

Abstract: A facility for blocking telephone calls is described. The facility is implemented by a telecommunications system that manages assigned and unassigned telephone numbers. The facility determines that a call originator has made two telephone calls to two different unassigned telephone numbers. The facility adds the call originator to a blacklist for a default time period. If the call originator calls any managed telephone number during the default time period, the facility renews the default time period. After the default time period expires, if the call originator makes additional telephone calls to other unassigned telephone numbers, the facility adds the call originator to the blacklist for a time period that is increased from the default time period. The facility increases the time period with each additional call to an unassigned telephone number. Accordingly, the time period is a function of the number of unassigned telephone numbers called by the call originator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a “Phone Log” in a telephone switchboard for recording the extension numbers, the phone numbers dialed by the extension numbers and the accumulated times. When there is an outside call, the telephone switchboard will first check the “Phone Log” whether the telephone number of the outside call is on the “Phone Log” or not; if the telephone number of the outside call is on the “Phone Log”, then the outside call (callback) is connected directly to the corresponding extension; otherwise the outside call will be connected to an auto-attendant for connecting. As the accumulated time of each of the records reaches a time limit, the related record will be cleared out. After the callback is picked up by the corresponding extension successfully, the related record is also cleared out.

Abstract: A user authentication method is applied to a user authentication apparatus for authentication using a unique ID that is information unique to a communication apparatus. The method includes acquiring a user ID as information identifying a user, and detecting a unique ID corresponding to the user ID from a user ID list. The method also includes making a call with a predetermined number of rings to a communication apparatus having the unique ID. Additionally, the method includes receiving a callback made by a communication apparatus after a predetermined number of rings of the call in response to the call. In addition, the method includes determining whether a unique ID of the communication apparatus having made the callback matches the unique ID of the communication apparatus to which the call has been made, and determining, if there is a match, that a user having the user ID is an authorized user.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that receives an incoming call at an electronic device, where the incoming call includes caller identification information. Further, the method determines whether a personal address book stored remotely from the electronic device includes an entry associated with the caller identification information. Additionally, an audio alert associated with the entry is inserted into a multimedia data stream, where the audio alert is determined based at least in part on the entry.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing additional information to called parties comprises receiving a call from a calling party, performing a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection, receiving the information from the database, and forwarding the information to a called party. The system comprises at least one device for receiving a call from a calling party, and at least one database for storing information associated with the calling party, wherein the at least one device is operable to perform a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection, receive the information from the database, and forward the information to a called party.

Abstract: A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: receiving a first communiqué that is affiliated with a source entity and that is directed to a receiving entity; and transmitting to the receiving entity, in lieu of the first communiqué, a second communiqué that is provided in accordance with one or more conditional directives to conditionally obfuscate identity of the source entity, the one or more conditional directives provided by the receiving entity. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Abstract: A communication system providing a multimedia service which enables requesting a communication network to cancel a registration for a calling terminal as a bad terminal in the communication network. Typically, the calling terminal is connected to a calling-side communication network; and if the calling terminal is registered as a bad terminal in a called-side communication network, the calling-side communication network requests the called-side communication network to cancel the registration. The calling terminal may be informed that reception of a communication in the communication system has been restricted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described to process an incoming telephone call. The method may comprise, at a recipient telephone system, receiving the incoming call including speech and identifying when a Do-Not-Disturb option is set. The Do-Not-Disturb option may identify that a user has requested not to receive telephone calls. Content analysis may be performed to identify content of the speech and a reference database may be interrogated based on the content to identify an associated rule. Thereafter, the Do-Not-Disturb option may be selectively overridden based on the associated rule. The content analysis may comprise performing speech recognition on the speech to obtain a reference word/phrase and interrogating the reference database with the word/phrase to identify the associated rule. A method of configuring a Do-Not-Disturb option in a telephone system is also described that allows a user to define reference words and associated rules.

Abstract: A method of displaying telephone call data having the steps of receiving a network message containing a telephone id, retrieving a network address associated with the telephone id from a database, retrieving data from the network address, and causing the data to be displayed on a visual display.

Abstract: An embodiment includes one or more call systems and a computer processor communicatively coupled with the one or more call systems. The computer processor is configured to receive a communication from a first call system of the one or more call systems. The computer processor is further configured to retrieve recipient data from a second call system of the one or more call systems. The recipient data includes one or more receiver conditions. The computer is additionally configured to determine if the one or more receiver conditions have been met, and if they have been met, the computer processor forwards the communication to the second call system.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for automatically integrating and assembling the timestamp of a communication event with the identification of the communicating parties and available event attributes, presenting prompts for user entries on a terminal or interface device, storing user annotated information related to said communication event, and transmitting saved information of said communication events to another terminal device or information system. The invention also relates to a computer program, a device, and a system encapsulating computer programs realizing the method.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing unsolicited marketing communications to subscribers in a subscription base obtains a contacting party identification for incoming communications to a selected contact point before communications are allowed to pass through to selected contact points. Next, contacting party identification is compared with a marketing database to determine if there is a match. If there is a match, a preselected action other than completing the incoming communication is taken or incoming communication is completed if an override condition is set. If there is no match, incoming communication is passed through and the subscriber can designate it as an unwanted marketing communication if a preselected criterion for addition is met once more than one subscriber identifies the contacting party identification as a potential marketing communication.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to detect by way of an input device an entry of a communication identifier without contact information of a party associated with the communication identifier, retrieve from a database operating externally to the communication device contact information of the party according to the communication identifier, initiate a communication session according to the communication identifier, present at least a portion of the retrieved contact information and the communication identifier, and store the communication identifier in a communication log with the retrieved contact information. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Network devices provide seamless offloading of data communications from a service provider's cellular network to an alternate access network outside of the service provider's cellular network. After a cellular mobile device has initially been authenticated by devices in the cellular network to communicate with a packet data network via the cellular network, the cellular mobile device is configured to leverage its prior authentication on the cellular network and automatically obtain credentials for use in logging onto the alternate access network, without requiring any action by a user of the cellular mobile device. After the cellular mobile device is logged on to the alternate access network, the cellular mobile device sends wireless data communications to the packet data network via the alternate access network instead of the cellular network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to telephone call processing. In one embodiment, a call processing system receives from a caller a first call for a user, the first call including call signaling information. The call processing system determines whether the call signaling information includes caller identification information and whether the call signaling information indicates that the caller identification information is restricted. If the caller identification information is restricted, the call processing system instructs the caller to take a first action so that the caller identification information can be provided to the user. The call processing system determines whether the caller has performed the first action during the first call, and if the caller has performed the first action during the first call, the call processing system provides at least a portion of the caller identification information to the user.