Abstract: Information from communications is displayed in a calendar format. Text from the communications is used to determine whether a scheduling entry should be created. If so, text from the communication is used to create a proposed calendar or to-do list entry, which can be saved, modified or canceled by the user. Information from a call log can be filtered and displayed in a calendar format.

Abstract: An enhanced whisper feature enables a user to engage simultaneously in disparate telephonic communication sessions by isolating audible input of the user from a select one of the telephonic communication sessions while providing audible output from each of the telephonic communication sessions to the user. The whisper feature can be further enhanced using a presence system that maintains presence information indicating the availability of the user. The presence system can enable the whisper feature of the user upon determining that the user is currently engaged in a first telephonic communication session when a request for the user to engage in a second telephonic communication session is received. In addition, the whisper feature can include a silent ring mode that is activated upon receipt of the request for the user to engage in the second telephonic communication session.

Abstract: A presence system is provided with a communications device associated with a presentity that is capable of displaying a respective presentity presence state indicating a respective availability of the presentity as provided by a presence system to each contact on a contact list of the presentity. The communications device includes a presence user client communicatively coupled to the presence system to receive presence information associated with the presentity, in which the presence information includes the respective presentity presence states for the contacts on the contact list, and a display for displaying the contact list and a respective representation of the respective presentity presence state for each contact on the contact list.

Abstract: System and method for implementing hunting groups for instant messaging (“IM”) are described. One embodiment is a method for implementing IM group hunting by an IM event server (IMES). The method comprises receiving a request from a first user to initiate an IM session with any one member of a group; responsive to the request, automatically determining a group member available for participating in an IM session with the first user; and establishing an IM session between the first user and the available group member.

Abstract: A private branch exchange (PBX) (or network hosted device) is described herein that is capable of obtaining information (e.g., in-a-conference presence state) that indicates a user is participating in a multi-party conference call which is being hosted by an external conference/collaboration bridge and is further capable of disabling a music-on-hold feature on an extension associated with a device belonging to the user such that if the user places the device on-hold then no sound (e.g., music, radio) will be injected into the multi-party conference call.

Abstract: System and method for representing preference and policy in a contact list are described. One embodiment is a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for displaying a directory of contacts of a user. The GUI comprises a list of contacts displayed in a first window of the GUI; for each contact in the list of contacts, a preference and policy category for the contact, wherein the preference and policy category for the contact is displayed in the first window of the GUI; and for each contact in the list of contacts, a feature icon indicative of whether a feature is enabled for the contact according to the preference and policy category for the contact, wherein the feature icon is displayed in association with the contact in the first window of the GUI.

Abstract: A voice response system and method are described herein which after learning that a caller has unsuccessfully attempted to contact a called party functions to: (1) obtain presence information about one or more real-time activities of the called party; (2) use the presence information to create a customized voice message; and (3) play the customized voice message to the caller. In the preferred embodiment, a presence system collects the presence information which identifies the real-time activities of the called party and forwards at least a portion of the collected presence information to the voice response system.

Abstract: A presence system and method are described herein which infer a person's level of participation in a telephone call (e.g., multi-party conference call, one-on-one telephone call, collaboration session). In one embodiment, the presence system collects presence information about one or more activities of a person while they are also participating in a telephone call. The presence system aggregates and analyzes the collected presence information to determine a telephony/conference activity presence state which is then published to watchers and/or an automated interaction management system in order to inform them if the person happens to be an “active participant” or a “passive participant” in the telephone call. The watchers and/or the automated interaction management system can then use this information as a guide to determine if the person is likely to be able to respond to another interaction while that person is also participating in the telephone call.

Abstract: A communication system determines next joint availability for a communication session between an originating user and at least one destination user using presence information. The communication system includes a presence server for collecting and storing presence information indicating current and future availability of the originating and destination users. When a request for the communication session is received from the originating user, and the destination user is currently unavailable for the communication session, a next available time for the communication session is determined from the presence information of the originating and destination users.

Abstract: A presence system for managing user groups includes a presence server for collecting and storing presence information and preference information on a plurality of presentities. The presence information for each presentity identifies the availability of the presentity, and the preference information for each presentity identifies a scope of presentity presence information provided to one or more watchers of the presentity. The presence server is capable of subscribing user groups formed of members including one or more presentities or one or more watchers, in which each of the user groups has group preference information associated therewith set in response to one or more members of the user group.

Abstract: A system for providing return calls includes a voice mail system (10) for storing voice messages for playback through a user device and a phone number recognition system (12) for detecting a phone identifier audibly embedded in a voice message. The detected phone number is used to establish a telecommunications connection between the user device and a telephonic device associated with a detected phone identifier responsive to a user input.

Abstract: Scalable presence distribution system and method are described. In one embodiment, a presence distribution system comprises a plurality of presence servers and a centralized management function for coordinating registration of a presentity with one or more of the plurality of presence servers.

Abstract: System and method for providing feature customization for a communications device based on an active communications system are described. One embodiment is a method in a voice terminal for customizing applications in response to an active call comprising assigning at least one category to each of a plurality of entries in an application file; determining a category associated with an active call; a and reconfiguring a GUI of the application to highlight a display of entries associated with the category associated with the active call. Another embodiment is a method of customizing a desktop of a computer system in response to an outgoing call from the computer system comprising determining a context of the outgoing call; activating at least one of a plurality of desktop customization units based on the determined context; and responsive to the activating, customizing the desktop in accordance with the determined context.