A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

Techniques for announcing a communications session after the communications session is established between multiple user devices are described. In an example, a computer system may instruct a first user device to establish a communications session with a second user device. The computer system may receive, from the second user device, data indicating a request of the first user device for the communications session. Based at least in part on the data, the computer system may generate content associated with the first user device. The computer system may also instruct the second user device to accept the request and present the content after the communications session is established between the first user device and the second user device.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

A method and system are disclosed herein for accepting multimodal inputs and deriving synchronized and processed information. A reusable multimodal application is provided on the mobile device. A user transmits a multimodal command to the multimodal platform via the mobile network. The one or more modes of communication that are inputted are transmitted to the multimodal platform(s) via the mobile network(s) and thereafter synchronized and processed at the multimodal platform. The synchronized and processed information is transmitted to the multimodal application. If required, the user verifies and appropriately modifies the synchronized and processed information. The verified and modified information are transferred from the multimodal application to the visual application. The final result(s) are derived by inputting the verified and modified results into the visual application.

A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.

A pervasive advisor for major purchases and other expenditures may detect that a customer is contemplating a major purchase (e.g., through active listening). The advisor may assist the customer with the timing and manner of making the purchase in a way that is financially sensible in view of the customer's financial situation. A customer may be provided with dynamically-updated information in response to recent actions that may affect an approved loan amount and/or interest rate. Underwriting of a loan may be triggered based on the geo-location of the user. Financial advice may be provided to customers to help them meet their goals using information obtained from third party sources, such as purchase options based on particular goals. The pervasive advisor may thus intervene to assist with budgeting, financing, and timing of major expenditures based on the customer's location and on the customer's unique and changing circumstances.

A pervasive advisor for major purchases and other expenditures may detect that a customer is contemplating a major purchase (e.g., through active listening). The advisor may assist the customer with the timing and manner of making the purchase in a way that is financially sensible in view of the customer's financial situation. A customer may be provided with dynamically-updated information in response to recent actions that may affect an approved loan amount and/or interest rate. Underwriting of a loan may be triggered based on the geo-location of the user. Financial advice may be provided to customers to help them meet their goals using information obtained from third party sources, such as purchase options based on particular goals. The pervasive advisor may thus intervene to assist with budgeting, financing, and timing of major expenditures based on the customer's location and on the customer's unique and changing circumstances.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

A system and method of providing caller identification (ID) over a public switched telephone network (PSTN). For outbound calls, the system and method enable a caller to provide a caller ID that differs from the native caller ID of their mobile phone. The system and method enable multiple phones tied to a single account to display the same caller ID for outbound calls. For forwarded inbound calls, such as calls being forwarded from an office, the system and method inform the recipient of the identification of the call as well as that the call is being forwarded. The system and method enable the recipient to have calls forwarded from more than one number and identify the identity of the caller as well as the specific number the call is being forwarded from.