A system is provided for thwarting the undesired incoming calls and eliminating the impact of robocalls, tollfree pumping, political spam, data collection bots, and other phone fraud forms. The system has a spam detection unit with a plurality of spam type modules and each spam type module is configured to detect a different type of spam.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, relating to synthetic call status updates. In some implementations, a method includes determining, by a task manager module, that a triggering event has occurred to provide a current status of a user call request. The method may then determine, by the task manager module, the current status of the user call request. A representation of the current status of the user call request is generated. Then, the generated representation of the current status of the user call request is provided to the user.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, relating to synthetic call status updates. In some implementations, a method includes determining, by a task manager module, that a triggering event has occurred to provide a current status of a user call request. The method may then determine, by the task manager module, the current status of the user call request. A representation of the current status of the user call request is generated. Then, the generated representation of the current status of the user call request is provided to the user.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, relating to synthetic call status updates. In some implementations, a method includes determining, by a task manager module, that a triggering event has occurred to provide a current status of a user call request. The method may then determine, by the task manager module, the current status of the user call request. A representation of the current status of the user call request is generated. Then, the generated representation of the current status of the user call request is provided to the user.

A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface.

A method for automatically making a telephone call associated with an event may include accessing, at a telephone, event data. The event data may include a date associated with an event, a time associated with the event, and a telephone number associated with the event. The method may also include presenting, on a display associated with the telephone, an event reminder on the date associated with the event and at the time associated with the event. The method may also include, in response to detecting an off-hook condition at the telephone while the event reminder remains presented on the display associated with the telephone, automatically calling, from the telephone, the telephone number associated with the event.

There are provided systems and methods of using the systems to make telecommunications. The systems and methods include application software on a user phone, and a telecommunications apparatus, or computer communication network, configured to make communications for the user. The system permits the user to carry out steps including opening the software app on a mobile phone, as a source telephone; making a communication with a target telephone of another through the app; and receiving a response to the communication, where the response includes a GPS location of the target telephone. The GPS location is displayed on the telephone user interface of the source telephone. In the systems, the numeric telephone identification of the source telephone device, and/or the numeric telephone identification of the target telephone device may be masked.

An apparatus provides a method for analyzing a situation of a called terminal based on a sound source provided by a telecommunication service provider. The method includes storing feature inforamtions of situation guidance sound sources provided by telecommunication service providers according to the situation of the called terminal; after a call connection request to a called terminal, receiving a sound source provided by a telecommunication service provider according to a situation of the called terminal; extracting at least one analysis duration of the received sound source with reference to a beep/tone of the received sound source, corresponding to feature inforamtions of at least one candidate sound source among the situation guidance sound sources; and determining a situation of the called terminal based on a matching degree of the received sound source and the candidate sound source relating to a corresponding analysis duration, for respective analysis durations.

A method and a system for allocating vehicles to passengers in a ride-sharing system is provided. A passenger utilizes a passenger device to initiate a first phone call for booking a ride. The first phone call is initiated on a phone number associated with a pick-up location of the passenger. The first phone call is automatically disconnected, and a second phone call is established with the passenger device for providing a set of options selectable by the passenger. Based on an option selected by the passenger, a share-ride fare of the ride is communicated to the passenger during the second phone call. Based on the communicated share-ride fare, the passenger confirms the booking for the ride. In response to the confirmation of the booking for the ride, a vehicle is allocated to the passenger.

A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface.