A method of indicating to a callee an availability status of a caller, the method includes receiving a request of the caller to be called by the callee, receiving from the caller a unique identifier and an availability status, displaying to the callee the availability status of the caller, and displaying to the caller an availability status of the callee.

A technique for obtaining caller-originated alert signals in IP-based communication sessions is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a first user equipment and via a first communication channel, a request to initiate a communication session, the request being received at a second user equipment; in response to the request, causing a phonepage server to transmit, via a second communication channel, a caller-originated alert to the second user equipment; and rendering the caller-originated alert to alert a user associated with the second user equipment.

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.

One disclosed system includes dialer device with a dialer identifier that initiates a call with a receiver device with a receiver identifier over a voice channel. A database stores: interaction data in association with both the receiver identifier and the dialer identifier; a content quality metric in association with the interaction data; and a network topology in which the receiver identifier and the dialer identifier are associated with nodes and are connected by an edge. A server is programmed to: update, based on the content quality metric and the network topology, a rankings associated with the receiver identifier and the dialer identifier; and one of: surface the ranking associated with the dialer identifier and the ranking associated with the receiver identifier to an external searching agent using an external data channel and without using any voice channel; or rank the dialer identifier for an internal searching agent using the ranking.

A computer mediated communication system includes a plurality of communication devices, a wireless transceiver, a computer system configured to wirelessly communicate with the communication devices via the wireless transceiver and mediate communications among the communication devices. The computer system includes a memory coupled with a processor. The processor parses, in response to an initiator providing an ambiguous input to the computer mediated communication system requesting a communication interaction, the processor: parses the ambiguous input for information about a desired target of the communication interaction; matches the information about the desired target against maintained target data to select a list of potential targets; computes likelihoods the potential targets of being the desired target; ranks the potential targets based on their respective likelihoods of being the desired target; and disambiguates the ambiguous input by communicatively coupling the initiator with at least one of the potential targets based on the ranking.

One disclosed system comprises a server; a receiver device with a receiver identifier; a dialer device with a dialer identifier; a dialer programmed to initiate a voice call, over a voice channel, with the receiver device using the receiver identifier; a database; and a data channel connecting the dialer device, the receiver device, and the server. The database stores interaction data in association with both the receiver identifier and the dialer identifier. The system is programmed to: obtain a voice sample from the voice call; process the voice sample to obtain a search cue; obtain one or more interaction data from the database using the search cue; obtain a response data from the one or more interaction data; and surface, during the voice call, the response data to one of the dialer device and the receiver device.

System and methods for providing calling party information are disclosed. In one implementation, a server for providing calling party information includes one or more processors configured to receive a query for calling party information from a carrier. The query includes an identifier associated with the calling party. The processors are further configured to determine a score based on one or more previously obtained queries, generate the calling party information based on the score, and transmit the calling party information to the carrier. The carrier transmits the calling party information to a device associated with the called party as a Caller ID Name (CNAM).

A mobile application for a wireless handheld computing device, such as a smartphone, is disclosed in combination with a communication link establishment and management system. Systems and methods are disclosed for calling desired contacts using a smartphone that can take advantage of the power and efficiency of agent-assisted dialing provided by the communication link establishment and management system. The systems and methods automatically integrate with a customer relationship management (CRM) system connected to the communication link establishment and management system.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for implementing a spoofed telephone call identifier are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a first computing device, data indicating a placement of a telephone call from a second computing device to a third computing device, wherein the data includes a phone number of the second computing device. The actions further include determining characteristics of the phone number of the second computing device. The actions further include, based on the characteristics of the phone number of the second computing device, determining a likelihood that the phone number of the second computing device is spoofed. The actions further include, based on the likelihood that the phone number of the second computing device is spoofed, determining whether to transmit a notification of the telephone call to the third computing device.

Systems and methods are described herein for a computer-based communication application that displays, along with an incoming call notification, content specific to the parties involved. The application identifies electronic records of events attended by the users, and retrieves content specific to those records. For example, the application may identify electronic mail or meeting notifications sent between the users and concerning a particular subject matter. Images related to that subject matter are then retrieved and displayed during calls between those users. Users are thus presented with customized and personalized content specific to the subject matter of each call, thus helping them better recognize callers and more readily engage with the call.