In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for providing search results automatically to a user of a computing device. A spoken input provided by a user to a computing device is received. The spoken input is transmitted to a computer server system that is remote from the computing device. Search result information that is responsive to the spoken input is receiving by the computing device and in response to the transmitted spoken input. An alert is provided to the user that the device will connect the user to a target of the search result information if the user does not intervene to stop the connecting of the user. The user is connected to the target of the search result information based on a determination that the user has not intervened to stop the connecting of the user.

In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for providing search results automatically to a user of a computing device. A spoken input provided by a user to a computing device is received. The spoken input is transmitted to a computer server system that is remote from the computing device. Search result information that is responsive to the spoken input is receiving by the computing device and in response to the transmitted spoken input. An alert is provided to the user that the device will connect the user to a target of the search result information if the user does not intervene to stop the connecting of the user. The user is connected to the target of the search result information based on a determination that the user has not intervened to stop the connecting of the user.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for dynamically navigating interactive communication systems. An example method may comprise: receiving, from a user device, sound waves or audio information, the sound waves or audio information indicative of a request to initiate an interactive communication session with a communication system of a biller or merchant; interpreting, based on the sound waves or audio information, an intent of the communication session and an identity of the biller or merchant; retrieving a predetermined interaction coding associated with the biller or merchant; and initiating the interactive communication session with the communication system of the biller or merchant based on the predetermined interaction coding.

A system and method for utilizing a plain-old-telephone (“POT”) to interface with a digital assistant system. The POT is linked to an interface adapted to selectively provide a bidirectional audio connection to a standard telephone communication network, or to provide an interface to a digital assistant system in response to user voice commands. The functionality of the POT digital assistant interface being dependent upon the user input—DTMF tone/pulse dialing signals as opposed to voice commands spoken into the POT mouthpiece. Audio cues and prompts, as well as audio responses from the digital assistant system are provided to the user via the POT earpiece. Digital assistant functionality is provided via a simple and familiar interface, without impeding any standard voice telephony functionality (making/receiving calls, call waiting, caller ID, etc.)

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.

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.

Systems and methods are provided for initiating an Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) for facilitating user interaction with the automated call handling system such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. A computer-implemented method may obtain a command for initiating an IVA system during a call between a mobile device operated by a user and an automated call handling system. Next, the method may obtain a first natural language command from the mobile device, determine a first user action based on the first natural language command, and transmit the determined user action to the automated call handling system. Finally, the method may obtain a first audio response from the automated call handling system in response to the transmitted user action, and transmit the first audio response to the user upon determining that the first audio response includes information associated with the first user request.

Arrangements for automatically detecting bi-directional artificial intelligence (AI) communications and automatically negotiating (i.e., switching to alternative) direct digital communications.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for dynamically navigating interactive communication systems. An example method may comprise: receiving, from a user device, sound waves or audio information, the sound waves or audio information indicative of a request to initiate an interactive communication session with a communication system of a biller or merchant; interpreting, based on the sound waves or audio information, an intent of the communication session and an identity of the biller or merchant; retrieving a predetermined interaction coding associated with the biller or merchant; and initiating the interactive communication session with the communication system of the biller or merchant based on the predetermined interaction coding.

A system and method for providing anonymous communications from a user to a called party includes obtaining a dedicated phone number and creating a user account for the user and assigning the dedicated phone number to the user account. A provider account is created for a digital assistant using the dedicated phone number and the digital assistant is preprogrammed with the user account. The digital assistant is also preprogrammed with a skill for recognizing a specific utterance (e.g. “Call”). Connectivity is provided between the digital assistant and the Internet, for example, using a wireless access point. The digital assistant listens for the specific utterance and, upon recognizing the specific utterance followed by an identification of the called party, the digital assistant initiates a voice call through the Internet to the called party.