UTBK, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130044870 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION VIA CONNECTIONS FOR REAL TIME COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE - Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications to access diverse categories of information. One embodiment includes; storing data representing a privilege of a user during a predetermined period of time; responsive to a first request made via a presentation of a listing of the first entity for a service of the first entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the first entity to deliver the service of the first entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the first request; and responsive to a second request made via a presentation of a listing of the second entity for a service of the second entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the second entity to deliver the service of the second entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the second request. | 02-21-2013 |
20130021951 | Systems and Methods to Connect Members of a Social Network for Real Time Communication - Methods and apparatuses to provide telephonic connections to members of a social network. One embodiment includes: identifying a first member connected to a second member in a social network; determining whether profile data of the first member of the social network includes a telephonic reference of the first member; presenting a user interface element to the second member over a data communication network in response to a determination that the profile data of the first member includes the telephonic reference of the first member; and responsive to a selection of the user interface element, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first member using the telephonic reference of the first member and a second telephonic connection to the second member to provide a telephonic connection between the first member and the second member. | 01-24-2013 |
20120226547 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION CONNECTIONS VIA PARTNERS - Methods and apparatuses to provide user interfaces dynamically customized according to partners through which the user interfaces are accessed in a customer acquisition process. One embodiment includes providing to a plurality of entities a platform, configured to assign references for embedding in listings for presentation and configured to connect people for real time communications according to the references embedded in the listings, the references to be used to request the platform to provide the connections; responsive to a request received via a first entity of the plurality of entities, presenting a user interface of the platform in a first format to identify the first entity; and responsive to a request received via a second entity of the plurality of entities, presenting the user interface of the platform in a second format to identify the second entity. | 09-06-2012 |
20120179524 | Methods and Apparatuses for Pay for Deal Advertisements - Methods and apparatuses for advertising where the advertisement performance is determined via tracking the deals made as a result of communication leads generated from the advertisements. One embodiment includes: providing an advertisement containing a communication reference to a customer on behalf of a party; providing a connection via the reference for real time communications between the customer and the party; and charging an advertisement fee in response to an action of a predetermined type being performed by the customer (or an agreement between the customer and the party being reached) as a result of the real time communications. | 07-12-2012 |
20110264517 | Methods and Apparatuses for Sorting Lists for Presentation - Methods and apparatuses for sorting seller listings or advertisements of a seller network. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and, sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue. | 10-27-2011 |
20100208028 | Method and System to Connect Consumers to Information - This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert. | 08-19-2010 |
20100046724 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENSURING A REAL-TIME CONNECTION BETWEEN USERS AND SELECTED SERVICE PROVIDER USING VOICE MAIL - A method and apparatus are described for ensuring a real-time connection between users and selected service providers using voice mail. The system enables seekers of a wide array of services to select, contact, converse, and pay for a service provider using a communications device such as the telephone. A seeker locates a service provider by providing the name of a profession, which is recognized by the system's software. Once a service provider is selected, the system connects the seeker with the service provider for a live conversation. However, during service provider unavailability, the system enables the seeker to leave a voice mail message for the service provider and reconnects the user and service provider once the message is reviewed by the service provider. The system automatically bills the seeker for the time spent conversing with the service provider and compensates the service provider. | 02-25-2010 |
20100017266 | Method and Apparatus for Prioritizing a Listing of Information Providers - A method and apparatus for prioritizing a listing of information providers according to a fee value and availability status indicated for the information providers, and providing a set of one or more information provider identifiers that satisfy a request for a type of information provider that has been received from a user over the Internet. The set of information provider identifiers are ranked according to their associated fee values and availability status. A set of one or more files are generated to display the set of information provider identifiers. The set of files are transmitted to the user, and the user is provided access to an information provider identified by one of the set of information provider identifiers. | 01-21-2010 |
20090323670 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Searches of Communication References - Methods and apparatuses to facilitate searches of communication references for real time communication connections. One embodiment includes: one or more web servers to assign a communication reference to an advisor for distribution by the advisor in one or more documents, to associate at least one keyword with the communication reference, to receive from the advisor a bid price on the keyword associated with the communication reference, and to present the communication reference selected based at least in part on the bid price in response to a search related to the keyword; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers to determine contact information of the advisor based on the communication reference used by a customer to request a communication connection to the advisor, and to connect the customer to the advisor for real time communications using the determined contact information. | 12-31-2009 |
20090240561 | Systems and Methods to Generate Leads to Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to connect people for services delivered via real time communications and to optionally generate leads to new customers for the services. One embodiment includes: providing a communication reference to an entity for distribution to customers; establishing connections for real time communications between the entity and the customers in response to requests made via the communication reference; charging the customers on behalf of the entity using a process to establish the connections for a service of the entity provided to the customers over the connections; presenting the service of the entity to customers on behalf of the entity; charging the entity a first fee according to what the entity charges a customer for the service; and charging the entity a second fee according to a bid price specified by the entity in response to a determination that the presenting of the service leads to the customer. | 09-24-2009 |
20090161856 | System and method for an online speaker patch-through - Systems and methods described herein may be incorporated into a “service marketplace” system that matches users with potential information or service providers and establishes a real-time communications connection between the user and a selected information provider. In one embodiment, an alternate is selected for the user when the service provider that the user is trying to connect with cannot be reached. In an alternative embodiment, the alternates can be used in conjunction with the service provider that does connect with the user in order to provide a second opinion or possibly deeper background information. In one embodiment, the service providers can either be a live person at the other end of the connection or a recording. | 06-25-2009 |
20090144068 | Methods and Apparatuses to Provide Connections for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to identify user terminals in providing connections for real time communications. In one embodiment, a method implemented on a connection server includes: establishing a first connection with a first terminal over a communication network for real time communications; in response to the first connection, assigning a first communication reference to uniquely identify the first terminal among a plurality of terminals on the communication network; establishing a second connection with a second terminal for real time communications; bridging the first and second connections to connect the first and second terminals for real time communications; and identifying the first terminal to a user of the second terminal using the first communication reference. | 06-04-2009 |
20090129571 | Methods and Apparatuses to Initiate Telephone Connections - Methods and apparatuses to initiate real time communications via capturing an image of a communication reference using a mobile device. One embodiment includes: an input device; a communication module; an image sensor; and a processor coupled with the input device, the image sensor and the communication module. In response to the input device receiving a user input, the image sensor is to capture an image, the processor to identify a telephonic reference from an image captured by the image sensor, and the communication module to initiate a telephonic connection using the telephonic reference identified from the captured image. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a mobile telephonic device, includes: capturing an image in response to an input from a user; identifying a telephonic reference from the image in response to the image being captured; and establishing a telephonic connection using the telephonic reference identified from the image. | 05-21-2009 |
20090086958 | Systems and Methods to Provide Alternative Connections for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to provide options for alternative connections in response to customer requesting for connections to advertisers for real time communications. One embodiment includes: providing an advertisement of a first advertiser for presentation to a customer, the advertisement including a reference to be used to request a connection server to provide a telephonic connection between the first advertiser and the customer; receiving a request made via the reference included in the advertisement for a telephonic connection between the first advertiser and the customer; determining a status of the first advertiser at a time of the request; and presenting an option to make an alternative connection for the customer based on the determined status. | 04-02-2009 |
20090086941 | Systems and Methods to Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to present information to sellers/advertisers/advisors for connections to customers for real time communications. One embodiment includes: responsive to a request from a customer, determining a telephonic reference of the customer; presenting to at least one entity an option to be connected to the customer; responsive to a first entity selecting the option, initiating a telephonic connection to the customer using the determined telephonic reference of the customer to provide a telephonic connection between the customer and the first entity; and charging the first entity a fee for a lead to the customer in response to establishing the telephonic connection between the customer and the first entity. | 04-02-2009 |
20090080635 | Systems and Methods to Connect Members of a Social Network for Real Time Communication - Methods and apparatuses to provide telephonic connections to members of a social network. One embodiment includes: identifying a first member connected to a second member in a social network; determining whether profile data of the first member of the social network includes a telephonic reference of the first member; presenting a user interface element to the second member over a data communication network in response to a determination that the profile data of the first member includes the telephonic reference of the first member; and responsive to a selection of the user interface element, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first member using the telephonic reference of the first member and a second telephonic connection to the second member to provide a telephonic connection between the first member and the second member. | 03-26-2009 |
20090070205 | Systems and Methods to Provide Information and Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to provide communication connections at a cost reduced via advertising. One embodiment includes: receiving a request from a first user over a data communication network; response to the request, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first user and a second telephonic connection to a second user to provide a telephonic connection between the first and second users; presenting an advertisement to at least one of the first and second users; and reducing a communication fee for the telephonic connection between the first and second users using a portion of an advertisement fee charged for the advertisement. | 03-12-2009 |
20090067599 | Methods and Apparatuses for Pay-Per-Call Advertising in Mobile/Wireless Applications - Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements on mobile/wireless media channels. In one embodiment, a method includes: assigning a telephone number to an advertiser, one of the telephone number and a reference to the telephone number to be included in an advertisement provided to an end user via a wireless media; and, monitoring telephone connections to the telephone number to bill the advertiser for the advertisement in response to each telephone connection to the telephone number. In one embodiment, a method includes: a first party providing an advertisement to a mobile device on behalf of an advertiser, the advertisement to include at least a reference to a telephonic connection with the advertiser; and, the first party collecting a fee from the advertiser in response to a telephonic connection being established between the advertiser and customer. | 03-12-2009 |
20090063246 | Apparatus and Method for Online Advice Customer Relationship Management - An apparatus and method for online advice customer relationship management are described. The method includes the determination of a service provider ID code from a requesting service provider. Once a service provider ID code is determined, a list of service seekers that have received advice regarding a field of service from a service provider corresponding to the service provider ID code is generated. Once generated, the listing of service seekers is displayed via a customer management screen. As such, system administrators, as well as the service providers themselves, may view listings of service seekers in order to provide relationship management of the service seekers, such as for example, providing incentives to service seekers for follow-up advice, as well as blocking undesired service seekers from further contact with the service provider. | 03-05-2009 |
20090060148 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO CONNECT CONSUMERS TO INFORMATION - The present invention provides a method and apparatus for specifying and obtaining services through audio commands, resulting in a live conversation between a user and a selected service provider using an audio-transmission medium (the telephone). A service seeker locates a service provider by entering a keypad code corresponding to a field of service or by speaking the name of a profession, which is recognized by the system. The seeker can then specify, via voice or keypad entry, a price range, quality rating, language, and keyword descriptors of the service provider, such as a service provider code number. In response, the system offers currently available service providers. Once an available service provider is selected, the system connects the service seeker with the service provider for a live conversation. The system bills the seeker for the time spent conversing with the service provider and compensates the service provider accordingly. | 03-05-2009 |
20090041227 | Systems and Methods to Connect People for Real Time Communications via Directory Assistance - Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications via optional advertisements presented via directory assistance. One embodiment includes: receiving a directory assistance request from a user over a telephonic connection with the user; providing directory assistance information responsive to the directory assistance request; presenting an option related to an advertisement to the user; if the user declines the option, charging the user a fee for providing the directory assistance information; and if the user accepts the option, reducing the fee for providing the directory assistance information. | 02-12-2009 |
20090037309 | Systems and Methods to Convert a Real Time Communication Connection - Methods and apparatuses to convert a free connection for real time communications between people into a dynamically priced communication session to facilitate the delivery of services over the established connection. One embodiment includes: establishing a connection for real time communications between a first user and a second user; after the connection is established for a period of time, receiving a selection of a price from a plurality of predetermined prices for a service to be provided by the second user over the established connection, where the prices are specified prior to the connection; and charging the first user on behalf of the second user according to the price selected from the list for the service provided by the second user over the established connection. | 02-05-2009 |
20090030838 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR MARKETING , DELIVERING , AND COLLECTING PAYMENT FOR INFORMATION - A method, apparatus and system for marketing, delivering, and collecting payment for information is described. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of providing electronic mail for payment. The invention includes sending an electronic mail message including provided information and a price to a customer, the provided information having an inaccessible portion of information. The invention further includes transferring a payment from the customer, and rendering the inaccessible portion of information accessible to the customer. | 01-29-2009 |
20090030755 | Systems and Methods to Dynamically Generate Listings to Selectively Track User Responses - Methods and apparatuses to dynamically customize a listing to track a selected type of responses to be generated from a presentation of the customized listing, where the selection of the type of responses is based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the request for the listing. One embodiment includes receiving a request for a listing of an entity; determining a characteristic of the request; selecting a type of responses for the listing based on the determined characteristic; generating a version of the listing to track the type of responses that are responsive to a presentation of the listing; and providing the version of the listing in response to the request. | 01-29-2009 |
20090018912 | Systems and Methods to Provide Communication Connections via Partners - Methods and apparatuses to provide user interfaces dynamically customized according to partners through which the user interfaces are accessed in a customer acquisition process. One embodiment includes providing to a plurality of entities a platform, configured to assign references for embedding in listings for presentation and configured to connect people for real time communications according to the references embedded in the listings, the references to be used to request the platform to provide the connections; responsive to a request received via a first entity of the plurality of entities, presenting a user interface of the platform in a first format to identify the first entity; and responsive to a request received via a second entity of the plurality of entities, presenting the user interface of the platform in a second format to identify the second entity. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016507 | Systems and Methods for Dynamic Pay for Performance Advertisements - Methods and apparatuses to dynamically determine the performance event of a listing based on the progress levels of responses received in response to a presentation of the listing. One embodiment includes: providing a listing on behalf of an entity for presentation to a user; identifying an event from a set of predetermined events based on communications made by the user responsive to a presentation of the listing; and charging the entity a fee per the event identifying from the set of predetermined events. | 01-15-2009 |
20090010408 | Systems and Methods to Provide Information via Connections for Real Time Communications Between People - Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications to access diverse categories of information. One embodiment includes: storing data representing a privilege of a user during a predetermined period of time; responsive to a first request made via a presentation of a listing of the first entity for a service of the first entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the first entity to deliver the service of the first entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the first request; and responsive to a second request made via a presentation of a listing of the second entity for a service of the second entity, establishing a connection for real time communications between the user and the second entity to deliver the service of the second entity, if the user has the privilege at a time of the second request. | 01-08-2009 |
20090006174 | Method and system to connect consumers to information - This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert. | 01-01-2009 |
20090003543 | Systems and methods to provide telephonic connections via concurrent calls - Methods and apparatuses to present communication references to connect people for real time communications via concurrent calls. One embodiment includes: responsive to a search request, identifying information of an entity according to the search request; associating a telephonic reference with the information of the entity; providing the telephonic reference for presentation with the information of the entity to a user; and responsive to a request made via the telephonic reference for a telephonic connection between the user and the entity, initiating a plurality of concurrent calls to a plurality of telephonic references of the entity or a plurality of concurrent calls to a plurality of telephonic references of the user. | 01-01-2009 |
20080313543 | Systems and Methods to Provide Communication References to Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to present communication references to connect people for real time communications in response to requests to terminate the presentation of documents. One embodiment includes: responsive to a request from a user to terminate a presentation of a document, determining a reference to an entity based on a content of the document; presenting the reference with information about the entity to terminate the presentation of the document; and responsive to a request made via the reference, establishing a connection for real time communications between the entity and the user. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313277 | Systems and Methods to Provide Communication References from Different Sources to Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to present communication references obtained from different sources to connect people for real time communications. One embodiment includes: receiving a search request from a user; searching a first data source according to the search request to obtain information about a first entity; assigning to the first entity a first reference to be used to request a connection server to provide a connection between the user and the first entity for real time communications; searching a second data source according to the search request to obtain information about a second entity, including a second reference for requesting a connection for real time communications with the second entity without going through the connection server; and providing to the user a combined, sorted list of entities in response to the search request, including the first reference for the first entity and the second reference for the second entity. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313083 | Systems and Methods To Manage Presentations of Advertisements - Systems and methods to manage the presentation of advertisements. One embodiment includes: a data communication server to assign a reference of a connection server to an advertisement and to provide the reference of the connection server with the advertisement for presentation to customers; a connection server to receive from the customers requests made via the reference of the connection server for connections to an advertiser of the advertisement and to provide the connections for real time communications between the customers and the advertiser in response to the requests made via the reference; and a controller coupled with the data communication server and the connection server to compute a performance indicator of the advertisement based on tracking the provided connections via the reference assigned to the advertisement and to determine whether to pause delivery of the advertisement for presentation based on the computed performance indicator. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313039 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate the Specification of a Complex Geographic Area - Methods and systems to specify complex geographic areas for advertisements to connect advertisers and customers for real time communications. One embodiment includes: a web server to present a user interface to receive input specifying a plurality of geographic areas and one or more operations to combine the plurality of geographic areas into a geographic area of service of an advertisement and to provide the advertisement with a reference of a connection server for presentation to a customer when a location of the customer matches with the geographic area of service of the advertisement; and a connection server to receive a request from the customer for a connection to an advertiser of the advertisement and to provide the connection for real time communications between the customer and the advertiser in response to the request made via the reference of the connection server. | 12-18-2008 |
20080310604 | Systems and Methods to Selectively Provide Telephonic Connections - Methods and apparatuses to selectively provide communication connections based on an automated procedure to test whether a caller is a human or a machine. One embodiment includes: receiving at a connection server a telephone call from a caller; presenting a message to the caller in response to the telephone call; receiving from the caller a response to the message; and comparing the received response with a predetermined response to determine whether the caller is a human or a machine. | 12-18-2008 |
20080310401 | Systems and Methods to Provide Communication References Based on Recommendations to Connect People for Real Time Communications - Methods and apparatuses to selectively present communication references based on recommendations from related entities to connect people for real time communications. One embodiment includes: receiving from a user a selection of a first listing, including a reference to be used to request a connection for real time communications between the user and a first entity; responsive to the selection of the first listing, determining one or more entities related to the first listing; selecting a second listing based at least in part on data representing one or more recommendations from the one or more entities; and presenting to the user the second listing, the including a reference for the user to request a connection with a second entity for real time communications. In one embodiment, the first and second entities provide services over connections established via the references included in the first and second listings for real time communications. | 12-18-2008 |
20080275813 | Systems and Methods to Provide Connections for Real Time Communications and Commerce - Systems and methods to connect a seller to a customer according to a request received from the seller. One embodiment includes a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network, and one or more servers coupled to the session border controller to receive from a seller a request for a connection to a customer for real time communications between the seller and the customer, to establish the connection for real time communications between the seller and the customer in response to the request received from the seller, to identify payment information of the customer, and to charge the customer on behalf of the seller using the payment information for a transaction made over the connection established in response to the request received from the seller. | 11-06-2008 |
20080275788 | Systems and Methods to Provide Peer to Peer Connections for Real Time Communications and Commerce - Systems and methods to connect a seller to a customer according to a request received from the seller. One embodiment includes a process implemented in a user terminal of a seller, where the process includes: responsive to a request from the seller, establishing a connection to a user terminal of a customer for real time communications between the seller and the customer, using a reference assigned to the customer; and charging the customer on behalf of the seller for a transaction made over the connection established in response to the request from the seller. In one embodiment, the connection established in response to the request from the seller is a peer to peer connection between the user terminal of the seller and the user terminal of the customer. | 11-06-2008 |
20080275785 | Systems and Methods to Provide advertisements for Real Time Communications - Systems and methods to provide advertisements based on the content of documents in which the advertisements are presented. One embodiment includes: a web server to receive a request for an advertisement in reference to a document provided to a user by a content provider; a backend server to identify the advertisement based on relevancy of the advertisement to the content of the document and to associate a communication reference with the advertisement and the content provider, the web server to provide the advertisement and the reference for inclusion in the document; and a telecommunication server coupled to a session border controller and the backend server to receive a connection request via the reference, to determine contact information of the advertiser and identify the content provider based on the reference, and to establish the connection between the user and the advertiser using the determined contact information. | 11-06-2008 |
20080263460 | Methods and Systems to Connect People for Virtual Meeting in Virtual Reality - Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications in a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: a virtual reality server to host a virtual reality world; a web server to provide an advertisement to a customer, the advertisement including a reference to a meeting with an advertiser of the advertisement in the virtual reality world, a selection of the reference from the customer to cause the virtual reality server to teleport at least one avatar to a meeting location in the virtual reality world; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers coupled to the session border controller to connect the customer to the advertiser of the advertisement for real time communications in response to the customer selecting the advertisement. In one embodiment, the advertiser of the advertisement is charged an advertisement fee per completion of the teleporting. | 10-23-2008 |
20080263459 | Methods and Systems to Determine Availability for Real Time Communications via Virtual Reality - Methods and systems to determine availability of people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: associating an avatar with an advertisement; determining a location of the avatar in a virtual reality world; and determining whether an advertiser of the advertisement is available for real time communications based at least in part on the location of the avatar in the virtual reality world. In one embodiment, the availability of the advertiser is determined for real time communications via the virtual reality world and for real time communications outside the virtual reality world based on an online presence status of the avatar, a schedule of the advertiser, and/or the location of the avatar in the virtual reality world. | 10-23-2008 |
20080263458 | Methods and Systems to Facilitate Real Time Communications in Virtual Reality - Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: receiving a call for a real time communication session at a virtual object presented in a virtual reality world; indicating to a plurality of residents of the virtual reality world that the virtual object is being called; and responsive to an input from one resident of the plurality of residents, connecting the call to the resident for a real time communication session. | 10-23-2008 |
20080263446 | Methods and Systems to Connect People to Services via Virtual Reality - Methods and systems for connecting people to services delivered via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: a virtual reality server to host a three dimensional virtual reality world; and a connection provider to interface between the virtual reality server and a customer and to interface between the virtual reality server and an advisor, the connection provider to present the advisor and to cause the virtual reality server to teleporting an avatar, representing the customer or the advisor in the virtual reality world, to a location in the virtual reality world for a meeting between the customer and the advisor, the connection provider to monitor a duration of the meeting in the virtual reality world and to charge the customer on behalf of the advisor for services delivered by the advisor during the meeting in the virtual reality world. | 10-23-2008 |
20080262911 | Methods and Systems to Search in Virtual Reality for Real Time Communications - Methods and systems to obtain information in a virtual reality environment for real time communication connections. One embodiment includes: a virtual reality server to host a virtual reality world and an avatar representing a participant of the virtual reality world, the virtual reality world including a virtual object to receive a message from an avatar; a controller to determine a context of the message and select an advertisement based on the context for presentation via the virtual object, the presented advertisement including an embedded reference to be used to request for a connection for real time communications; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers coupled to the session border controller to connect the avatar to an advertiser of the advertisement for real time communications in response to a user of the avatar selecting the reference. | 10-23-2008 |
20080262910 | Methods and Systems to Connect People via Virtual Reality for Real Time Communications - Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: a virtual reality server to host a virtual reality world and to present, to a customer in the virtual reality world, an advertisement including a reference assigned to the advertisement; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers coupled to the session border controller to connect the customer to an advertiser of the advertisement for real time communications in response to a request received via the reference embedded in the advertisement and presented to the customer in the virtual reality world. In one embodiment, the advertiser is charged an advertisement fee based on connecting the customer and the advertiser for real time communications via the advertisement presented in the virtual reality world. | 10-23-2008 |
20080255989 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Real Time Communications between Members of a Social Network - Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and/or commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network. In one embodiment, a method includes, responsive to a request from a first member of a social network, determining a preference of a second member of the social network based at least in part on a characteristic of a social connection between the first and second members who are not socially directly connected in the social network; and facilitating real time communications between the first and second members in accordance with the preference. In one embodiment, the presentation of the advertisement or the advertiser is at least partially based on the social network. | 10-16-2008 |
20080255977 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Searches via Social Network - Methods and apparatuses to search listings using a social network. One embodiment includes: receiving a search request from a first user of a social network, the search request including a specified distance in the social network; in response to the search request, identifying listings of a plurality of entities based at least in part on identifying one or more second users within the specified distance from the first user in the social network, the one or more second users being priori customers of the entities; and presenting the listings to the first user on behalf of the entities. | 10-16-2008 |
20080255976 | Systems and Methods to Present Members of a Social Network for Real Time Communications - Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and/or commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining data representing a social network of a plurality of members, including a first member and a second member; and providing the first member with information to present the second member, the information including a communication reference of a connection provider, the communication reference to be used to request the connection provider to establish a connection for real time communications between the first and second members without revealing a communication reference of the second member to the first member. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network. | 10-16-2008 |
20080255946 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Real Time Communications and Commerce via a Social Network - Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and commerce via a social network. In one embodiment, a social network is used to provide information about an advertiser to demonstrate the trustworthiness of the advertiser to potential customers. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request from a customer for a document; and providing the customer with an advertisement embedded in the document, the advertisement including information to identify an advertiser of the advertisement based on a social network. In one embodiment, the presentation of the advertisement or the advertiser is at least partially based on the social network. In one embodiment, communication references are provided to facilitate the requests for real time communications with a member of the social network via a connection provider, which performs scheduling, filtering, payment processing, etc. for the member of the social network. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253363 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Real Time Communications and Commerce via Answers to Questions - Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and commerce via answers presented to questions. One embodiment includes one or more web servers to receive from a second user an answer to a question of a first user, and to present the answer with a communication reference of a connection provider to a third user; a session border controller of the connection provider to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers of the connection provider coupled with the session border controller to connect the third user to the second user for real time communications in response to a request made via the communication referenced. One embodiment includes: receiving from a second user an answer to a question of a first user; and presenting to a third user the answer with a reference for requesting fee-based content from or real time communications with the second user. | 10-16-2008 |
20080215961 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Communications - Methods and apparatuses to facilitate connections between peoples for real time communications. In one embodiment, a method includes: identifying an entity based at least in part on relevancy to a content of a document to be presented to a user; and for presentation to the user adding a communication reference separately from the content used to identify the entity; where the communication reference has been assigned to the entity and the communication reference can be used to request a connection for real time communications with the entity. | 09-04-2008 |
20080212756 | Systems and Methods for Arranging a Call - According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of arranging a call with a service provider is disclosed. The method includes: determining whether the service provider accepts arranged calls; if it is determined that the service provider does not accept arranged calls, contacting the service provider to request arranged calls from the service provider; and if it is determined that the service provider accepts arranged calls, requesting an arranged call. | 09-04-2008 |
20080207190 | Systems and Methods to Confirm Initiation of a Callback - Methods and apparatuses to initiate callback with confirmation. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a reference (e.g., a callback phone number) in a request for a connection to a destination; providing a code via the reference in response to the request; receiving a code to confirm the request; determining whether the received code matches the provided code; and initiating a connection via the reference for the connection to the destination if the received code matches the provided code. | 08-28-2008 |