Displaying caller identification information in a computer system

In a computer system, a caller identification system for displaying caller information, said computer system comprising:

• means for receiving an incoming call from a caller, said means for receiving further including means for receiving information indicating a caller telephone number corresponding to said caller;
• means or searching a caller information database for caller information corresponding to said caller telephone number, said caller information including at least said caller telephone number and a caller name;
• means for retrieving said caller information;
• means for automatically displaying said caller information without user intervention before the incoming call is accepted, declined, or forwarded;
• means for directing said incoming call to allow said call to be accepted, declined, or forwarded by a user independently of a telephone hand set.

In a computer system, a process for displaying caller information, said process comprising the steps of:

• receiving an incoming call from a caller, said step of receiving further including a step of receiving information indicating a caller telephone number corresponding to said caller;
• searching a caller information database for caller information corresponding to said caller telephone number, said caller information including at least said caller telephone number and a caller name;
• retrieving said caller information;
• automatically displaying said caller information without user intervention;
• directing said incoming call to be accepted, declined, or forwarded by a user independently of a telephone handset.

In a computer system, a method of displaying caller information, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an incoming call from a caller, including receiving information indicating a caller telephone number corresponding to said caller;
• searching a caller information database for caller information corresponding to the caller telephone number including at least the caller telephone number and a caller name;
• retrieving the caller information if the caller information is found;
• stripping a portion of the caller telephone number to yield a stripped number having fewer digits, if no caller information corresponding to the caller telephone number;
• researching the caller information database using the stripped number for caller information corresponding to the stripped number, including at least the stripped number and a caller name;
• automatically displaying said caller information without user intervention.

In a computer system, a method of displaying caller information, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an incoming call including information indicating a caller telephone number;
• selectively stripping off a portion of the caller telephone number to yield a stripped telephone number;
• the stripping performed responsive to a predetermined condition;
• searching a caller information database for caller information corresponding to the stripped telephone number;
• retrieving the caller information;
• and
• automatically displaying said caller information without user intervention.