Method of anticipatory dialing

In a communications system that includes a data input device and a display device that displays data entered on the data input device, wherein a user initiates a session by entering a desired one of a plurality of access codes, each of the access codes having a certain number of characters greater than 1, a method for completing entry of a target access code after the user has entered a number N of the characters of the target access code, N being at least 1 but less than the number of characters in the target access code, and for initiating the session, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a database of a plurality of reference access codes, each of said reference access codes having a plurality of characters;
• (b) initially entering a number N of the characters of the target access code in the data input device and displaying the entered numbers on the display;
• (c) identifying, from among said plurality of reference access codes, at least one candidate access code having at least N+1 characters, a first N of said at least N+1 characters being identical to the N characters entered by the user;
• (d) displaying on the display those characters of the candidate access code that are in excess to the entered N characters;
• (e) if a plurality of said candidate access codes are identified:
• (i) providing a selection criterion for selecting only one of said plurality of said candidate access codes, and
• (ii) selecting one of said plurality of candidate access codes to use to complete the target access code, said selecting being based on said selection criterion;
• (f) if the displayed characters are the characters of the desired access code, initiating the session;
• (g) if the displayed characters are not the characters of the desired access code, entering at least an additional character in the data input device and displaying said entered character or characters on said display device;
• (h) repeating steps “c” through “g” until the desired access code is displayed or until all of the characters of the desired access code have been entered, wherein N is now the initially entered characters and the entered additional character or characters;
• wherein the access code is a telephone number to be dialed by the communication system;
• and further comprising the step of:
• (i) automatically dialing the candidate telephone number when a predetermined time has elapsed after a character has been entered.