Patent ID: 7454008

Claim:
A system for automatically classifying a list of telephone numbers into one or more categories, the system comprising: a processor; a data storage medium for at least temporarily storing the list of telephone numbers; means for accessing a telephone network; and at least one computer readable medium operatively coupled with said processor and said data storage medium; said at least one computer readable medium comprising: a) software configured to initiate a first series of calls to telephone numbers from the list of telephone numbers on a line within said telephone network; b) software configured to play an audible message over said line that requests that a callee on said line terminate said call; c) software configured to identify whether or not said call has been terminated after said audible message is played; and d) software configured to classify a telephone number as having been live-answered if said call was terminated, in response to said audible message or classify a telephone number as not live-answered if said call was not terminated in response to said audible message.