Patent ID: 8000453

Claim:
A computer-based virtual assistant comprising: a virtual assistant application running on a computer capable of receiving human voice communications from a user of a remote user interface and transmitting a vocalization to the remote user interface, the virtual assistant application enabling the user to access email and voicemail messages of the user; the virtual assistant application selecting a responsive action to a verbal query or instruction received from the remote user interface and transmitting a vocalization characterizing the selected responsive action to the remote user interface; and the virtual assistant waiting a predetermined period of time, and if no canceling indication is received from the remote user interface, proceeding to perform the selected responsive action; and if a canceling indication is received from the remote user interface halting the selected responsive action and transmitting a new vocalization to the remote user interface, wherein the virtual assistant application enables the user to forward an email message to an email address, and wherein, if the verbal query or instruction is an instruction to telephone an individual, the virtual assistant application is configured to determine whether at least two telephone numbers for the individual are available to the virtual assistant, determine whether the user has previously telephoned the individual, determine the number at which the user last telephoned the individual, and, if the number at which the user last telephoned the individual comprises one of the at least two telephone numbers, automatically call the individual at the number at which the user last telephoned the individual.