US Patent 9756181 Phone number identification systems and methods

A system for initiating phone calls includes a database including records related to one or more second users, each of the second users being associated with an identifier and a phone number, a phone including a controller in communication with the database, and a memory in communication with the controller. The memory including program instructions executable by the controller that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to provide a user interface that receives a phone call request from a first user, wherein the phone call request includes the identifier associated with a one of the second users and does not include the phone number associated with the one of the second users, and, in response to receiving the phone call request, initiating the phone call over a telephone network from the phone to the phone number associated with the one of the second users.