Telecommunications device with means for learning and responding to a

Abstract

A telecommunications apparatus is connectable to a line accessible by plural telephone numbers from the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The PSTN identifies which telephone number on the line is being called by applying to the line a distinctive ring cadence. The telecommunications apparatus includes a processor, an interface for connecting to the PSTN, a memory for storing a distinctive ring cadence learn procedure and a nonvolatile memory. The processor is responsive to actuation of the distinctive ring learn procedure to monitor a received ring cadence and to derive distinctive ring data indicating characteristics of the received ring cadence. The processor stores the distinctive ring data in the nonvolatile memory and thereafter responds to received ring cadences to derive ring data therefrom. That ring data is compared with the stored distinctive ring data and if a substantial match is determined, causes the telecommunications apparatus to respond to the ring data.