Telephone answering device and method for screening incoming telephone

Abstract

A telephone answering device includes a line interface for connecting the telephone answering device to a telephone line and a ring detector, coupled to the telephone line, for detecting ringing signals sent from a telephone company central office. A calling party identification (CPID) detector, coupled to the telephone line, is provided for detecting CPID information. A controller controls the line interface to seize the telephone line immediately after the ring detector detects a first ring on the telephone line and the CPID detector detects that the CPID information is blocked. After the line interface seizes the telephone line, the telephone answering device plays an outgoing message to the caller and, thereafter, the caller may record a message for the telephone answering device owner. If the telephone answering device owner is present at the time of the call, he or she may simultaneously listen while the caller is leaving a message and determine the caller's identity despite the blocked CPID information. If the CPID detector detects that the CPID information is not blocked, the controller controls the line interface to seize the telephone line only after a predetermined number of rings occurs with no answer. Two outgoing messages may be provided; one for use when the CPID information is blocked and another for use when the CPID information is not blocked.