Caller ID system with retransmitted caller ID information
First Claim
1. A method of identifying incoming calls, comprising:
- receiving the incoming call from a telecommunication service provider network;
determining presence of an information packet including caller identification information associated with an incoming call received at a customer equipment premises location;
responsive to the caller identification information being associated with a pre-selected allowable calling party;
allowing an audible indicator at the customer equipment premises location to sound, andretransmitting the caller identification information after allowing the audible indicator to sound;
responsive to the caller identification information not being associated with a preselected calling party, passing the incoming call to an answering system at the customer equipment premises location through a selected one of a plurality of answering system device ports without allowing the audible indicator to sound; and
if no presence of an information packet including caller identification information is determined, handling the incoming call in accordance with a default mode selectively controlled by a user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Upon detecting an incoming call, a call screening system determines the CALLER ID information associated with the call and compares it to a database of allowable calling parties. If the calling party is to be allowed to ring through, the call screening system routes the incoming call to one or more communication devices associated with the calling party information in the allowable calling party database. Incoming call screening may be selectively different during different times of the day, for different calling parties, or for different communications devices connected to the call screening device. The call screening device may thus switch between allowing all incoming calls to ring through except those specifically designated to be blocked and screening all incoming calls except those specifically designated to be permitted to ring through. One or more override codes entered in a touch-tone keypad by the calling party may permit an incoming call to ring through despite an active screening mode.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of identifying incoming calls, comprising:
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receiving the incoming call from a telecommunication service provider network; determining presence of an information packet including caller identification information associated with an incoming call received at a customer equipment premises location; responsive to the caller identification information being associated with a pre-selected allowable calling party; allowing an audible indicator at the customer equipment premises location to sound, and retransmitting the caller identification information after allowing the audible indicator to sound; responsive to the caller identification information not being associated with a preselected calling party, passing the incoming call to an answering system at the customer equipment premises location through a selected one of a plurality of answering system device ports without allowing the audible indicator to sound; and if no presence of an information packet including caller identification information is determined, handling the incoming call in accordance with a default mode selectively controlled by a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of processing incoming calls, comprising:
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receiving the incoming call from a telecommunication service provider network responsive to detecting an incoming call received at a user premises location, determining presence of an information packet including caller identification information associated with the incoming call without allowing an audible indicator of the presence of the incoming call to sound; responsive to determining permissibility of passing the incoming call; identifying a communications device at the user premises location within a plurality of communication devices to which the incoming call should be routed, allowing the audible indicator to sound at the identified communication device; and retransmitting the caller identification information after allowing the audible indicator to sound; responsive to the identified communication device being lifted off hook after the audible indicator sounds, maintaining a connection of the incoming call to the identified communication device; and if no presence of an information packet including caller identification information is determined, handling the incoming call in accordance with a default mode selectively controlled by a user. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification