Patent ID: 6198812
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
An incoming telephone call filtering method for a subscriber's primary telephone apparatus comprising steps of:receiving a first incoming telephone call signal originated by a first caller and first arriving via a first telephone line;blocking a coupling of the first incoming telephone call signal with the subscriber's primary telephone apparatus;recognizing a first caller identification number (first caller-ID number) for the first incoming telephone call signal;storing the first caller-ID number;receiving a second incoming telephone call signal ordinarily reoriginated by the first caller and second arriving over the first telephone line;recognizing a second caller identification (caller-ID number for the second incoming telephone call signal;comparing the second caller-ID number with the stored first caller-ID number; and,transferring the second incoming telephone call signal to the subscriber's primary telephone apparatus in response to the comparison of thestored said first caller-ID number and the second caller-ID number as substantially coequal.