Method and apparatus for automated telephone call screening

Abstract

Method and apparatus to automatically screen incoming telephone calls, wherein the caller identification (“Caller ID”) transmitted by the telephone company is received, compared to a list of stored caller identification criteria, and a telecommunication device, such as a telephone, answering machine, fax machine or computer modem, is activated or deactivated in response to unwanted or low-priority calls. The Caller ID information transmitted by the telephone company, such as date, time, number and/or name of the calling party, is used as the decision criteria to accept or intercept the call.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.