Method and apparatus for processing telephone calls in conjunction with call blocking service

A ring blocker device associated with Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) telephone terminal equipment for processing a telephone call directed to the POTS telephone terminal equipment, the telephone call including caller identification (caller ID) information and being received simultaneously at the ring blocker device and a call blocking service analyzing the caller ID information of the telephone call to determine if the telephone call is unwanted and ending the telephone call if the telephone call is determined to be unwanted, the ring blocker device comprising:

• a telephone line input port for receiving the telephone call;
• a telephone line output port connectable to the POTS telephone terminal equipment;
• and
• at least one processor for processing the telephone call received at the telephone line input port, the at least one processor being configured to:
• (i) block a first power ringing burst of the telephone call from reaching the POTS telephone terminal equipment;
• (ii) capture and store the caller ID information of the telephone call present in a silent interval between the first power ringing burst and a subsequent second power ringing burst;
• (iii) allow the second power ringing burst of the telephone call to pass to the POTS telephone terminal equipment from the telephone line output port when the telephone call is not ended by the call blocking service;
• and
• (iv) transmit the caller ID information captured and stored in step (ii) to the POTS telephone terminal equipment through the telephone line output port after the second power ringing burst to enable the caller ID information to be displayed to a user of the POTS telephone terminal equipment.

A method of processing a telephone call to Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) telephone terminal equipment, the telephone call including caller identification (caller ID) information, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving the telephone call simultaneously at a call blocking service and a ring blocker device associated with the POTS telephone terminal equipment;
• (b) analyzing the caller ID information of the telephone call by the call blocking service to determine if the telephone call is unwanted, and ending the telephone call if the telephone call is determined to be unwanted;
• and
• (c) processing the telephone call by the ring blocker device associated with the POTS telephone terminal equipment by:
• (i) blocking a first power ringing burst of the telephone call from reaching the POTS telephone terminal equipment;
• (ii) capturing and storing the caller ID information of the telephone call present in a silent interval between the first power ringing burst and a subsequent second power ringing burst;
• (iii) allowing the second power ringing burst of the telephone call to pass to the POTS telephone terminal equipment when the telephone call is not ended by the call blocking service;
• and
• (iv) transmitting the caller ID information captured and stored in step (ii) to the POTS telephone terminal equipment after the second power ringing burst to enable the caller ID information to be displayed to a user of the POTS telephone terminal equipment.