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. In this
manner, certain screened calls only ring through to a handset if
authorized, while others are authorized to ring through to a fax machine,
an answering machine, another handset, or a remote device connected
between a remote handset and the local exchange. A single call screening
device having several ports thus filters calls to multiple communications
devices. 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. The CALLER ID information
is captured and retransmitted to the selected device once an incoming
call has been passed through to a selected device.