A telephone answering device with calling party identification

A telephone answering device 2 includes a line interface 6 for connecting the telephone answering device to a telephone line 4 and a ring detector 20, coupled to the telephone line, for detecting ringing signals sent from a telephone company central office. A calling party identification (CPID) detector 8, coupled to the telephone line, is provided for detecting CPID information. A controller 18 controls the line interface to seize 110 the telephone line immediately after the ring detector detects 100 a first ring on the telephone line and the CPID detector detects 102 that the CPID information is blocked. After the line interface seizes the telephone line, the telephone answering device plays an outgoing message 114 to the caller and, thereafter, the caller may record a message 116 for the telephone answering device owner. If the telephone answering device owner is present at the time of the call, he or she may simultaneously listen while the caller is leaving a message and determine the caller's identity despite the blocked CPID information. If the CPID detector detects that the CPID information is not blocked, the controller controls the line interface to seize the telephone line only after a predetermined number of rings 108 occurs with no answer. Two outgoing messages may be provided; one for use when the CPID information is blocked and another for use when the CPID information is not blocked.