Apparatus and method for detecting the source of a telephone tone signal

摘要

A telephone answering apparatus for detecting the source of a telephone tone signal includes a signal detector for detecting the telephone tone signal, a memory storage device for storing a message, and a controller for stopping playback of the message in response to the telephone tone signal wherein the controller determines whether the telephone tone signal is present while playback of the message is stopped. A timer is operatively connected to the signal detector to designate a period of time for the signal detector to detect for the presence of the telephone tone signal while playback of the message is stopped.