Abstract: A telephone answering apparatus for verification of the presence of a remote user includes a detector, and a controller operatively connected to the detector and to a timer, wherein the controller restarts the timer upon detection of a telephone signal from the remote user and terminates a telephone connection if the telephone signal is not detected within a set period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus for overriding an automatic answer function of a telephone answering device includes a host computer in communication with the telephone answering device. The host computer includes an application running on the host computer, and the telephone answering device includes a controller operatively connected to a ring counter. The application is operatively connected to the controller. The controller resets the ring counter in response to a command prefix from the application which disables an automatic answer function of the telephone answering device and enables the application to answer an incoming call by controlling the telephone answering device.

Abstract: A telephone answering apparatus for verification of the presence of a remote user includes a detector, and a controller operatively connected to the detector and to a timer, wherein the controller restarts the timer upon detection of a telephone signal from the remote user and terminates a telephone connection if the telephone signal is not detected within a set period of time.