A telephone or adjunct Caller ID device adaptively stores Caller ID data based,
for example, on a handling status of an incoming call. In a particular example,
a telephone or Caller ID device includes a memory adapted to store Caller ID data
associated with an incoming call, and a processor adapted to affect storage of
the Caller ID data based on a status of the incoming call, such as whether the
incoming call is answered. In an alternative embodiment, a method of receiving
an incoming telephone call includes the steps of receiving Caller ID data associated
with the incoming telephone call, evaluating a status of the incoming telephone
call, and making a Caller ID storage decision based on the status of the incoming
telephone call. The decision may be based on handling of the incoming telephone
call, such as whether the incoming telephone call is answered, or whether it is
answered by a person. The decision may be made proximate in time to the receipt
of the incoming telephone call, or in response to a circumstance, such as in response
to receipt of an indication that the memory is more full than a threshold, or in
response to user input. For example, the decision may be made in conjunction with
other storage decisions regarding other Caller ID data in response to the circumstance.
