Patent ID: 7149525

Claim:
A system for selectively answering a telephone, the system comprising: a stationary unit connectable in line with a telephone line extending to the telephone, wherein the stationary unit includes: a first antenna coupled to a first transmitter-receiver to communicate with a portable unit that includes a second antenna coupled to a second transmitter-receiver, a switching circuit to seize the telephone line after receiving a signal received from a first activatable switch of the portable unit, from a second activatable switch of the portable unit, or any combination thereof, and an autodialer circuit to dial a pre-programmed telephone number in response to a signal received from the second activatable switch of the portable unit; wherein the stationary unit receives verbal communications from the portable unit and transmits the verbal communications via the telephone line after the telephone line is seized; and wherein at least one of the stationary unit and the portable unit includes a counter-timer circuit to restrictively permit activation of the autodialer circuit when the second activatable switch is activated a number of times within a time period.