Patent ID: 7577249

Claim:
A system for establishing a remote communication link to a base telephone having a ring-sound transducer a handset and an off-hook switch activated by the proximity of the handset, the system comprising: a remote communication unit, comprising: remote communicator for sending and receiving data; a remote ring indicator for alerting a user that a call has been received at the base telephone; and remote answering activator for allowing the user to send an answer signal from the remote communicator; a base unit at least in part positionable adjacent to the telephone, comprising: sensor positioned to be capable of detecting magnetic flux of the ring-sound transducer; a lifter mechanism for lifting the telephone handset to activate a cradle switch of the telephone and change the telephone between on-hook and off-hook states; a base communicator for sending and receiving data between the telephone and the remote communicator; signal generator circuitry for receiving a signal from said magnetic sensor responsive to a ringing signal in the base telephone and for identifying said signal as a ring announcing an incoming phone call and activating said remote ring indicator; and lifter circuitry, responsive to said remote answering activator to operate the lifter mechanism between on and off hook states.