Patent ID: 8131308

Claim:
A method of answering an incoming call at a cordless telephone having a base unit and a plurality of cordless handsets, each of said base unit and plurality of cordless handsets being at a different location, the method comprising the steps of: answering, by a first party, the incoming call at one of said plurality of cordless handsets; after the incoming call is answered and while the incoming call is active, initiating an intercom connection between cordless handsets, by an intercom initiating party, to alert an intercom receiving party, the intercom connection permitting voice communication between the intercom initiating party and the intercom receiving party; automatically placing said incoming call in a hold status if either said intercom initiating party or said intercom receiving party is also said first party; and accepting said incoming call at another one of said plurality of cordless handsets, by said intercom receiving party, by terminating the hold status.