Remote controlling telephone unit for selectively activating one of a plurality of devices

Claim 1

A remote controlling telephone unit incorporating a telephone answering means including a telephone and responsive to an incoming call on a telephone line for making a loop circuit, sending a prerecording outgoing message on the line and recording an incoming message, the unit comprising: remote control means for controlling any one of a number of devices, such as a FAX, a TELEX and a person computer, etc., from a remote location over the telephone line, said remote control means including: (a) first means responsive to incoming remote control signals received on the telephone line for placing all said devices into a standby condition; (b) second means responsive to a predetermined remote control signal received on the telephone line for placing a corresponding predetermined one of said devices into an operating condition; and (c) third means for resetting said predetermined one of said devices in the standby condition after operation thereof, ready for a next telephone call; whereby a user who has, by mistake as a result of sending the wrong remote control signal, placed the wrong one of said devices into the operating condition, can, without hanging up the telephone, place the correct one of said devices into the operating condition by sending the correct remote control signal.