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Front Door Message Machine

No one answers the door? Leave a message.
  (+31, -2)(+31, -2)(+31, -2)
(+31, -2)
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An 'answering' machine which takes messages from people who knock at your door.

"Hello. I'm sorry, but no one is able to answer the door at the moment. If you would like to leave a message, say "Yes" now."

"Yes."

"At the tone, please leave your message."

*beep* "Uh, hey Steve, it's Phil. I came by to pick up those DVDs you borrowed, but uh, I guess you're gone out, or on the can or something..."

The device could record the messages onto your phone answering machine, so you could hear all messages at one 'listen'. It could even be a feature, a 'dual purpose' answering machine.

waugsqueke, Mar 01 2002

Sprung from this idea. http://www.halfbake...Answering_20Machine
[waugsqueke, Mar 01 2002]

Door message apparatus with telephone answering device http://www.freepate...ne.com/4715060.html
Patented. [Ander, Oct 18 2007]

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       "hello, we were in your neighborhood today talking with your neighbors about war. Did you know that the Bible clearly shows the cause behind the wars of today? We're going to leave some magazines for you to read and we will stop back later this month to answer any questions you have...."   

       ---Yeah, I like the idea. GeorgeTheRobin ---keep in mind that the answering machine doesn't say if you are out of the house or just in the middle of something and do not want to be disturbed. Screening my door....hmmm....
runforrestrun, Mar 01 2002
  

       I would like it to turn away pleasantly yet firmly anyone attempting to put unwanted leaflets through the door.
po, Mar 01 2002
  

       to prevent abuse of this by potential burglars, you could mount a small (fake) camera near the door, and when someone rings the doorbell, the camera would move, making a nice motorised humming noise so as to be noticed, toward the door. a potential burglar would think that someone was home and checking them out, and would understand why the doorbell was not being answered. if it's a friend at the door, they would either know about this trick, or assume that you don't want to be disturbed.
mihali, Mar 01 2002
  

       I thought this was going to be about a phone answering machine that is triggered by the opening of the front door to catch your attention if...
beauxeault, Mar 01 2002
  

       Runforrestrun, that's exactly what I was thinking...This would be a good place to install a shredder behind a mail slot, and a real camera...<Anyone using a US Mail mail slot who is not a postman is committing a federal offense...>
StarChaser, Mar 02 2002
  

       Your knock is very important to us. Please stay on the mat and the next available resident will be right with you.   

       Your knock is very important to us. Please stay on the mat and the next available resident will be right with you.   

       Your knock is very imp......
dandr, Apr 05 2002
  

       I HAVE THIS INSTALLED AT MY HOME. IT REPLACES THE DOOR BELL (SIMPLE INSTALL) AND RINGS ALL THE PHONES IN THE HOUSE TO ALSO ANSWER THE DOOR. IT HAS CALL WAITING "BEEP" BUILT IN AND GOES TO THE ANSWERING MACHINE WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER OR ARE NOT HOME. GREAT FOR DELIVERIES TO TELL THEM TO JUST LEAVE IT ON THE PORCH. ALSO HAS "LISTEN IN" FUNCTION THROUGH ANY PHONE TO MONITOR OUTDOOR SOUND (KIDS PLAYING)
LYNNETTE, Apr 06 2002
  

       [LYNNETTE]-Ouch, *please* don't shout.   

       [StarChaser]-Really?? Um...oops.
Galileo, Apr 06 2002
  

       I want my phone to make a door slamming sound when phone solicitors call
dodgechrist, Apr 07 2002
  

       FBDO: "Who is it?   

       Oh, I'm sorry I can't come to the door right now.   

       I'm afraid that in my weakened condition, I could take a nasty spill down the stairs and subject myself to further school absences.   

       You can reach my parents at their places of business.   

       Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your concern for my well being.   

       Have a nice day..."
gb2000, Jun 03 2002
  

       this appears to be baked now in the Microsoft Centre in Seattle - could be wrong but I read something about it today. added on - House of the Future at the conference centre.
po, Jun 03 2002
  

       I like the "futuristic" idea. But there is a simpler solution. Just attach a small white board and hang a marker to your door. If you want more privacy, you can use a set of sheets and a box similar to letterbox. people can write and put into the box without having to "say" anything aloud which would otherwise leak the info to your neighbours ;). If you want to be futuristic *and* have privacy you can hang an touch screen LCD and a stylus on the door or can have it on the verandah like a table. Knock Knock. "Hello. There is no one in the house right now. Please relax and leave a message my writing it on the table with the stylus on its edge. Thank you." If you have the table version, Your guest can relax while he/she writes with a lengthy detail how his/her nephew tripped at the school and broke his knee. The screen is directly connected to your PC which is inside . When the guest starts writing, a tiny web/security cam on the edge takes a snapshot and recognizes the guests face if in database. Otherwise, adds it to the database and asks the guest to write the name in a small rectangle. when the guest finishes writing, he/she can press a "finish" button at the edge.and the screen is cleared, the written material safely copied to your Home PC which cannot be read without you authenticating with your voice or password... OR You can have the ansering machine connected to the pc in some way, so when you press it, first the recorded mesages of the answering machine is played.. and when it finishes your PC starts hand writing recognition on what your guest had written and starts playing it through a speech synthesizer. All this may seem complicated to be feasible. But all you need is a touchscreen lcd (even black and white will do) cnnected in some way to the pc. The software is not tough to be written either upto a certain degree of sophistication.
kamathln, Feb 19 2005
  

       You can also have a keyboard for someone who can type fast. Also, you can make the typing/writing optional.. If the message is not private , the person can still talk to the mic near the lcd tablet and the softwre vox can record it. in your pc itself!
kamathln, Feb 19 2005
  

       I notice the patent doesn't exactly cover the core concept.
bristolz, Oct 03 2005
  

       Drat. I was about to post this idea. I'll just leave a croissant on the doorstep and come back another time. [+]
pertinax, Oct 17 2007
  


 

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