INTERACTIVE DOOR ANSWERING AND MESSAGING DEVICE WITH SPEECH SYNTHESIS

An automatic door answering and message system is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the system has an interior unit and an exterior unit that communicate via an RF link. The system uses voice recognition and synthesis to interact with visitors. In addition to playing messages to and recording messages from visitors, the system also broadcasts to the inside their responses to predetermined queries, thereby permitting a resident to screen visitors in secret. Programmed dialogue scripts control the automated interaction between the machine and visitors. The system also has an intercom feature that enables the resident to talk with a visitor without opening the door. When the intercom is turned on, any automated dialogue script is interrupted. The system also includes a sensing means for sensing the open/closed state of the door, so that any automated dialogue script is interrupted by the opening of the door. Other embodiments include a telephone interface and a proximity sensor.