Pressing the doorbell also rings your cell phone. If you aren’t home, you can see on your cell who’s out there by way of the camera mounted above door.

If the caller is a burglar, or your recently paroled ex-husband (or even your current husband, home unexpectedly, wondering why the dead bolt), you can tell them where to go over the door speaker via the cell.

And if you’re home, it’s equally convenient. You can answer the door from anywhere in the house. No need to wrap yourself up in a bath towel and peer out the peephole, sopping wet, while the criminal on the other side prepares to batter the door down.

As an extra convenience, the door has an electronic latch, so that you can unlock it remotely. Great for when family drops by unexpectedly—so you don’t have to rush home to let them in.
-- pluterday, Aug 28 2003

Intelligent Homes http://www.smarthome.com/1350.html
One source for the equipment to customize a similar system. [jurist, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Lots of newly constructed upscale homes are being wired for the kind of 21st Century "Smart Home" features that you describe. I'm pretty sure most of the conveniences you desire could be obtained as separate units and cobbled together into a retrofitted system for older homes from vendors like the one I listed in the link.

The only item in your wish list that I questioned was the remotely controlled electronic lock. How secure will your home be if you are away and the power goes out? Most electronic locks will automatically disengage in the event of a power outtage in order to keep residents from being trapped inside.
-- jurist, Aug 28 2003


Jurist, of course, the electronic lock would also have a manual feature. If you didn’t have your cell phone, it would work just like an ordinary lock. And if it lost power, it would retain its last state until you manually changed it.
-- pluterday, Aug 28 2003


There are remote controlled locks on the market that deal with the power issue. Its just a conventional deadbolt with a motor to operate it. If the power goes out, the deadbolt stays locked and you use the standard knob to open it instead. My sister has one on the front door of her house.
-- krelnik, Aug 28 2003


The 21st century thief: Hacks into your front-door server by a back-door program, then steals your valuables.
-- RayfordSteele, Aug 28 2003


Having come home to find the front door wide open several times, I like this idea. Have the camera record a video whenever anyone approaches, and if the door is kicked open, send the video to 911 operators with the report of burglary in progress...

Add the Sonic dilatant egress to this! Then you can skip the call to 911...
-- Shooter, Apr 05 2005



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