Multi-button doorbell
There are doorbells which have different melodies but the person who rings the door does not have a choice to select which melody will ring. The usual doorbells have only one switch at the outside and the visitor will only know what sound he or she will create only after pushing it. I am proposing a doorbell with several buttons on external switch (2, 4 or more) On each button there will be an illustration (a bird, notes representing melody, a dog representing barking and etc...By pushing the desired button you will be able to determine what will ring.
Examples: A father knowing the baby is sleeping may select to choose the least disturbing button. If your nearly deaf grandfather is the only person at home you better push the siren button..Each person in the family may have their button to let know others who came...You may give a clue about your mood in advance to your family by which ring tone you choose.-- can1073, Nov 28 2007 Based on your examples, it seems to make more sense for the ring selection to take place inside, rather than outside.
A father knowing the baby is sleeping is unlikely to ring the doorbell in the first place, and how would a visitor know my nearly deaf grandfather was home alone? What if my nearly deaf grandfather is home with the sleeping baby?-- phoenix, Nov 28 2007 Mutti, mach die Tür auf!-- squeak, Nov 28 2007 Go the whole hog, and have a door-keyboard, where visitors can play their very own tune on arrival.
Different callers might adopt their own theme tune, allowing people to know who's at the door.
Most people might just play chopsticks, or stick to a traditional ping-pong - but others might learn riffs from Peter and The Wolf, or something nice by Bach or Mozart. Other people might choose to play the Nokia theme.
If the keyboard were able to play samples, the caller might be able to choose the 'instrument' they wanted to play their tune in - or even record a sample of their own.-- zen_tom, Nov 28 2007 //Most people might just play chopsticks//
And most homeowners would probably come out and chase you down the street with a frying pan.-- skinflaps, Nov 28 2007 or a rolling pin...-- blissmiss, Nov 28 2007 "Plink-plink-plink plink-plink-plink Plonk-plonk-plonk plonk plink-plink-plink plunk-plunk-plunk..." etc "Answer the door Clive" "Nahh, it's just those flamin' kids from down the estate again." Clive leans out of the window, "Get aht of it! Go on, sling yer hook!"-- zen_tom, Nov 28 2007 Great idea. I would actually do this, and might.
[+] How could you bone this?-- evilpenguin, Nov 28 2007 No, no, no. Put the name of each household member by the different buttons, then each one will play the "ringtone" set for that person, so the occupants inside will know who the door's for without having to get off their lazy fannies.-- globaltourniquet, Nov 28 2007 Doorbell Sudoku?-- skinflaps, Nov 28 2007 Evilpenguin, please do, I will be very delighted to see it done.
Globaltourniqut, I think your idea also makes great sense. When we have our multi-button switch different uses will be found like the one you suggested. (Certainly why would I bother to open the door for someone who didn't come to me?)-- can1073, Nov 29 2007 random, halfbakery