Personal checkup service and equipment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for utilizing a public switched telephone network which includes a voice messaging system (VMS) for providing to subscribers a checkup call service to initiate at times determined by the subscriber checkup calls to a premise designated by the subscriber. If a particular person at the premise does not respond appropriately to the personal checkup call or the telephone goes unanswered or is off-hook for a specified period of time a list of persons designated by the subscriber is notified of such failure to respond. The service is based upon utilization of the existing VMS equipment. The subscriber has the option to specify an activation schedule which specifies the days of the week on which the service is to be active. An activation schedule disable and enable control is provided. In a second mode the checkup is effected via a customer premise equipment (CPE) device which may be wall-mountable or stand alone and connected to the telephone network. The person under surveillance is instructed to press a response button on the CPE device during a predesignated response period. Upon the button not being depressed during the response period the CPE device automatically out-dials to the VMS and the VMS initiates the notification process.