Communications system and apparatus

A communications apparatus connectable to a telephone system comprising,

• a data storage module for storing information,
• a controllable message generating module for generating messages based on information stored in the storage module,
• a controllable dialling and transmission module for dialling numbers of telephones in a telephone system to which the apparatus is connected and transmitting generated messages to said telephones, and
• a control module for controlling the message generating module and the dialling and transmission module to cause generated voice messages to be delivered to selected recipients via selected telephones when predetermined conditions are satisfied, wherein the storage module is arranged to store information in message files each of which is associated with a particular recipient or group of recipients and the contents of each message file determines the operation of the control module so controlling the structure, content, generation and delivery of respective messages.

A communications apparatus for use in a communications system, the communications apparatus comprising hardware and software arranged for performing the following functions;

• a) storing information;
• b) generating messages based on the stored information;
• c) connecting to terminals via a communications system and transmitting generated messages to said terminals;
• and
• a controller for controlling the generation of messages, the connection to terminals and the transmission of messages, to cause generated messages to be delivered to selected recipients via selected terminals when predetermined conditions are satisfied, wherein the information is stored in message files each of which is associated with a particular recipient or group of recipients and the contents of each message file determines the operation of the controller so controlling the structure, content, generation and delivery of respective messages.

A method of operating a communications apparatus in a communications system, comprising the steps of:

• storing information in a data store;
• generating messages based on information stored in the data store;
• connecting to terminals via a communications system and transmitting generated messages to said terminals;
• and
• controlling the generation of messages, the connection to terminals, and the transmission of messages to cause generated messages to be delivered to selected recipients via selected terminals when predetermined conditions are satisfied, wherein the data store is arranged to store information in message files each of which is associated with a particular recipient or group of recipients and the contents of each message file controls the structure, content, generation and delivery of respective messages.

A communications apparatus for use in a communications system, the communications apparatus comprising;

• storage means for storing information;
• controllable message generating means for generating messages based on information stored in the storage means;
• controllable connecting and transmission means for connecting to terminals via a communications system and transmitting generated messages to said terminals;
• and
• control means for controlling the message generating means and the connecting and transmission means to cause generated messages to be delivered to selected recipients via selected terminals when predetermined conditions are satisfied, wherein the storage means is arranged to store information in message files each of which is associated with a particular recipient or group of recipients and the contents of each message file determines the operation of the control means so determining the structure, content, generation and delivery of respective messages.