Automated and interactive telecommunications system

Abstract

An automated and interactive system that allows a physician, counselor, teacher, employer or trainer to produce and send information, messages and/or questions to, or to elicit responses or information from, a client, patient, employee or student. The system consists of a client database and a client program that includes for each client individual information. The database and program are operated by a central computer that has the capability to, at preselected or delayed time periods, send messages, information and/or questions to the client through the use of a variety of transmission means. The client is provided a message retrieval system having a visual indication that a message is waiting to be retrieved. The client's telecommunication system also has an automatic dialer, such as a one-button dialer, which will automatically connect the client to the central computer, to make it extremely simple for the client to communicate to the central computer via telecommunications to listen and interact with the message, information or questions. The message retrieval system may be connected through the client's telephone, television, computer or any other telecommunications system, and the message may be in an audio, video or text mode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.