Patent ID: 7428189

Claim:
An electronic assistant comprising: a microphone; a memory for recording voice messages spoken into said microphone; a clock; a loudspeaker connected to the memory for audibly reproducing said recorded messages; a programmable control responsive to the clock, and connected to the memory, for causing recorded voice messages to be reproduced at predetermined times through the loudspeaker; and a manually operable clear switch connected to the programmable control; wherein the programmable control causes the reproduction of each recorded message to be repeated at least a predetermined plural number of times unless said clear switch is operated; wherein the microphone, memory, clock, loudspeaker, programmable control and clear switch are housed in a case; wherein the programmable control comprises a switch having a mechanically movable switch-operating element settable to each of at least twelve different positions, each said position corresponding to a different time of day, said mechanically movable element being located in a recess in said case at a position such that it is inaccessible by an individual's finger, and operable only by insertion of a tool into said recess; and wherein the programmable control is operative to record, in said memory, a voice message spoken into said microphone, when the switch is in each of said positions and to associate the recorded voice message with the time of day to which the switch position corresponds when the voice message is recorded, whereby each recorded voice message is reproduced by the loudspeaker at a time of day with which it is associated.