Redcap

2013

A conversational SMS interface for letting people in your front door.

I built this when I lived in an apartment building with a buzzer out front, which dialed the resident's phone number. I wouldn't find out I had autism until ten years later (lol); it now makes sense why I built an entire app rather than just answer the phone.

Readme

Text Redcap when you're expecting a guest. Redcap will buzz them in, and let you know when they've arrived.

User scenarios

Basic

Redcap: Someone's at the door - should I let them in?
Me: yes
Redcap: Got it. I've buzzed them in.

Redcap: Someone's at the door - should I let them in?
Me: no
Redcap: Got it - I'll keep the door locked.

Redcap: Someone's at the door - should I let them in?
Redcap: I didn't hear back from you, so I kept the door locked.

Me: 10m
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz in your guest within the next ten minutes.

Names

Me: john in 10m
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz John in within the next ten minutes.
Redcap: John just arrived - I've buzzed them in.

Me: john anytime
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz John in anytime.
Redcap: If you want John to have a personal security code, text back the code he should use. Otherwise, I'll just ask guests for a name.
...
Redcap: John's here - I've buzzed him in.

Security codes

Me: 9375 in 10m
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz in a guest with the security code "9375" within the next ten minutes.
Redcap: Your guest just arrived - I've buzzed them in.

Me: 9375 in 10m
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz in a guest with the security code "9375" within the next ten minutes.
Redcap: You have a guest, but they entered "9376" instead of "9375". Should I let them in?

Names with security codes

Me: john anytime
Redcap: Got it - I'll buzz John in anytime.
Redcap: If you want John to have a personal security code, text back the code he should use. Otherwise, I'll just check for the name.
Me: 1465
Redcap: Got it - make sure John knows to use the code "1465" when he arrives.
...
Redcap: John's here - I've buzzed him in.

Guest scenarios

Prompt

"Hi there. Please state your name, or enter your security code."

Authorized

"Got it, thanks." [buzz in]

Unauthorized - disallowed

"Got it, thanks. One moment." [sms to unit user]
"Thanks for calling." [hang up]

Unauthorized - allowed

"Got it, thanks. One moment." [sms to unit user]
[buzz in]

Entities

Building

Has a phone number of its own, from which the residents' numbers are dialed.

Unit

Is registered with the building. Has a Twilio phone number, which is unique within a building.

User

Belongs to a unit. Has a cell phone number that Redcap communicates with via sms.

Rule

Belongs to a unit, created by a user. Expires. Might have a name associated, depending on how accurate Twilio's transcription api turns out to be. Might have a security code.

Message

Belongs to a user. Can be created by the user with an incoming text message, or can be created by Redcap to communicate with the user.