An interactive visitor announcement/access control system for residents of
limited access and gated communities. The system includes a computer
database and a community staff-operated personal computer (p.c.) located
at each visitor access point to the community, the staff p.c. being
connected to the database by direct link and/or via the Internet. Each
resident having a personal computer is provided with limited Internet
access to the database to enter scheduling information and a description
of each expected visitor, including the visit date and time, the name of
each visitor, and a printed bar-coded pass authorization and mode of
delivery thereof for each visitor.