Unwanted guest detection ..

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  • chris_j_hunter
    Automated Home Legend
    • Dec 2007
    • 1713

    Unwanted guest detection ..

    Idratek seems pretty good at presence detection, given sufficient sensor arrangements .. so wondered about the next step - presence detection divided into OK & not-OK ... one approach might be to say presence within defined time-slots is OK, otherwise not-OK .. another might be to have a button one pushes when last to-bed, and again when first-up (arm & disarm) ... but, maybe, it's possible to be smarter than this ??

    Any thoughts ??
    Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 28 December 2008, 06:24 PM. Reason: typos, darned typos !
    Our self-build - going further with HA...
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    You could go with an RFID approach. So everyone wears some sort of RFID tag, some come as bracelets.
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    The MIRACLE 5104 RFID Controller looks interesting.
    Martin the guy who owns IAutmate is quite approachable and is used to selling to European clients.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
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    • chris_j_hunter
      Automated Home Legend
      • Dec 2007
      • 1713

      #3
      RFID tags might be good ... though, they're not inexpensive & not sure how to integrate them into the system (Idratek) ... also, how to control the tags - eg: anyone could pick them up if they were hung by the door, issuing them individually might be a pain, and people might well forget to carry them, and to give them up when they leave ...

      perhaps the answer is in a mix of things ?
      Our self-build - going further with HA...

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      • chris_j_hunter
        Automated Home Legend
        • Dec 2007
        • 1713

        #4
        The Miracle 5104 controller's communication of state changes via ASCII strings over an RS232 link means it must be very like our hi-fi controller ... which makes me wonder how many other controllers might be like this ... it would be nice to have Idratek / Cortex capable of such communication & interfacing ... wonder if that's something xAP could help with - ie: state changes & commands via ASCII strings through selected PC RS232 ports ... ??

        the MiniITX motherboard + daughterboard we bought to host Cortex has several RS232 ports, because we had something like this in-mind when we chose it ...
        Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 28 December 2008, 08:16 PM.
        Our self-build - going further with HA...

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        • Karam
          Automated Home Legend
          • Mar 2005
          • 863

          #5
          Chris,

          There are a variety of zoning features in the Cortex alarm functions. In your first post you imply something about areas being OK and Not OK to have presence in at certain times of day, and also mention last to bed etc. This sounds like the night alarm feature which allows some areas to be protected whilst others are not. One useful subtlety associated with this is the ability to have a trigger which allows transit from unprotected to protected area to automatically (we like to keep button pressing to minimum) and temporarily disable the protection in the protected area and then automatically re-enable once that area became deemed vacant again. As an example: moving from un-protected top floor (bedrooms) to protected downstairs (raiding the fridge ) via a sensor in the landing. If you check the help on the Alarm in Cortex V24 you will also see some new possibilities such as pet alarm and boundary breach. I suppose these features are examples of some of the things you can easily do (awaiting kick from Vivian ) once you have the integrated infra-structure which you couldn't with an ordinary alarm system.

          It would be even better to be able to positively identify locations of specific individuals, but I'm not so sure that RFID is the answer since, aside from technical issues, there is the issue of ensuring people wear the tags at all times. Of course there is the idea of surgically implanting them, as an old acquaintance would have you believe , but I'm not convinced this would be very popular.

          Regarding intercepting ASCII strings there is always the possibility of writing your own code to do this and interfacing to Cortex via the Cortex API.

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          • chris_j_hunter
            Automated Home Legend
            • Dec 2007
            • 1713

            #6
            great ... looks like the basis is there already - well, of course !!

            later in '09 we'll get to the stage of getting our set-up working (time available having just improved, other things having just gone away) then we'll have a go at seeing what we can do with APIs !

            BTW, RFIDs - maybe the trick would be to use them as enabler tokens, by which safe passage becomes possible ... rather as such things were used on single-track railways ... ???
            Our self-build - going further with HA...

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            • toscal
              Moderator
              • Oct 2005
              • 2061

              #7
              I do know that the RFID solution has been used in various old people's homes and a few nurseries. But like you said it relies on the person carrying the tag all the time.
              I did see somewhere a guy who developed a kind of intelligent key rack. So when you enter the house you put your key on the rack. The rack knew who you where and sent a signal to the house controller. I think it was basically a simple switching system using a 2.5mm plug and socket so when the key was plugged into your socket on the key rack it sent that contact closure to the controller. He did update it so it was a bit more inteligent. But I can't find the link.
              Bluetooth might be another option as most people carry their phone with them. Ok they may put it down to charge but then you know where that person is in the house and then use motion sensors to track their whereabouts when they leave that room.
              Like you said Chris a combination of things maybe the best solution.
              A few other things to think about, iButtons not as good as RFID as most require contact with, or to be within 20cm of a, reader.
              Something we have been looking into as a company is the Cyberlock system
              One key can be used to open every door in a building. Can be set to only work at certain times or expire after a certain date. Or allow full access to one door but only timed access to another. The locks do not contain any power as this is taken from the key fob. http://www.videx.com
              IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
              Renovation Spain Blog

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