Suggestions for a wireless communication project

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi there!
I'm trying to figure out if this idea could work:

"You have a wireless transmitter located a some point. The moment you are crossing there (walking, running, it does not matter), you receive a notification in your phone or some kind of receiver, INMEDIATLY. This means that anyone who enters the transmitter area should be able to receive a notification in his compatible device."

The idea is really simple, but most of wireless technologies requires autentication. In case of multiple transmiters, this means your receiver must remember multiples networks and passwords. That is not the point.

I know this a tricky and possible silly project, but I would thank any suggestion from you.

2

How are you going to detect when the person enters an area?

On what is the person going to receive a notification?
If you are thinking of an SMS or WiFi message there can be significant delay in propagation even if your detection system is quick.

...R

3

Sounds like Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) is what you're looking for. Google this and "iBeacon" for more info.

RFduino is a great little Arduino-compatible device with built-in BLE transceiver. Easy to program too, using the standard Arduino IDE.

Check out the Tech Firma website for RFduino-based products and example apps.

4

How large is the transmitter area, ie how close to the transmitter does a person have to be to get a notification?

5

Thanks eveyone for ur advice. I was hoping I could skip detection of people (receiver devices). Instead, my transmitter would constantly broadcast the message. Detection area must be around 10 - 15 meters.

6

Tech Firma,

Your RN42 BLE Module could work as an Ibeacon transmitter? By the way, this technologie seems really cool.

7

Your RN42 BLE Module could work as an Ibeacon transmitter? By the way, this technologie seems really cool.

The Bluetooth RN42 Module is for "classic" bluetooth, which must be paired with the device it is to communicate with. This is probably not a good fit for the application you describe.

Our RFduino Pro Module has a Bluetooth "Low-Energy" (BLE) transceiver coupled with an Arduino-compatible microcontroller. No pairing is required for BLE to send information (notifications) to devices such as smartphones, tablets, etc. This does sound like a good fit, and it's very easy to write sketches for using the Arduino IDE.

This module is also very low power, and can easily run from battery - check out our RFduino Pro Lipo shield for a rechargeable battery solution.

Example sketches for iBeacon are installed with the RFduino Library, and these are fully compatible with our RFduino Pro Module.

8

TechFirma:
. . .No pairing is required for BLE to send information (notifications) to devices such as smartphones, tablets, etc. . . .

Hopefully the OP is aware of the difference between BLE and Classic Bluetooth. There are a lot of smartphones which don't have BLE. BLE is not backwards compatible with Classic Bluetooth. To use a BLE device one needs a phone which can communicate using the BLE protocol.

9

The discussion of BLE has not yet explained how effective it would be for detecting "distance".

For example, if I start well out of range of the stationary device and walk towards it. What are the minimum and maximum distances at which my phone will detect the stationary device?

What are the factors that affect the range at which the device is detected?

Will this variability be acceptable for the OP's purpose?

...R

10

DuaneDegn:
To use a BLE device one needs a phone which can communicate using the BLE protocol.

Yes, Duane brings up a good point. BLE is still an emerging technology and isn't available in all smartphone or tablet devices. It is supported in iPhone 4s and newer, iPad 3rd Gen and newer, and also in the Android Jellybean 4.3 and higher releases. If you have a specific phone or "some kind of receiver" in mind, check the specs to see if BLE is supported.

Robin2:
The discussion of BLE has not yet explained how effective it would be for detecting "distance".

These are very good questions Robin. Typically the maximum effective distance is 100m in open spaces. The RSSI value can be monitored to get an estimate of the distance between the transmitter and receiver.

Here's a good overview of the iBeacon concept using BLE (with pretty pictures!):
http://www.ibeacon.com/what-is-ibeacon-a-guide-to-beacons/

11

TechFirma:
Here's a good overview of the iBeacon concept using BLE

Seems like a serious infringment of personal privacy. I can see the Secret Services all over the world rushing to get in on the act.

If I ever get a device with BLE I will make sure I know how to switch it off.

...R

12

Robin2:
Seems like a serious infringment of personal privacy. I can see the Secret Services all over the world rushing to get in on the act.

If I ever get a device with BLE I will make sure I know how to switch it off.

Worse still will be all the retail outlets that you pass sending messages advertising their 'Special Offers' to your device.

13

Henry_Best:
Worse still will be all the retail outlets that you pass sending messages advertising their 'Special Offers' to your device.

You can ignore ads.

You can't ignore large men with guns breaking down your door at 5am for some alleged infringment of the then Governments "right" to adoration.

...R

14

It looks like Beacon should be one-way communication from store side.
It could be turn off, of course. Actually I just found it is default off in many APP.

Maybe this is related with the personal right :slight_smile:

15

Hi, I nearly understand what you said. What meets your idea mostly is proximity beacons, because OS company like google and apple have preload Eddystone and iBeacon protocols in smartphones, which makes it easy for customers to receive usefull message broadcasted by a proximity beacon. If you want more info about this new product, just check https://www.mokosmart.com or google "mokosmart beacon". They are beacons supporting both Eddystone and iBeacon protocols