MobiLinc (iOS) supports Geo-fencing and PUSH Notifications!

[InsteonNut]

Hi Everyone,

 

MobiLinc HD, Pro, and Orchestrated MobiLinc version 3.21.00 for iOS is now available from the iTunes App Store. Update to gain access to two incredible new features: Geo-fence awareness and PUSH Notifications!

 

Both features require the ISY series controller. PUSH Notifications require an active MobiLinc Connect account and works with devices, programs, variables, and security states.

 

Android users: Don't despair! PUSH Notifications (GCM for Android) is coming soon.

 

Check out our web commercial featuring geo-fencing and PUSH Notifications:

 

Here's a complete walkthrough on how to setup geo-fencing and PUSH for variables:

 

More info:

Geo-fencing: http://mobilinc.com/features/geofence/

PUSH Notification: http://mobilinc.com/features/push/

 

Wes

[arw01]

Nice video Wes. How does the iPhone do the geo fencing, do you need your GPS turned on and high tight of a radius works well?

 

Looking forward to all the new things we come up with Tasker to do as well.

 

Alan

[InsteonNut]

Thank Alan,

 

Geo-fence is a unique feature to iOS. Google just announced at IO that they were adding this in a future update to Android.

 

How it works is iOS can tell roughly your location by using known Wi-Fi spots and cell tower positions. From this it can roughly determine your location without impacting battery life. It doesn't use GPS, however, if another app on the iPhone was using the GPS signal, the geo-fence regions will also use the GPS data by piggy-backing on the highest accuracy signal the phone/iPad has access to.

 

There's more info about this on our site, but that's the basics.

 

Unless Apple opens up more of the OS in iOS7, we'll be limited on what we can do moving forward with iOS in terms of interesting integration things like geo-fencing. That's why Tasker on Android is so exciting for us as it opens up so many more interesting use cases and scenarios integrating your home automation setup with hundreds of possible triggers supported by Android/Tasker.

 

Wes

[ISYhbsh01]

Hi all,

 

I just thought I should mention that Tasker supports Geo-fencing by using the same method used by iOS that WES mentioned plus some other methods. That includes using Google's WiFi database, your own or your neighbors WiFi SSID's, specific cell towers, and GPS. You can use one method or a combination of some or all of the methods. The Tasker help has a nice explanation how you can set it up to first use one of the less accurate & less power hungry methods & then as you approach your destination you can have it turn on GPS for 100% accuracy. See this link for more info:

 

http://tasker.wikidot.com/userguide-en:loctears

 

Tasker integration can't come soon enough!

 

Edit: I played some more with Tasker and It seems that using Tasker to toggle GPS on a phone running Android 2.3 and up is only possible on a rooted phone.

[ISYhbsh01]

I should also add that you can use Tasker to setup push notifications as well.

[arw01]

I started on that less power with the cell towers to have my wifi turn off when I leave a radius around work. Have not finished it yet. Don't find tasker terribly user friendly to set up for sure.

 

I do have the autovoice working with the non encryped rest interface, however. Can tell my phone to toggle a few lights and an fan or two.

 

Alan

[ISYhbsh01]

I started on that less power with the cell towers to have my wifi turn off when I leave a radius around work. Have not finished it yet. Don't find tasker terribly user friendly to set up for sure.

 

I do have the autovoice working with the non encryped rest interface, however. Can tell my phone to toggle a few lights and an fan or two.

 

Alan

There is a good help on each step in Tasker but yes, there is definitely a learning curve there.

 

I played around a little with AutoVoice & also with Utter. I think Utter is working better for me at the moment.

 

Also after my earlier post I read again the Tasker instructions on using location. Turns out that the ability to use Tasker to turn on GPS if your phone is running Android 2.3 and up is only possible on a rooted phone. I will edit my earlier post.

 

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[ISYhbsh01]

And here it is!

 

http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?p=88678#p88678

 

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[grossmd]

Does mobilinc have to be "on " for geofence feature to work? In other words , if the mobilinc app is shut down will geofencing still work or do I need to make sure program has been activated every time phone has been shut down?

[InsteonNut]

Hi grossmd,

 

This is one of the reasons we really like geo-fencing on iOS. The app doesn't have to running or even resident in the background for a geo-fence to fire. iOS will "wake-up" MobiLinc or launch it in the background to service the geo-fence boundary crossing notice.

 

Wes

[grossmd]

Very cool. Just fired my garage door from down the block with geo-fence. Love it

[mitch236]

I have a quick question, if I have a program that turns on a light when I enter the Geo Fence zone, then when I enter the zone, the light will turn on. Once I'm in the zone, I turn the light off. Will the program retest itself and turn the light back on or does the program only run then the variable changes?

 

Thanks

[grossmd]

It seems to trigger only on change. I was worried about that too, especially because I am using it to open the garage door. I even set to program to text me on activation just so I could be on top of it but no issues ( till I took the dog on a long walk and triggered the program on the way home lol)

[InsteonNut]

Mitch236,

 

iOS only tells MobiLinc when crossing the boundary. Once you are in or out of a boundary it won't continually fire. iOS gives MobiLinc one shot to trap the boundary crossing message and take any action (write the ISY variable value to a 1 or a 0).

 

Wes

[Xathros]

And to further that, the ISY variable that Mobilinc is setting is a State variable. Programs are triggered by a change in value of State mvars so your program will only be evaluated when you cross the boundary and run either the Then or Else program paths depending on how you have coded your If statements.

 

-Xathros

[mitch236]

Is there a way to increase the accuracy/speed of Geo-fencing activation? I always use my phone plugged in to power so GPS can be enabled. The problem I'm having is there can be up to 30 second delays between when the app notices the fence which makes things like opening garage doors not useful.

 

Thanks

[grossmd]

Not sure if there is a better technical answer but practically I just enlarged the fence parameter to 250 meters. This had the door half up as I hit driveway. I also have my isy text me that it has opened door/ disarmed alarm to prevent accidental breach when driving near but not to my home

[InsteonNut]

Hi Mitch,

 

As you can imagine, every location will have a different use/responsiveness profile due to how iOS determines regions by looking for known Wi-Fi nodes and cell towers in the area. See our website on the few ways you can improve signaling in addition to adjusting the radius size: http://mobilinc.com/geofence/

 

Another thing to think about is writing your ISY programs with a delay on the variable location change if you end up using a larger radius. That way you end up triggering the location change earlier, but delay any action for 20 seconds or so to give you a chance to be near the house for the garage door to open or to cancel the timer if you happen to be driving through the region.

 

Geo-fencing is a one-size-fits most model. Adjusting the radius and ISY programming should help bridge the gap along with the suggestions we list on the website above.

 

Wes

[mitch236]

I have an idea to improve the accuracy of geo-fencing. Is there a way to have Mobilinc use the current location service when running on battery and use GPS when plugged in?

[InsteonNut]

Hi Mitch,

 

It's a good idea and makes sense, however, geo-fencing is 100% controlled, maintained, and initiated by iOS. Any adjustments like changing location services based on power state would need to be implemented by iOS. Apps do not have any control over this.

 

Wes

[stef2]

I started playing with the new push notification feature for ios. How come I get two notifications each time I cross a boundary? before singnin up with mobilinc connect, I use to get a generic notification when I crossed a boundary using geofencing.

 

Now I still get that notification plus the custom message I setup (push) from mobilinc.

 

How can I get notified only once by receiving the custom mobilinc message I chose?

[InsteonNut]

Hi stef2,

 

Go to Settings->Location Settings to disable the local notification.

 

Wes

[stef2]

Thanks for the tip, it worked...

 

But now, and for the past week, I dont get any push notifications anymore.

 

Geo-fencing is working, and the variable changes from 1 (home) to 0 (away) as it should when I leave home, but I dont get notified anymore...

 

Push notifications is enabled in mobilinc and in my iPad ios settings (alerts is on, show in notification center is on) When I change the variable manually from the isy console on my pc, it updates correctly on my iPad. But no notification...

 

I was wondering if my trial had expired, but I a using the trial th tes this functionalty, and for me it is not working...

[InsteonNut]

Hi stef2,

 

Can you email us at support@mobilinc.com with your MobiLinc Connect email address or your ISY's UUID? I can look up your account to give you more information. If your free MobiLinc Connect trial has expired then PUSH notifications will no longer be sent.

 

Wes

[stef2]

Thanks for your help!

 

I am back home and was able to try push notifications on my two iPads. I use mobilinc on the two ipads. One of the iPads (iPad 2) shows push notifications correctly, why my iPad mini retina doesnt show the notifications.

 

On both iPads, mobilinc is installed, the host type is mobilinc connect, using the same account, both showing the status as registered, and both showing, under subscription options, that my subscription ends on april the 11th.

 

On both iPads, under programs, variables, both ipads automatically keep track of the value for the state variable "stef is home" and "stef is away".

 

On both iPads, push is enabled and location is enabled in mobilinc.

 

On both iPads, Mobilinc HD is in the notification center, the alert style is "alerts"

 

So, notifications work, but only on one of my two iPads. On my iPad mini I have cellular data, so it is the one I bring with me when I leave home, and I would need it to show push notifications...

 

I hope this helps...I would really like this to work!