Geofencing mobile and hardware devices

[simplextech]

I figured this would be a good place to post this and ask the question to the community.

Currently one of the offerings of Simplex Technology is a GPS service called Simplex Locate.  This is a full telematics system capable of doing among the basic things geofencing and notifications to HTTP end points.  There is support for different mobile clients and over 1500 hardware devices.  We have integrated this with HomeSeer and Hubitat Elevation and are looking to do the same with ISY systems.  This is not a "free" service as we do not collect, store, SELL any of your data.  

So the question:

Is this of interest to ISY users?

[apostolakisl]

I don't personally need to track anything, but others do.  If you support http end points, there really wouldn't be anything you would need to do to make it work with ISY.  Anyone can set a port forward and have an http command directly go to their ISY, or, us the universal devices portal and avoid security considerations.  This could be used to set a variable for example.  You could even have it send coordinates.  If you wanted to get a little fancier, I'm sure one of the people on this forum who know how to create ISY nodes could create a custom node for your device.  I don't know what sort of development budget you have, but it wouldn't be a very big project.

[simplextech]

I was reviewing the ISY Portal documentation and a very basic integration is quickly/easily done via the IFTTT/Webhooks connectivity.  The data that can be sent is based on the tracker in use (mobile vs hardware) and the data available whether it be vehicle or something else (planes, tractors, pets, etc).  

I've been thinking of Polyglot for integration to provide nodes for possible sensor data (ignition, fuel, RPM, idle, etc).  The question is around potential interest for ISY and geofencing for automation.  If there's interest I can put forth development time/effort.

Simplex Locate does not "define" your update intervals and leaves that up to you based upon your own data consumption choices.  If you want 5 second updates you can and there's no additional cost.  The full system is available at a flat monthly cost.  We are the only provider currently that offers full telematics features at a low cost specifically for Home/Business Automation.

[Michel Kohanim]

@simplextech,

Sounds quite interesting. Quick questions: is this a hardware solution or software? Where does it run? What does it offer that Locative doesn't? 

With kind regards,
Michel

[simplextech]

20 minutes ago, Michel Kohanim said:

@simplextech,

Sounds quite interesting. Quick questions: is this a hardware solution or software? Where does it run? What does it offer that Locative doesn't? 

With kind regards,
Michel

Simplex Locate is a "service".  We have support for several mobile clients and could probably add "Locative" however to my knowledge Locative is no longer being developed/supported?  We did recently add BTraced and there are other existing mobile clients.  

This was a project that originated from my personal experience with mobile/phone based Geolocation and how unreliable it is and slow.  Having a very large geofence to compensate for the update interval of the "Phone app" to me was not acceptable.  However for many a 1 minute update or slower is perfectly fine for their needs.  

Simplex Locate is different in that it supports the phone apps, but also supports almost any hardware device.  With hardware devices you can do updates to the system as quickly as the hardware supports example 1,5,10,15 seconds or higher or based on distance or angle or the options/configurations that your hardware device supports.  Having the very fast updates enables actual real time geofencing which is critical for security purposes of not opening a door/gate etc.

Simplex Locate is different than other GPS Tracking systems in a few key ways:

• You choose your hardware.  We do not force any hardware onto users
• You provide your own SIM/Data.  You control your own data so you can choose your update times based upon device data consumption
• Flat monthly service fee (IOT Base is all features of the system.  IOT-Google adds google maps/streetview to the web interface)
  • There's additional costing for Google Maps because Google charges us for the API access
• HTTP End point support
  • Utilize a GET/POST to send notifications to whatever system can accept a HTTP POST/GET
  • Other systems that provide this start at $20/month and require the use of their hardware and only provide 1 minute updates.
• Full sensor access
  • If your hardware can read the sensor/data you can present that to your automation system
• Full API/SDK access
  • Nobody else provides this

We are small and growing but looking to see if there's interest.  As I now have an ISY system I will be doing the integration for myself and if others are interested that is great.

Forums:

https://forums.simplextech.net/

[EDIT]: Forget to answer the location question:  The system runs in 3 major data centers across the globe with the closest being in Washington D.C.  Currently system wide over 1.7 Million units are being tracked world wide.  We just a tiny speck in the overall system.

[rccoleman]

The Locative iOS app with its built-in geofence + notification through the ISY portal has been working so well for me that I don't even think about it anymore.  It just works, even though the app is no longer supported.  It sounds like the main differences for your solution are:

• You can use some other hardware that may provide more accurate geofencing or quicker reporting.  The effectiveness of phone geofencing is somewhat related to the quality of the app (it'll fail if it crashes in the background), so I suppose that I can see the value in using different hardware if you can't get what you need from the phone in your pocket.
• You host servers that serve as an intermediary/translator between the GPS/sensor device and the HA system (such as the ISY).  From the perspective of the ISY portal, which already supports direct URL calls to change states, I don't really understand the value that offers beyond just having the device talk directly to the endpoint (ISY/ISY portal).  Locative allows the user to specify a URL to call when crossing the boundary, and it sounds like you assume that any compatible device has a similar capability?

[simplextech]

2 hours ago, rccoleman said:

The Locative iOS app with its built-in geofence + notification through the ISY portal has been working so well for me that I don't even think about it anymore.  It just works, even though the app is no longer supported.  It sounds like the main differences for your solution are:

• You can use some other hardware that may provide more accurate geofencing or quicker reporting.  The effectiveness of phone geofencing is somewhat related to the quality of the app (it'll fail if it crashes in the background), so I suppose that I can see the value in using different hardware if you can't get what you need from the phone in your pocket.
• You host servers that serve as an intermediary/translator between the GPS/sensor device and the HA system (such as the ISY).  From the perspective of the ISY portal, which already supports direct URL calls to change states, I don't really understand the value that offers beyond just having the device talk directly to the endpoint (ISY/ISY portal).  Locative allows the user to specify a URL to call when crossing the boundary, and it sounds like you assume that any compatible device has a similar capability?

Effectiveness of phone based geofencing is the quality of the app, the OS (Android/iOS) and internal GPS chip quality which I've found the quality can differ between phones of the same make/model even.  The value of a hardware solution is that is works and a new Android/iOS update does not break it.  If a phone works for you that is great which is also why we support several mobile apps.

I don't host a few servers.  I partner with Gurtam to bring the Wialon system to users.  This is a commercial system that fleet companies, other tracking companies, car services, delivery services, etc use.  I instead of licensing and re-branding and marketing to trucking companies or companies with fleets of vehicles I'm trying (possibly failing) to bring a full blown telematics system into the Smart Home.

For the basic geofencing purpose and you have an app that can send to a direct URL to flip a virtual switch on/off for home/away or whatever value/geofence you configure then I can provide you with nothing better. 

For vehicle telematics I can send you the vehicle diagnostic information from sensors that you can then setup automations for.  Examples would be sending a pushover when the fuel level is below a certain percentage, or setting a reminder to get gas tomorrow and having that message automated in your morning routine.  Measuring the vehicle battery and alerting when/if it's low so you don't wake up to a dead battery, alerting or sending messages about trouble codes which include the actual code so you don't have to go to a shop to have them pull the code (if you don't have an OBDII reader already...a lot of us do).  Internal to the system you can get in browser alerts (used by dispatchers)  or e-mail

Simplex Locate has many more functions/capabilities than simple geofencing which was why I asked if people are of interest before putting time into developing something for ISY.

Here's a sample of basic information:

[Michel Kohanim]

@simplextech,

Thanks so very much for the explanation. Two questions:

1. By hardware, what do you mean? Where does the hardware go? How much is it? 
2. Do you have anything for Tesla? Such as state of charge, when to charge, nearest charging station, etc.?

With kind regards,
Michel

[simplextech]

29 minutes ago, Michel Kohanim said:

@simplextech,

Thanks so very much for the explanation. Two questions:

1. By hardware, what do you mean? Where does the hardware go? How much is it? 
2. Do you have anything for Tesla? Such as state of charge, when to charge, nearest charging station, etc.?

With kind regards,
Michel

Hardware choices vary from direct hardwired devices to simple OBDII plugin modules.  We do not (normally) sell hardware direct as we can't support every single device combination that is possible.  We do have recommendations for hardware devices and vendors we partner with.

Tesla integration has been of interest.  They do not have a standard OBDII connection for vehicle diagnostic information but they do have their own Wifi connected system which does have an API.  There are some opensource integrations floating around in the wild and there is a plugin that someone created for HomeSeer.  I have reached out to Tesla to try and work with them, but we are not Apple/Google/Amazon so they have not responded.

[simplextech]

@Michel Kohanim as for the inquiry about Tesla.  I would like to get more information around your requirements and I'll send that to integration's to find out what is or is not possible today and whether or not there's been any further communications with Tesla.

[Michel Kohanim]

@simplextech,

Thank you for asking. We currently don't have any requirements except for energy saving/management/charging vs. discharging. A few folks started working on Tesla Cockpit integration but I am not sure where that is at the moment either.

With kind regards,
Michel

[simplextech]

31 minutes ago, Michel Kohanim said:

energy saving/management/charging vs. discharging

I'll send those over the the hardware group to find out if there's currently a known method of pulling this or not.

[Bekowies]

Speaking of Locative, is anyone else having problems?  It appears to have stopped responding on Feb 4th or 5th.   It doesn't even respond to the Send Test-Request.

[rccoleman]

Looks like it worked for me last night and this morning.  Are you going through the portal?  Maybe try the URL in a browser.

[Bekowies]

I get this message when I use it in a browser...

Cannot GET /api/ifttt/Away/key/adc3ee56-421c-44c1-9350-0e16a719e4ec

[MWareman]

I get this message when I use it in a browser...
Cannot GET /api/ifttt/Away/key/{secret-bit-removed}

Looks like you’ve got to reset that key. You need to keep that random looking bit secret - otherwise anyone will be able to trigger your devices!

[Bekowies]

Yes, I already changed it, thanks.   Any ideas on Locative not working??

[slimypizza]

On ‎2‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 6:47 PM, Bekowies said:

Speaking of Locative, is anyone else having problems?  It appears to have stopped responding on Feb 4th or 5th.   It doesn't even respond to the Send Test-Request.

Still working for me.