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Geofence Triggering Question


Kentinada

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Posted

I have a Geofence defined within UD mobile.  I have 2 devices: my iPhone (Kent) and my wife's iPhone (Nancy).  I did a backup of my UD Mobile and imported it into her iPhone UD Mobile app so the geofence definition is the same. My iPhone (15 Pro Max) tracks very well to entering and exiting the geofence.  My wife's iPhone 13 not so much.   I've attached a screenshot from this morning.  We left our house around 7:50a. My phone triggered a notification at 7:56 while my wife's not until 7:59.  I can live with that. 

On the return home, my phone triggered at 9:40 but my wife's not till we pulled in the driveway at 9:45.  Not ideal but somewhat tolerable.    My wife went back out shortly thereafter and it triggered an alert at 10:08 that she had left the geofence.  She returned home about 20 minutes and it never executed the ENTER geofence commands.  This is not the first time it has failed to enter these for her phone.  Location Services for both phones is set to ALWAYS track. 

Any ideas on improving this? Thanks. 

IMG_3520.thumb.PNG.9fc6a2a9c86235f7766c944e012bfeef.PNG

Posted

With regards to a few minutes delay, Apple states it is normal for updates to be delayed for about 2 minutes as the phone's battery would be depleted very quickly if it were constantly requesting updates.  Battery level, and Low Power Mode may add to this time.

With regards to a totally missed fence crossing, we have a few reports of issues with some iOS devices which may be related. iOS appears to pauses network activity before UDM can send a command.  While I have seen users report this issue, none have provided logs which are needed to open an issue with Apple.

View geofence logs go to Settings Tab > Geofencing, then press the document icon at the top of the screen, errors may be obvious, such as no network, invalid credentials, etc. 

To capture log files from the device having issues create a UDM Backup file (Settings-Tab > Backup) soon after the missed fences, or when showing the network-pause/paused-ended.  Send me  Private message with a copy of the UDM backup file for the device having issues, alternatively open a ticket and attach a Zipped copy of the UDM Backup file.

Posted

@kentinada To overcome this delay, I have set my radius fairly wide. This gives the phone a chance to "catch up". However note that I also have driveway sensors so nothing gets triggered directly unless the driveway sensors trigger within 5 minutes of the geofence registering a trigger. 

Other non time important items such as turning on the fireplace in the morning, dont need the driveway trigger, just the geofence to say one of us is home and to come on. 

I just switched from Alexa geofence to UDMobile and so far have had zero issues. 

Hopefully your issue is something in the phone.. have you also tried to reset network services on the phone? 

Posted

@kentinada I have two sets of beams that go across my driveway, one at top, one part way down. They trigger an insteon module so that I can tell if someone is coming or leaving. 

If arriving, after dark, then the lights brighten at hte porch / door, spots go on, etc. and an optional Alert across the sound system of Driveway Alert.  Other lights depending on current status, like the shower if on, will blink to notify someone in there who wont hear the alert that there is someone entering. etc. 

They absolutely have worked great.  I have the receivers at a pole barn, one on each end, and the transmitters spread at angles on the other side of a circle drive where I had power. 

https://www.amazon.com/Yohii-Security-Infrared-Detector-Alignment/dp/B07CSHT8RB/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=laser+beam+alarm+system&qid=1703100195&sr=8-6

Posted

I did try resetting the network settings on my wife's iPhone last night and the problem got worse.  It not only didn't report when she returned inside the geofence, it didn't report when she left either.  I'll try to capture the logs today when she goes out. 

Posted

Is there a way to clear the Geofence log?  I just looked at the log on my wife's iPhone and there are no errors.  But the last entry was at 10:08:17a yesterday.  We went out last night which my phone records but not hers. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Kentinada said:

Is there a way to clear the Geofence log?  I just looked at the log on my wife's iPhone and there are no errors.  But the last entry was at 10:08:17a yesterday.  We went out last night which my phone records but not hers. 

No, but the log will only keep a limited amount of entries, if I remember it is ~50.

1 hour ago, Kentinada said:

I did try resetting the network settings on my wife's iPhone last night and the problem got worse.  It not only didn't report when she returned inside the geofence, it didn't report when she left either.  I'll try to capture the logs today when she goes out. 

Very  possible the Location Permission is the issue or the fence is not enabled, when there are no logs.  Users who have the delayed entry/exit have logs which show a long pause or error.

iOS usually asks the user the user if they want UDM to have location access after the first time UDM gets a Geofence trigger and then a few days later.  This happens while UDM is not running, so it may be confusing.  If the user does not press "always allow"  then UDM will not receive location updates.

Posted

@Javiunfortunately neither of those is the case here.  I have triple checked that location services for UD Mobile are set to Always and the fence is enabled.  My wife just went out a few minutes ago.  I'll see what happens this morning and report back.  Thanks. 

Posted

So today, both the exit and enter events worked on the geofence for my wife's phone. What was different today over last night? The thing I did this morning was reboot her phone.  I guess the moderators can close this thread and I'll just keep watching this for a while.  Thanks for all the support here. 

  • Like 1
Posted
4 hours ago, Kentinada said:As a side comment, pretty impressive Home Automation Roadmap!!

As a side comment, pretty impressive Home Automation Roadmap!!

LOL.. I needed to do that to be able to explain to friends (and remember it myself) as things keep getting more and more complex. 

  • Like 1
Posted

@Javi I sent you via private message a copy of my wife's iPhone backup file.  Her phone continues to be sporadic in reporting her location to the geofence.  After I rebooted her phone the other day, it worked the first couple times and then quit.  Yesterday, I did a hard reboot of her phone. It worked the first couple times and then quit again.  Today I did a reset of her Location & Privacy services and re=enabled UD Mobile to Always for location services.  It will probably work once or twice and quit but we'll see.  

Posted

@Javi Hi Javi, just another data point.  My wife's iPhone 13 worked for the geofence twice in the morning yesterday both leaving and entering.  But then did not work again the rest of the day.  The data point is that it DID WORK with the Resideo thermostat geofence I have set up as well.  I'm hoping to eliminate that geofence and just have one but so far the UD geofence is not reliable enough. I looked in her geofence log file and saw normal commands for the morning events and then nothing there after.  

  • 1 month later...
Posted
On 12/20/2023 at 2:54 PM, Kentinada said:

@dbwarner5 pretty cool!  How they do connect to your Eisy since the sensors are not INSTEON?

sorry I missed this question. I have them hardwired to an insteon Open / Close Sensor. 

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