Remote power switch via mobile?

petkow · 08-09-2009, 13:46

Thanks for that. The first one really is an interesting device. Pity there isn't a PSTN line where I want to set this up, but I suppose the gateway is a viable addition.

Its a little bit pricier than the ueber-crude option that I was initially planning which was to have some sort of an LDR or light sensor which is placed in front of the mobile phone screen. The backlight could then trigger my circuit when the phone was called for example. But there are just way too many things which could go wrong, such as other calls (wrong numbers) as well as other ordinary mobile functions which trigger the light such as low battery etc. However I have just discovered that some electronics hobby shops actually sell something based on this crude principle.

There just must be some better dedicated "box of tricks" based on gsm (and not pstn) technology available somewhere?

RTuesday · 08-09-2009, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by petkow

There just must be some better dedicated "box of tricks" based on gsm (and not pstn) technology available somewhere?

I'd be interested to hear if you do find anything. I'm thinking about something similar to switch on air conditioning or heating (depending on the season) when say an hour or so away from the house when I'm returning from a trip. I don't have a landline.

I like your idea of sensing something happening on the phone, no wires. How about some sort of fairly standard controller based on dtmf (touch tones), X!0 or some other home automation thing (or just a relay). That could listen to the phone for a ring.

On the phone, set a different ring tone depending on who is calling in (lots of phones can do that), and if it's the call/text from you it'll be the right ring tone (a series of dtmf tones) and trigger the right action. If it's a wrong number it'll be a different ring and be ignored.

	(#1)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	08-09-2009, 13:46 Thanks for that. The first one really is an interesting device. Pity there isn't a PSTN line where I want to set this up, but I suppose the gateway is a viable addition. Its a little bit pricier than the ueber-crude option that I was initially planning which was to have some sort of an LDR or light sensor which is placed in front of the mobile phone screen. The backlight could then trigger my circuit when the phone was called for example. But there are just way too many things which could go wrong, such as other calls (wrong numbers) as well as other ordinary mobile functions which trigger the light such as low battery etc. However I have just discovered that some electronics hobby shops actually sell something based on this crude principle. There just must be some better dedicated "box of tricks" based on gsm (and not pstn) technology available somewhere?