"Coming Home" Automation Sequence

ph0n33z

Active Member
Alright,

The House is coming along! We are currently in the final stages of rough electrical, so things are moving quickly. The Low Voltage wiring is going to start this week, so things are coming down to the wire.

Here is something that I would like to achieve, but can not think of any alternative to using RFID to accomplish it. I would like to have a "coming home" automation sequence for both of our cars. This would do the following:

1) Detect the Car
2) Open the Automatic Entry Gate
3) Dim on the Driveway lights
4) Disarm the Security System
5) Open the Corresponding Garage Door (depending on which car it is)
6) Unlock the Garage Door (going into the house)
7) Turn on a lighted pathway to the Kitchen/Family Room
8) Play Music over the Speakers (A soothing "Welcome Home" tune)

PHEW!
As you can see, it is not TERRIBLY complicated, just a little difficult to figure out the setup. All I can think of is having an RFID sensor to detect the RFID tag in the car. This would then hookup to the ELK and start the sequence.

Is there any other way I could go about doing this? AFAIK, there is no support for RFID with the ELK so I am not even sure I could do it using RFID!

Thanks guys!
 
You need a RFID with 26 bit Weigand output to interface to the ELK. I saw one at the ISC Show. Have to research the name.


You forgot one step, it has to figure out if you are coming or going so not to disarm the alarm and open the door when you leave. :D
 
The sequence is not the challenge. The challenge is how to determine which car is arriving or is leaving.

Any technology (RFID*, Caddx wireless or X10 wireless, to name a few) will be difficult to automate in a secure way. Its much easier to trigger it manually, even with a hidden button next to the pedals. In this way it will look like magic to your passengers and people that see you driving by. There are some tricks using X10 wireless motion sensors, but I would not trust the security of my house to it.

*Passive RFID is out of question. Active RFID has much more range, but I dont know if it has enough range as needed to have the garage door open before your arrive to the garage without having to wait for it.
 
Spanky said:
You need a RFID with 26 bit Weigand output to interface to the ELK. I saw one at the ISC Show. Have to research the name.


You forgot one step, it has to figure out if you are coming or going so not to disarm the alarm and open the door when you leave. :D
What about this?
 
2) Open the Automatic Entry Gate
What system is already in place?
4) Disarm the Security System
6) Unlock the Garage Door (going into the house?)
I have read many posts concerning bio-locks (fingerprints), and the like.....
but I could never allow my HA system to do this because my "car" approached the house...While there may be some products on the market that claim to be "fool-proof".. I wouldn't trust them (at this time)... RFID appears to have the most security "built-in" for such an application but...

I know that I am going against a lot of folks here that will attest to the viability of RFID tech and its security... but to disarm your security system AND openthe House door!.... Im not convinced yet... Though I have become a skeptic over the past years...

It really goes back to what automatic gate you already have in place...
You can then work many different technologies to fit your needs...

but to have it open your gate, Disarm your security system, and then Open the door to your house!!... I'd have to say Don't do it! Feel free to disagree... Im just not that trusting of tech yet.

On the other hand... steps 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8 are a nice addition to any house and relatively easy to do.

So to sum up my long rant.. what auto gate do you already have in place? How far from the house is it? What other HA system is already in place? etc....

Treetop

Edit... you replied as I was babbling here.... :D
 
elcano said:
The sequence is not the challenge. The challenge is how to determine which car is arriving or is leaving.

Any technology (RFID*, Caddx wireless or X10 wireless, to name a few) will be difficult to automate in a secure way. Its much easier to trigger it manually, even with a hidden button next to the pedals. In this way it will look like magic to your passengers and people that see you driving by. There are some tricks using X10 wireless motion sensors, but I would not trust the security of my house to it.

*Passive RFID is out of question. Active RFID has much more range, but I dont know if it has enough range as needed to have the garage door open before your arrive to the garage without having to wait for it.
What kind of "switch" would this be, and how would it work?
 
With respect to COMING or GOING and opening the gate, I can think of a couple of options.

1) If you have two vehicle sensors you can tell whether your coming or going (which one trips first then second).

2) With my GeoVision DVR system on my driveway cam, I can set up a "Counter Aplication" that senses the direction of motion up and down the driveway based upon user defined boxes that can be layed out on the screen. Motion must go from box 1 to box 2 or vice versa. It is very dependable mainly because you can adjust for car size (so small movements won't cause it to false out).

Tieing these inputs with some logic statements could help get you on your way.
 
A combination of HomeSeer, RFID and the ELK plugin could easily do this today. The RFID can easily detect coming and going.
 
Well, the problem is that I do not intend on using HS. =( Would hate to have to buy it for just RFID.

So that is my dilemma.
 
rcharris said:
So, you mean that all I have to do gain access to your home, complete with "welcome" song, is steal your car?
ROFL!!!

Man, you made me laugh hehe.

Sure, if you can manage to find out where I live, steal my car, find my house, and find a time where we are actually not home.........
be my guest!
 
FrankMc said:
Hi Guys

Im hoping to use one of these devices to run some macros when leaving and returning home ,but as someone else mentioned it wont be disarming my alarm system or opening any doors....

http://nwe.net.au/ha/VA.html

HTH
Frank
That looks like the PERFECT solution bro! Thankyou so much..........

I just need to figure out how to place it so it can pickup a car at the street........
 
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