This device, would be used for
* "find me" devices that ring or notify their location, when accessed,
* open or better yet lock door and gate, and notify if locked. Good for garage, car, home etc.
* control machines of any sort, including bicycle rental, vending machines, remote controlled vehicles, and any mechanical or computerized device you can think of.-- pashute, Jan 08 2014 Arduino GSM Shield http://arduino.cc/e...in/ArduinoGSMShieldConnect it to your Arduino microcontroller and plug in a SIM card, and you can control your Arduino via telephone or SMS. And the Arduino can control pretty much anything, so there you go. [ytk, Jan 08 2014] Baked http://www.rfsoluti...Remote_Control.html [Spacecoyote, Mar 19 2014] So, when someone dials a wrong number, your house gets unlocked, but neither you nor the someone knows about it?-- Vernon, Jan 08 2014 Umm… This exists. [marked-for-deletion]-- ytk, Jan 08 2014 Wow!!! Thanks for the link.
But I'm talking about a tiny PRODUCT that's inside OEM products, sold by cellular companies. No SIM but rather controlled through a unique ID. So please unMFD it. Note: [business: cell phone network]
And Vernon, that's not a problem. The signal is secured, and to access the device you may need to go through a password system. The actual access is not done through the regular telephone system (hence: no SIM) and even if it would be, there still are many other ways to secure the access, with various levels of permission.-- pashute, Jan 08 2014 Plenty of IP-aware devices like door and heating controls out there already. Many even have wifi.
Linking telephony to a pc is very, very baked.
Using a pc to control multiple devices over IP via hardwire LAN, 802.11, Bluetooth, CANbus, RS232, RS422, CAMAC, even IEEE488 (remember that ?) is WKTE.
Suggested-for-deletion, no innovation here.-- 8th of 7, Jan 08 2014 //But I'm talking about a tiny PRODUCT that's inside OEM products, sold by cellular companies. No SIM but rather controlled through a unique ID.//
How do you think they get the chip that goes on that board? It's a tiny product inside an OEM product. And you can't really connect to a cell network without a SIM anymore. Cell companies don't generally manufacture the equipment, you see —they just authorize the equipment to use the network. The SIM is what controls that authorization. Talking about a cellular device without a SIM is like talking about a car without a license plate. Incidentally, you can get SIMs that have no phone number attached, and are only usable for data. These are commonly found in tablet devices that have GSM connectivity.
The reason you don't see a lot of random devices connected to the cell network is not because nobody has thought to do it before, or because it's technically infeasible. There just aren't that many applications for such technology.
In terms of the applications you describe: “find me” devices already exist. My phone does just that, and there are other products that you can attach tags to that work over Bluetooth and other protocols to provide similar functionality. But connecting a random device to the cell network just for the purpose of being able to find it if it's lost is generally cost and power prohibitive.
As for opening and locking gates—there are already plenty such devices. In fact, I saw a remotely controllable garage door opener for sale at the Apple store not too long ago. My thermostat is controllable from a phone over the Internet. But the vast majority of home automation devices that are remotely controllable use a wi-fi connection to the Internet, which has the advantage of not requiring hefty subscription fees. Since these devices are deployed in a single location where wi-fi is generally available, it's a much more logical choice. But there's no reason you *couldn't* design such devices to use GSM. It's just that nobody wants such a thing. The few people who do could probably hack something together pretty easily with a personal hotspot device.
The remote machine control is a good idea, but the problem is this is already very, very common. Everything from vending machines to rental cars to parking meters can be equipped with a GSM module, either to remotely control and monitor the device, or just to process credit card payments.
There's really nothing new to this idea at all, I'm afraid. The MFD will have to stand.-- ytk, Jan 08 2014 Yeah but he's talking about a tiny PRODUCT that's inside OEM products!-- tatterdemalion, Jan 08 2014 Ah - wait! Did he say _tiny_??-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 08 2014 // * control machines of any sort, including bicycle rental, vending machines ... //
...car bombs, IEDs...by all means, we should make remote detonation of homemade explosives easier.-- Alterother, Jan 12 2014 I can say with 100% certainty that the type of person who is inclined to remotely detonate a homemade explosive will not be deterred in the least by difficulty in finding a means to do so. For a lot of reasons, not the least of which is THIS IDEA ALREADY EXISTS.
Besides, I figured you of all people here would be above playing the “what if the terrorists get ahold of this” card. [Alterother], I am disappoint.-- ytk, Jan 12 2014 I admit it wasn't my best work.-- Alterother, Jan 13 2014 No. It does NOT exist.
This idea is NOT about a WIFI controlled device.
This idea is NOT about a Bluetooth controlled device.
This idea is NOT about a PC controlled device.
The idea is that it is controlled DIRECTLY by the cellular network complying with the ITU directives.
And I am talking about developing a device at the cellular device hardware manufacturing level. Nokia or Samsung. So that this device IS the SIM (with an extension) or in other words, the SIM will be "embedded" inside this device.
My emphasis on Tiny and OEM was in answer to the Arduino controller which needs 5 volts, is large and only works in conjunction with Arduino.
And about terrorists and terrorism, I don't think it will have any "impact". Technology is not the issue, not for the terrorists, and not for getting rid of terrorism.-- pashute, Mar 18 2014 What's the point of "embedding" the SIM? You're not gonna make the device any smaller or cheaper that way, you just end up with a more expensive, less reusable device. If there were any point in doing that, they'd be making them that way already.-- Spacecoyote, Mar 19 2014 My first thought was something to do with Thomas the tank engine.-- not_morrison_rm, Mar 19 2014 No need for remote, no need for magnetic card. It works from your phone, or from ANY phone.
The SIM is good for phones. This is an "enabling device" which looks like a SIM and is connected to another "accepting" device like a lock, or a beeper, or a hot water faucet. After being registered (online) it is activated and ready to do its job.
There are many uses for this type of device, from a parking-card to a hotel room lock. All with no need for a key or for a remote control any more. All through you phone.
Before you ask me how it will work as a key if ANY phone can access it, think of the possibilities, I'm sure you'll come up with at least 10 ways to protect it. Oh, and secure communication of course is built-in and part of the device.-- pashute, Mar 19 2014 random, halfbakery