ZigBee Arrival Sensor For Car

dproffer · February 8, 2022, 3:44pm

This firmware for DIY end devices or routers is exceptional, I highly recommend. I’ve only used it with CC253x devices, but I understand he supports the CC2652 family as well. There are not as many development board options for the CC2652 device as for the CC253x devices. I’ve had good success with CC253x both on battery and mains powered, and they are very low cost and available today. Do get a couple and CC debugger all for well under USD 50 and experiment with what kind of I/O and sensors you can bring into your zigbee Home Automation environment.

I’ve only used this firmware with devices attached to my zigbee2mqtt setup. This firmware is very well supported by the zigbee2mqtt folks. I have yet to see if the integration is as good with the firmware attached to a ZHA or Hue zigbee setup.

IMHO, for end devices and routers, I did not think the CC253x is going to be obsolete for a very long time, they just work and are solid. The basic CPU in them is going on 30 years already and shows no sign of not being used in many IOT and IIOT applications. For coordinators, I agree the CC253x is at end of life, just too underpowered.

Zigbee Configurable Firmware v2.5
https://ptvo.info/

iharyadi · February 8, 2022, 5:19pm

@Hedda, I am sure newer TI mcu is superior compared to the aging CC2530+CC2952. This is obvious.

Specific to this arrival sensor, It is an end device. @dproffer make a really good point that as end device, cc2530 is still very capable. Developing an end device is different from developing a Zigbee coordinator or a router. For this project, I am leaning to stick with CC2530 at start. It check all the box for this project at this moment. I will always have my eye on CC2652 for the future of this project or my other projects.

In regard to the firmware, I have no doubt that PTVO is a good firmware. However, my goal is to have more refine firmware specific for an arrival sensor. One of the many examples why I would like to have my own firmware is that I am using dual power supply (battery and DC). I would like to advantage that I can be more aggressive when the sensor is powered with DC. This is hard to do with a general purpose firmware. Just FYI, There are many things that I am able to optimize with specific firmware.

dproffer · February 8, 2022, 5:25pm

Maybe you shared this is your post and I missed it, I apologize if so. What toolchain do you use to develop your CC253x apps? I though the TI supplied tools were rather pricey.

iharyadi · February 8, 2022, 5:51pm

Yes, they are costly.

dproffer · February 8, 2022, 6:08pm

Taking nothing away from your very nice solution. Why I find the PTVO firmware so amazing is that literally in an hour and for 20 dollars you can have a GPIO, analog, PWM or I2C device on your zigbee2mqtt network controlling something and/or receiving data.

Like you, the author of PTVO firmware is very good CC253x software developer.

Thanks for sharing your project, I hope it gets folks doing more zigbee hacking with Home Assistant and zigbee2mqtt. These are useful tools to have in your home automation quiver. It is very nice to be ‘all local’ if at all possible.

iharyadi · March 14, 2022, 7:54pm

I just received V2.0 boards. I am quite happy with the result. They are assembled by a contract manufactures. The build should be much better that what I can do with my home equipment.

Here are some pictures of the batch with a few boxes options.

Here is 3D printed box. I use it for my sensor that I fit a microwave radar. If you are new to the thread, the arrival sensor has optional microwave radar support to help detect human near the car. I use it to help secure my car that is parked on my driveway.

The modules can also be fit into off the shelve aluminum box. The microwave radar does not work inside an aluminum box.

iharyadi · March 18, 2022, 3:57pm

I have shipped all requested Arrival Sensor. If you need a tracking numbers please let me know on a PM. For US members, I would expect to have the sensor delivered this coming week.

I do not have any sensor from the previous batch. However, I have started the process to have a new batch made. I should have availability in 4 weeks approximately. I will update everyone here with the progress.

avd706 · March 19, 2022, 10:15pm

Looks beautiful.

Can’t find where to order or how it works.

Coolie1101 · March 20, 2022, 1:31am

Awesome project, doing something similar, but with phone presence detection.

FWIW, IMHO, The only thing I would change with yours is, instead of having Alexa reply with “Garage door is closed” when you make the request, the response should be something like “Sure thing”, “Will Do”, “etc…”, then using a energy monitoring plug (for garage door opener), once the state changes to a certain level (amps/watts used increases), Alexa should announce “Garage door is closing”, and then once the door is actually closed (door sensor status)+plug (amps/watts used decreases), only then Alexa should announce “Garage door is closed”, hope that makes sense, and even better if they will enable follow-up mode in the mobile app.

iharyadi · March 20, 2022, 3:29pm

Hey Thanks. I am in the process of getting them manufactured. I have not set any store up to sell them.

Once I have them physically, I will let everyone know here.

iharyadi · March 20, 2022, 3:38pm

That would be cool. I would need to sharpen my Alexa skills. Right now, Alexa is using a standard lock/unlock prompt from their garage door delivery service.

I have already done so for my alexa at home. My garage door has already have announcement for opening, opened, closing and etc. I just do not want to send it to the car. I would have to find out how to send those tts to the alexa device that request to close the garage door.

dbrunt · March 31, 2022, 4:54pm

I am interested in obtaining one. Please keep me posted.

dbrunt · March 31, 2022, 5:13pm

That’s easy!

I templated my sensor.last_alexa this way:
sensor:

  - name: Last Alexa
    unique_id: last_alexa
    state: "{{ states.media_player|selectattr('attributes.last_called','eq',true)|map(attribute='entity_id')|join }}"

iharyadi · March 31, 2022, 7:34pm

@dbrunt, Thanks for the tip with Alexa.

I have put in an order to a contract Manufacturer to build a small batch. They are in the process of collecting all the component. It will be really fast for them to assemble it once they have all the components. I will be able to provide ETA once they have the sensor built. I will definitely update everyone here.

cowboysdude · March 31, 2022, 9:39pm

I can’t use anything like this but it’s still amazing!!! Great job!!!

mihan · April 6, 2022, 7:53am

I am also interested in the sensor.

iharyadi · April 6, 2022, 6:15pm

@mihan, I will update you and everyone here when I have them available. The last email from the manufacture is they are still collecting components to build the sensor.

mebaddog2002 · April 9, 2022, 12:17pm

Looking good. I’ve been looking for a replacement for the ST arrival sensor for some time with no luck. You said they are battery powered also but didn’t see it in any of the pics. What battery size are you using and how long will your device run on just battery power? I had a ST arrival sensor in my motorcycle also and it made it nice having the proper garage door open when I got home so I could ride straight in without having to get off to open the garage.

iharyadi · April 9, 2022, 2:47pm

@mebaddog2002,

Thanks for letting me know. The sensor use 1 cell rechargeable lipo battery with jst ph 2.0 connector. This is commonly known as rc toy battery. I look for capacity of 300 to 600 mhA. Below is an example,

Please watch the battery size if you are going to get a case with the sensor.

The battery should last 1 month at minimum.

Please do not operate it with a battery and charge the sensor once a month. The sensor is designed to take advantage the knowledge of state of power supply. It is not purely running on a battery like the ST sensor.

iharyadi · April 20, 2022, 4:44pm

I just want to update everyone that I am expecting the a batch of the Arrival Sensor. All components needed to make the sensor has been allocated. It is being assembled at the moment. I expect to received them in matter of weeks now versus months.

Meanwhile, here is another aspect of the Arrival Sensor that I am very excited about. I did start this project with the motivation to automate the garage door. As the time goes, I am also happy to have the additional sensor setup for my cars parked on my drive way. I started to integrate the motion and shock sensor event to my home lighting. The part where it can help securing my car in the driveway becomes very important.

My Youtube feed pop this to my attention. Here is a Canadian reporting on car theft. It is not as sexy as “Gone in 60 seconds”. But, it is quite eye opening. Many car is stolen under the watch of our camera. One of the comments that stick to me is that they find out the car is gone in the morning. It is a long video. I link it to the part that is interesting.

My sensor may not be able to prevent the theft. But, I hope that with the help of my house lighting I can set up something to scare the thieve. If the car is stolen any way, I am notified as soon as possible (not the morning after). I hope I am giving my car and myself a fighting chance.