Geolocation

Community Playground General Discussions
1

Vera added geolocation/geofencing. I am not sure why this can only be configured on the mobile device but in any case this is some good new functionality. With this addition I can trigger a scene. However, I need to be able to query the location of a certain mobile device. Is this possible and if so how?

Here is an example. When a camera detects motion I do not want to have a text message sent if I am home. However, I want a text message be sent when I am not home. In both cases the vera can be in Home Mode so I cannot use that as a criteria. Instead, I need to be able to query the location of my phone to make that decision.

2

Geolocation functions by determining the location of a mobile device by set device. If it goes outside the set boundaries (radius) of your Home geofence, Vera UI7 will switch to Away mode. When the mobile device returns inside the set boundaries (radius) of your home geofence, Vera switches to home mode. The mobile device you use should be an iOS or Android device and have a built-in GPS which is accessible for the app. Also the app needs to be running (eg in the background) with you logged in.

At this time Vera UI7 appears to be only able to handle one mobile device, not multiple.

You cannot query the exact GPS location of the mobile device from Vera as the mobile device itself (actually the Vera app on it) determines if it enters or exits the Geofence and lets the Vera device know. That is why you set the geofence on the mobile device and not on Vera.

So actually Vera does not know if you are home or away but it knows if you phone is. If you leave but your phone stays home, Vera assumes you are still home. As long as you switch off notifications for Home mode, you won’t get a text message if motion is detected. Now if you have them switched on for Away mode, you will get a text if there is motion while you (and your phone) are away.

This does work. I’ve used it for about a month now on my QA Vera 3 with Ui7. I leave home and I get a push notification ‘Vera: Exit’. I return home (or better my phone does) and I receive a push notification ‘Vera: enter’. I don’t have a text plan so I prefer getting push notifications.

3

[quote=“maja, post:1, topic:185848”]Vera added geolocation/geofencing. I am not sure why this can only be configured on the mobile device but in any case this is some good new functionality. With this addition I can trigger a scene. However, I need to be able to query the location of a certain mobile device. Is this possible and if so how?

Here is an example. When a camera detects motion I do not want to have a text message sent if I am home. However, I want a text message be sent when I am not home. In both cases the vera can be in Home Mode so I cannot use that as a criteria. Instead, I need to be able to query the location of my phone to make that decision.[/quote]

Ui7 built in Geofencing has alot of issues, and all this can be done with geofence apps that have been out for sometime. I’m using vera proximity. You can also use a ping sensor to ping the IP of your phone if you are home or not. you have lots of options besides the crappy stock geofence.