Implementation of ZigBee-GSM based

Home Security Monitoring and Remote Control system

Arbab Waheed Ahmad Naeem Jan Saeed Iqbal Chankil Lee

Research Assistant, Research Assistant, Research Assistant, Professor, Hanyang
Hanyang University, Hanyang University, UET, University,
Ansan, Korea. Ansan, Korea. Peshawar, Pakistan. Ansan, Korea
waheedarbab@gmaiLcom [email protected] zu [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract- Home security and control is one of the basic (application specific integrated circuit), DSP (digital signal
needs of mankind from early days. But today it has to be processor), and MCU (microcontroller unit). [I] describes the
updated with the rapidly changing technology to ensure architecture and simulation of a GSM based remote sensing
vast coverage, remote control, reliability, and real time and control system using FPGA. [2] explains home
operation. Deploying wireless technologies for security automation system using GSM, Internet and speech
and control in home automation systems offers attractive recognition. In this system the home gateway is internet
benefits along with user friendly interface. which require personal computer (PC). However, it's hard to
In this paper, implementation of a novel security and manage PC and keep it ON all the time. Also it consumes
control system for home automation is presented. The more power. The system presented in [3] is an internet-based
proposed system consists of a control console interfaced intelligent system for home power management aiming to
with different sensors using ZigBee. Suspected activities reduce energy consumption. This system also uses internet
are conveyed to remote user through SMS (Short Message cloud as a home gateway having the same limitations as
Service) or Call using GSM (Global System for Mobile described earlier. [4] describes a java equipped mobile based
communication) technology. Upon reply, the remote user home automation system. Although the research proposes an
can control his premises again through GSM-ZigBee embedded home server but still it requires internet
combination. Besides, traditional burglar alarm enhances connectivity for GPRS. Moreover, in all these systems wired
security in case of no acknowledgment from remote user. sensors are connected with processors those are not only hard
This system offers a low cost, low power consumption and to install and difficult to move once installed but also increase
user friendly way of a reliable portable monitoring and cost and labor. In [5] authors proposed a zigbee based home
control of the secured environment. Using the concept of network configuration. This system controls all home
serial communication and mobile phone AT-commands appliances through zigbee-infrared combination and zigbee
(Attention TelephonelTerminal commands), the software power adapter. Hyung-Bong Lee et al. in [6] proposed a
is programmed using C-Ianguage. The design has been wireless network protocol providing a bidirectional
implemented in the hardware using ZigBee EM357 communication channel between a gateway and control
module, Atmega128 MCU (microcontroller unit) and device, highlighting the significance of wireless sensors
Sony Ericsson T290i mobile phone set. network in controlling home appliances.
Index Terms: ZigBee, MCU (Microcontroller), GSM, The system presented in this paper is a combination of
Home Security and Automation. ZigBee and GSM. Zigbee offers wireless connectivity of the
sensors with control panel while GSM provides wide
I. INTRODUCTION
coverage as GSM association estimates 90% of the global
Security is considered a major issue when it comes to mobile market using GSM standard. The proposed system
home automation. Traditional techniques of alarm based provides reliable security, effortless installation and
security have gained much popularity in past decades. During portability. Sensors and actuators use wireless ZigBee
recent past, a number of systems were introduced for security communication for sending information to the control panel
measurements based on wired networks. In literature, which makes the system easy to install. Control panel, acting
researchers suggested a number of security systems based on as a home gateway, controls the operation of the system. In
new technologies like GSM (Global System for Mobile this work neither computer nor internet connection is
communication), GPRS (general packet radio service), required, once programmed, thus ensuring easy installation
internet, USN (ubiquitous sensors network) and implemented and portability.
through FPGA (field programmable gate arrays), ASICs

978-1-61284-857-0/11/$26.00 (92011 IEEE

 Rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section II gives
details of the proposed system. Section III explains operation
of the system. Section IV concludes the paper and gives ......-
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II. PROPOSED SYSTEM . a-.o .,· .. 1. .

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General block diagram of the proposed system is shown �j,
in Fig 1. It explains the whole story about the devices
a. b,
installed and their communication protocol in the system. The
project can be served into two parts: the hardware part and

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the software part. While the former is all about incorporating
MCV with sensors, ZigBee architecture, and mobile phone to
build a working circuit that supports portability without
compromising reliability, the latter is to make an ingenious ��
C-code for programming the MCV and ZigBee module to

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monitor and control secured environment.
A. Hardware I: \\
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c.
Hardware of the system is comprised of ZigBee EM357
module, Atmega128 MCV, Sony Ericsson T290i mobile
phone and corresponding interfaces. ZigBee, a
communication protocol, is designed to utilize the features
supported by IEEE 802.15.4 radio communication standard
and is implemented on the top of it. It operates in two
separate frequency ranges: 868/915 MHz and 2.4 GHz and
uses digital radios to allow devices to communicate. In
particular the scope of ZigBee is applications with low
e. f.
requirements for data transmission rates and devices with
Figure 2: Implementation (a) EM357 module. (b) ZED installation with door
constrained energy sources. The ZigBee network is a PAN contact sensor (c) ZED installation with PIR sensor (d) ZED installation with
(personal area network) network, comprises of one ZC door lock system (e) ZC and MCV (f) Sony Ericsson T290i GSM phone.
(ZigBee coordinator) and one or more ZEDs (ZigBee end
device) and optionally one or more ZRs (ZigBee routers). design sensors that are installed, to detect security breach, are

Fabio L. Zucatto et al. in [7] compares ZigBee with Bluetooth magnetic contact sensor for sensing door opening, vibration

and narrates the significance of ZigBee in building control sensor for detecting window breaking, and PIR (Passive

wireless sensor networks. ZigBee is a very reliable infra-red) sensor for detecting human presence. Each sensor

communication protocol using mesh networking topology for and actuator is connected with ZigBee sensor node as shown

the reliable transmission of data between sender and receiver in Fig 2b, 2c and 2d where EM357 ZED is connected with

[8]. The EM357 module can be installed with any sensor and door contact sensor, PIR sensor, and door lock system

home appliances as it is very small in size i.e. 21mm x 37mm, respectively. ZigBee node continuously checks input from

and a low power consuming device as shown in Fig 2a. In the corresponding sensor and sends a wireless message to the Zc.

Sensors
(door contact,
vibration, ¢:::::�>
smoke, ..... .
. ..•
movement) Sony Ericsson
T290i
Mobile phone
Microcontroller
Unit

TIL
Signals
GSM Module Level

...
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User Equipment
(Mobile + landline). Home Appliances
User, Police, (TV, AlC, Refrigerator, Serial cable

Fire Brigade light, Door lock etc ) Figure 3: Serial Communication and Level Conversion between T290i and
MCV
Figure I: Block Diagram
And in case of the actuator, ZigBee node checks input Table 2 AT-cornmands used·m project
wirelessly from the ZC and order actuator to perform Commands Descriptions
accordingly.
Fig. 2e shows control console which consists of ATD Call dialing
Atmega128 MCU and ZC EM357 module that are mounted
on same PCB in our design. ZC is interfaced with MCU using AT+CMGS SMS to specific number
built-in UART of MCU, thus giving information to MCU
about sensors status. Also ZC takes instructions from MCU AT+CMGD Delete unauthorized SMS
for actuators using the same interface. MCU is heart of the
system. On one hand it is interfaced with ZC while on the AT+CMGR Read authorized SMS
other hand it is communicating with the GSM module.
AT+CMEE To report mobile equipment error
Moreover, the external MCU may be merged with the ARM
processor inside EM357 node making the system more
compact. Mobile phone can be accessed through its ports a built-in Flash and EEPROM memories. The flash is used to
using corresponding serial cable as shown in Fig 2f. Fig 3 store code that is also progr ammed via the ISP header on the
depicts serial communication between MCU and Sony board. For the proposed system, the MCU on one hand deals
Ericsson T290i. To allow compatibility of data with the ZC to receive intrusion detection from the sensors
communication between MCU and mobile phone, an installed while on the other hand it deals with the GSM
interfacing standard RS-232 was employed. And for this module to send Short Message Service (SMS) or to call the
purpose MAX-232 level converter IC is used as shown in the owner. For that purpose searching through [9] and answer
Fig 3. Finally, the mobile phone T290i is wirelessly comes out to be the built-in UART for interfaces. Interfacing
connected with the user mobile phone through GSM network. standards used in this work are summarized in Table 1.
Controlling part of the proposed system consists of home Now that it is all set for the communication between mobile
appliances control and door lock control. Controlling relay is phone and the MCU, in order to control the mobile phone
used to control high voltage home appliances through socket. through its ports, we used AT Commands, provided by the
And to make it wireless from the control panel ZigBee sensor vendor companies. AT commands are used to access and
node is installed with the relay, controlling socket operation. control the built in modem of the mobile phone. Table 2
Specifically in our project ZigBee sensor nodes are installed shows AT-commands that are used in the proposed system.
with a light bulb and door lock system to control it, as shown
in Fig 2d. III. OPERATION
B. Software The system can be operated in two modes, SMS/Call
The ZigBee module EM357 is supported by insight mode and Alarm mode. Mode switch is responsible for mode
desktop a comprehensive integrated development selection. In SMS/Call mode, the user is reported about the
environment (IDE) and C-Ianguage compiler tool-chain. breach through SMS or by a call. If the user is at his
Ember insight desktop is designed for writing, compiling, premises and still wants to monitor certain place, he can set
loading and debugging software on to multiple nodes in a the system to Traditional Alarm mode and get informed
networked environment. Now to connect this chip with the through an Alarm system - primarily a buzzer sounding five
sensors and MCU, its built-in UART is deployed. times for each breach in the proposed system. Note that if
The sensor node EM357 uses a built-in 32-bit ARM there is any problem with the mobile phone, i.e. it responds
Cortex-M3 microprocessor to control all the interfaces and an "ERROR" the system will automatically switch to the
uses RF antenna at the end for communication purpose as Alarm mode to avoid malfunction and ensure reliability.
shown in the Fig 2a. The microprocessor is progr ammed via The system is designed to be user-friendly. Its installation
an ISP header on board to program flash memory of the chip. requires sensors installation and control console installation.
On the other hand Atmega128 is a general purpose MCU Sensors are installed at their respective places along with
with a rich set of built-in peripherals. The MCU also features ZEDs as shown in Fig 2. Whenever there is an intrusion,
respective sensor sends a signal to the ZC using ZigBee
Table I: Interfacing Standards communication protocol. The ZC at the control console
Devices Interface communicates with MCU using its built-in UART. MCU
Sensors-ZED EM357UART would in tum access and control the GSM module T290i via
AT commands and automatically sends SMS to the owner's
Actuators-ZED EM357UART
mobile phone informing him about the security breach.
ZigBee RF If the system is set in SMS/Call mode, it is obvious that
ZED-ZC
Communication the user wants remote monitoring. Now if he is notified about
ZC-MCU UART the security breach, he may or may not want the system to
respond. The system monitors his response as shown in flow
MCU-T290i RS232
chart. In case there is a reply SMS from the user, the GSM
T290i-User mobile phone GSM Communication
module communicates with MCU in the same manner, but in
 is the heart of it. For global communication GSM module is
used to communicate between user and system. Traditional
burglar alarm mode is also used to ensure reliability. The use
of ZigBee communication provides easy wireless installation
of sensors at a lower cost and also increases reliability using
mesh networking. The GSM communication provides
worldwide coverage, easy, and a low cost way of information
interchange. The MCU provides interoperability of ZigBee
and GSM and also makes this system portable and easy to
install as the system is embedded and does not require
computer once programmed.
We are working on the project to expand it for complete
building security and automation and also to interface it to the

Alarm
internet through Wi-Fi networks.

;:0; ACKNOWLEDGMENT
�
Intrusion
No � The presented work is jointly sponsored by GRCC
=

3
Program of Gyeonggi Province (GRCC-Hanyang-2011-B05,
�.
USN for A WCS) and higher education commission (HEC),
Yes �.
ii. Islamabad, Pakistan under the project titled "MS level
training in Korean universities/industries" in order to improve
the research environment in Pakistan. The authors would like
to thank M. Zahir Khan, Dr. Waqar Shah and Dr. Inayatullah
Babar of NWFP UET Peshawar for providing their
constructive comments and continuous support throughout
this work.

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