GPS to cell phone output somehow ???

**gadget** · 05-13-2004, 01:21 PM

I did a few

s and didn't find any solution yet, but here is one project I have been thinking about and need help with:

Vehicle tracking:

GPS will provide NEMA serial data.
Pre-paid cell phone - provides transmition device (SMS, fax or data upload???)
Need to "hack" into phone to trigger phone to transmit serial data

Has anyone figured out a way to trigger something (like a basic stamp device) via alarm output and/or the cell phone (set to auto answer and with a hands free/serial data kit) to use the same cell phone (give it 2 min to hang itself up) to transmit text it sees on the serial output of the GPS (lat/lon position with some other "junk") out via the cell phone via

1. SMS message to preset addresses
2. Fax to preset phone numbers
OR
3. Upload data to a website via modem protocol

Device would then be hidden really well into vehicle with a wire to charge up cell phone and GPS batteries. If you want to know where the vehicle is, you call the hidden cell phone (set to silent ring) and hang up. It will then output it's current or at least last position to you via one of those mentods. With lat/lon position you can map that via mapquest or something and determine location within a block or so.

Thanks.

**Chairboy** · 05-13-2004, 03:30 PM

Simple. Since you already mentioned using a Basic Stamp for the trigger, why not use it for other stuff too? Get a phone that, when connected to a serial cable, acts like a Hayes compatible modem (they exist). Have the serial cable connected to the Basic stamp which is also monitoring another serial line that goes to the GPS. You can call it to trigger it, then it'll call the computer you specify and start uploading coordinates.

If the phone supports GPRS (not related to GPS, it's a network protocol) you might be able to command it via serial to upload the data to a server on the internet.

The basic stamp can be your computer that takes the GPS data and does whatever you want with it. Hell, you could even have it so when you call the phone, the stamp outputs DTMF tones of your current coordinates through the soldered mic input on the cell phone. All you need to do is use a DTMF decoder (you can get/build a handheld one easy) to convert it into digits. That way, you just call the phone from your cell phone, get a read out of the coordinates, then repeat as needed (if it's moving) without needing to go home again.

**mbkowns** · 05-13-2004, 04:12 PM

I would be interested in this but not to build it for the car-computer. I would want a standalone hideaway unit kinda like a DIY low jack. Reason for a standalone would be this. If a car jacker came and owned your car first thing they might do is get rid of the computer and stereo but if this unit was hiding somewhere with a spare battery I could find my car

and OWN the car jacker with something like this

**xBrady** · 05-13-2004, 04:36 PM

Sounds cool. It would also be nice to get on a phone plan that only charges you for time you talk on the phone. Does such a plan exist?

**mbkowns** · 05-13-2004, 04:45 PM

calling card hmmm even if not a low low low plan with internet would be cheap

**gadget** · 05-13-2004, 05:00 PM

I would want a standalone hideaway unit kinda like a DIY low jack. Reason for a standalone would be this. If a car jacker came and owned your car first thing they might do is get rid of the computer and stereo but if this unit was hiding somewhere with a spare battery I could find my car

and OWN the car jacker with something like this

Yeah, this is totally stand alone (thus the need for a basic stamp type device to get the GPS data into something useable)

Mine will be hidden away in a location not touched for quite a while even by a pro stripping the car for parts. -- Example - INSIDE the driver's seat
- I have power to charge the circuits via the seat motors, and even if someone takes my ride, starts to strip parts to sell - do you think they are going to start with taking apart the seat? NO! Even if they cut all the wires, this will be totally self contained and will transmit for hours! First thing they are going to do is destroy my onStar unit (or just pop the fuse out) to make sure that I don't track them with that, and then they will start removing my 7" touchscreen, stereo, computer... They will NOT see the hidden transmitter.

So far AT&T wireless pre-paid plans let you buy $10 in minutes that are good for 90 days (so this will cost about $4 a month to keep the phone active) but you only pay for minutes you use.

LoJack is good, but not all police can track it. My local police don't use it.
OnStar is BAD and only catches the REALLY dumb bad people. Just smash GPS antenna on roof, remove battery or OnStar fuse. If you have OnStar - beware - there is NO battery backup, and the GPS and cell antenna are exposed. All it takes is to remove one or two fuses.

And the two listed above will NOT track unless you have a police report filed and they confirm with the local PD. That can take an hour or more in which time the theif has driven 3 miles, removed the OnStar fuse and is now cruzin' around watching movies in my truck!

The other thing to worry about is if he presses the GPS button and selects "HOME" he now has turn by turn directions to your house. I bet your full name and address is in the glovebox if he looks on the vehicle registration. If he is smart, he calls "home" on your cell phone that was laying in the console, or uses his phone to call 411 and ask for your phone number. He can call and see if anyone else is there at your house. He has the garage door opener in your car... He gets close, presses the homelink buttons, and ta-da your home is wide open for him to see what he can do there. Cut the phone line should you have an alarm, and walk right in. I bet you even have tools in your garage to help him if you have locked the door into the house! It's something to think about with our "smart cars" that we have built!

Neighbors just see my tinted window truck roll into the garage and the door close just like normal - they don't know I am still unaware my truck is gone...

AND make sure you keep your VIN # covered on the dash! Keys can be made at a dealership with just the VIN. That key will work on your GM or other vehicles (Ford puts a chip in the key) do you trust all employees at all dealerships to not make a key for someone that says "here is $500, make me a key..."

**stevieg** · 05-13-2004, 05:04 PM

Is it possible to wire the serial port on the mobile phone data lead to a serial port on the GPS unit and then connect from a landline modem at say 4800 bps directly using hyperterm? and just leave it permanently connected.

In the UK you can get pay-as-you go SIMs which you can recieve calls on for free and I have spare phone, so might do this ASAP if its possible

**Ricky327** · 05-13-2004, 05:23 PM

Im already working on it as a project...heres my plan :

A standard mobile phone is used, no prepaid credit required.

You ring the tracking phone mobile number. Once it rings, the contoller then comes alive. It reads off the location from the GPS. The controller then translate this data into series of tones...abit like the one used on data casstte back in the 80s.

The tracking phone then transmit this series of tones into the phone you use to call it...I home phone perhaps.

On the phone you used to call it - tones is then heard representing the GPS data. A tone translator is then used to decode this tone back into the car locations.

Of course all these tones are not heard everything happens electronicaly. A hand free cable for the phone can be used.

The idea should work virtually with any phone. Hacking a phone to do things is too specific for a particular make and model.

The good thing about it is you know your traking device is working by hearing the tones trasmitted. You can call it as much as you want without it running out of credit.

Maybe its good if it can aslo text you if your car is in trouble

I had to do this since my car got stolen 2 weeks ago

Well all is on paper right now...but Im gonna start coding soon

**Ricky327** · 05-13-2004, 05:25 PM

In the UK you can get pay-as-you go SIMs which you can recieve calls on for free and I have spare phone

Thats the idea Im using. The phone just sit there idle until you call it

**ukchris** · 05-13-2004, 05:27 PM

In the US Nextel have GPS enabled phones and a service you can use to view their locations on a map.

Last time I was in the UK I saw Magellan phones with built in GPS, not sure if they report their location or not.

Just a thought.

Chris.