Bluetooth proximity detection

Mañana · 04-04-2007, 05:36 PM

I have a computer screen that needs to be avalible 24/7. The problem is that the image is mostly static, and I dont wan't it to burn in. At the moment I'm using a webcam as motiondetector to turn on the screen when I'm there. That requires an awfull amount of power thou (about 60~70% of a 800 MHz P3). The computer also has a bluetooth dongle connected to it (DBT-122, widcomm drivers) so I thought mybe one could check if my phone is in range instead.

How could this be done? I thought either by asking the drivers if mine, or any, device is in range, or by simply trying to connect to a preconfigured comport (if the connection fails, the device isnt there).

Now I dont have much programming experience, but I've been using autoit and some vb... Have someone here done anything similar? I guess the easiest way would be the comport thingy, but I'd rather have it react on any bt device, not just my phone.

Does anybody have any input on this? Ideas, code or anything =)

jonessc · 04-04-2007, 06:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Mañana

I have a computer screen that needs to be avalible 24/7. The problem is that the image is mostly static, and I dont wan't it to burn in. At the moment I'm using a webcam as motiondetector to turn on the screen when I'm there. That requires an awfull amount of power thou (about 60~70% of a 800 MHz P3). The computer also has a bluetooth dongle connected to it (DBT-122, widcomm drivers) so I thought mybe one could check if my phone is in range instead.

How could this be done? I thought either by asking the drivers if mine, or any, device is in range, or by simply trying to connect to a preconfigured comport (if the connection fails, the device isnt there).

Now I dont have much programming experience, but I've been using autoit and some vb... Have someone here done anything similar? I guess the easiest way would be the comport thingy, but I'd rather have it react on any bt device, not just my phone.

Does anybody have any input on this? Ideas, code or anything =)

maynot be relevant but there are rf usb dongles you plug in, and you carry a small keyring, and when you come into a certain range it reactivates the compter. this is an example http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-SS1S.html im sure the same principle could be done with bluetooth