Remotely turn on computer (not necessarily car)

Triggerhappy · 05-09-2006, 01:54 PM

Hello everyone,

I am currently considering having a cellular controlled carputer/car alarm. The basic idea is a car alarm, integrated with a computer, which in turn is plugged into the phone.

The idea here is to be able to remotely control your car alarm with a cell phone.

My idea on the process flow is as follows. User with cell phone sends particular text message to a second phone that's in the car, this phone turns on the computer, which in turn activates the car alarm/makes setting changes etc.

I have a Nokia 6620 cell phone with USB data cable and it runs a Symbian OS so i was hoping that in order to turn on the computer, i simply program it to send a wake-on-usb signal to the computer, which turns on. Either from a full off state, or an S3 sleep state. However, the problem I ran into is that the USB interface that's implemented with the Nokia phone uses a proprietary technology called PopPort for which no API has been released, i am unable to send this signal.

So now the question is this, what other way would there be to turn this computer on? The phone, other than the popport, also has an IR module, which i could technically put close to an IR receiver if there are any IR receivers capable of turning a computer on.

I didn't know where to put this question but i figured the power supply forum would have some interesting insights into how i can turn a computer on creatively.

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks.

Jahntassa · 05-09-2006, 02:50 PM

Sounds like you'll need another computer, or maybe something with a Parallax STAMP chip that you can program to do something with the IR codes.

nadir_s · 05-09-2006, 02:54 PM

you want to consider a completely electrical circuit solution ... requires hacking the cell phone. When you dial the cell phone, the lights come on or the speaker is activated to ring. You could probably wire up a relay which is connected to the cell phone speaker / lights -> relay-> the momentary switch of a computer button.

Hope this makes some sense ...

didiet78 · 05-09-2006, 10:20 PM

Or you can send any command to IR. Just search IR activated switch and that will do (maybe

)

yellowjeeperman · 05-25-2006, 04:53 PM

How bout something like this....

http://www.thinkgeek.com/pcmods/cases/8095/

BoraXP · 05-25-2006, 05:02 PM

there was a post on here somewhere a little while ago about someone with an alarm service that you could call in to start your car, i imagine you could set up an auxilary.

JRunner · 05-30-2006, 11:59 AM

For the Car -- I have a DC-DC power supply, with a trigger hooked to one of my 'keyed' circuits, the radio. So when I turn the key, since my radio I leave always on, the computer boots. Simple concept, but last year I bought a remote start kit for about $40 at Kmart of all places, and after some trial and error got it to work. Now, since it's still tied to the radio, 'always-on', I can warm the car, in the winter, cool it down in the summer, and not sit through the post screen before I get in my car. Something to think about, the cell-phone thing sounds cool though, keep us posted.

2k1Toaster · 06-17-2006, 03:33 AM

Audiovox CL-100 is a satellite paging system. Lifetime activation with purchase so no monthly fees. It has a data output that hooks into Audiovox alarms, but you could build a simple circuit that interprets the data it sends (like start car, lock/unlock doors, arm/disarm alarm) and change them to things like start/shutdown computer and things.

Puffanug · 06-17-2006, 04:17 AM

I think you could use a DC-DC power supply like the CarNetix P1900. It has a remote pulse input that will send the ACPI signal to the motherboard. You can use a switch or a pulse (like when your parking lights flash with your alarm turning off). That way when you unlock the doors, the parking lights flash and the signal is sent to turn on the unit.

I just read the manual for the P1900, loads of options for remote start, shutdown control, etc. Check it out... http://www.carnetix.com/installation...ManualV2_0.pdf

Mark0055 · 06-21-2006, 08:00 AM

I've been wondering exactly this myself, because if you could wake the pc from the phone, (and then get the pc to use that phone for a data connection) you could ask the computer where it is! (pc would use the usb gps you bought for sat nav)
Therefore youve got satelite tracking without those tedious subscription fees!
you could also get the PC to take pictures of the F*****er thats stolen your car, put you in voice contact with him , cut the engine, lock the doors , deploy the teargas etc etc

But from the above posts it seems theres no obvious easy solution. all the suggestions come down to getting a signal out of the phone to feed into the pc
If this was a normal pc at home I'm pretty sure BIOS's have "wake on modem" which would solve the problem, but if its a cellphone being used as a modem i cant see it working really without (as i think someone said) physically hacking the phone and getting voltage from the phones speaker or light and connecting it to .. well .. the wake on lan line that goes from nic to motherboard?

actually operating a relay that just presses the power on button would be simpler , like the SDCs do , some probly have an input for just this. infact the main input from the ignition key is just that

hmm - light at the end of the tunnel

sweetlikealemon · 06-21-2006, 08:26 AM

Guys

Here is the solution. This kit uses old skool serial connection to control 8 outputs and accept 4 inputs via a pre programmed input/output text. Using relays you can switch any load. I have used this kit for around a year now and it is fantastic.

http://www1.jaycar.com.au/productVie...Max=&SUBCATID=

Any questions, just ask.

Mark0055 · 06-21-2006, 12:44 PM

interesting! that does seem to be what we require, although it dosent say exactly what functions it does - can it wake a pc up?
what have you been using it for ?

sweetlikealemon · 06-22-2006, 07:30 AM

Well, I use the system as a custom addition to my already heavily modded car alarm. Instead of spending £££'s on Clifford or similar junk I decided to use my electonics brain to build my own alarm based on a BMW Transponder alarm coupled with this SMS kit.

Without giving too much away, the outputs that trigger the alarm i.e. usually ground outputs. These have been spliced into, diode'd and now activate various ground triggers on the SMS kit.

On the INPUT side of things 4 ground triggers can be used to send pre-programmed messages to the remote cell phone. e.g. when the boot is open it will text "BOOT OPEN"

On the OUTPUT side the SMS kit will trigger 8 12v + outputs via pre-programmed messages sent via the remote cell phone. These outputs can only switch small loads so you can used relays coupled with diodes to prevent relay flyback voltage.

Now applied to bringing a pc out of sleep. Somehow configure windows/BIOS to wake on power button. Wire the power buttion contacts to a circuit which pulses once from a permanent ON trigger i.e. The outputs are ON or OFF. You could wire a circiut in such a way to create a pulse based on this ON of OFF.

Mark0055 · 06-22-2006, 12:35 PM

ah i see - i've only just worked out you dont need a pc to use this thing (duh)
so yeah i see how you could use it to turn the pc on remotely.
next step for me would be getting the pc to use the phone to ring or text me and tell me where it is. (which wouldnt be a pre-programmed message so couldnt use the other side of the gizmo)
...or get it to answer the phone when i ring it shortly after ive texted it to turn it on

Wiredwrx · 06-22-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Triggerhappy

Hello everyone,

I am currently considering having a cellular controlled carputer/car alarm. The basic idea is a car alarm, integrated with a computer, which in turn is plugged into the phone.

The idea here is to be able to remotely control your car alarm with a cell phone.

My idea on the process flow is as follows. User with cell phone sends particular text message to a second phone that's in the car, this phone turns on the computer, which in turn activates the car alarm/makes setting changes etc.

I have a Nokia 6620 cell phone with USB data cable and it runs a Symbian OS so i was hoping that in order to turn on the computer, i simply program it to send a wake-on-usb signal to the computer, which turns on. Either from a full off state, or an S3 sleep state. However, the problem I ran into is that the USB interface that's implemented with the Nokia phone uses a proprietary technology called PopPort for which no API has been released, i am unable to send this signal.

So now the question is this, what other way would there be to turn this computer on? The phone, other than the popport, also has an IR module, which i could technically put close to an IR receiver if there are any IR receivers capable of turning a computer on.

I didn't know where to put this question but i figured the power supply forum would have some interesting insights into how i can turn a computer on creatively.

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks.

How about this

http://bladox.com/prod_lite_2.php?lang=en

Michael

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