Arduino Home Security System (Initial)

Project Castle Guardian

Objectives:

  1. Detect, alert, & actively monitor household when user is away via Amazon cloud camera & Arduino automation.

  2. Have system wirelessly activate & deactivate by user input to stop monitoring when at home.

  3. Develop camera manager unit that wirelessly manipulates all camera units via IR remote sensor.

Financial Analysis

Item:

Price:

Ship.:

Amnt.

Totals:

Source

HC12

$2.53

$2.63

4

20.64

HC12

Relay

$0.60

$1.58

3

6.54

Relay

Buzzer

$7.99

$0.00

1

7.99

Buzzer

Pigtail Antenna

$2.74

$2.95

4

22.76

Pigtail Antenna

Amazon Cloud Cam

$289.99

$0.00

3

289.99

Amazon Cloud Cam

Reed Switch

$0.94

$3.05

1

3.99

Reed Switch

Alarm

$24.95

$0.00

1

24.95

Alarm

Arduino Pro Mini

$1.66

$2.91

4

18.28

Arduino Mini

FTDI Programmer

$12.49

$0.00

1

12.49

FTDI Programmer

FTDI Cord

$6.49

$0.00

1

6.49

FTDI Cord

Project Box

$5.30

$2.05

4

29.4

Project Box

IR Remote

$12.63

$0.00

1

12.63

IR Remote

IR Receiver

$1.26

$0.39

1

1.65

IR Receiver

12VDC Plug

$13.49

$0.00

1

13.49

12VDC Plug

Buck Converter

$10.65

$0.00

4

42.6

Buck Converter

Total Price:

$513.87

Notes

  1. The total price is a lot, but upon checkout from Amazon you may receive the option to break the $359 price tag for the cloud cams into smaller payments to not break the bank. Each camera comes with a wall mount & associated hardware to attach it to the wall & a power cord that is approximately ten to fifteen feet long. You can order a longer cord separately if you have an especially high mount; keep in mind that the cord is at a special angle to minimize interference & it getting in the way. Its easy to want to buy a generic usb cord, but I guarantee you that it will not fit into the camera & you will waste your money & your time.
  2. The 12vdc plug must be spliced via scissors & wire stripper so that it can be soldered onto the buck convertor & reduced accordingly. Since the Arduino pro mini has a max input voltage of five volts, you have to reduce the voltage to avoid frying the programming board.
  3. The reed switch is vital for system operation as it determines whether the arduino detects a high or low signal when completing a digitalRead() of the pin its connected to. Care must be taken to ensure both sides of the magnet are as close as possible to avoid a false read & triggering of the alarm system.

System Execution Overview

(Assuming system is about to be powered)

  1. Upon power on, system executes auto channel finder code through HC12 & arduino.

  2. User opens door, which activates buzzer to remind user to arm Castle Guardian. User takes out remote to input arm code by pointing it at IR receiver connected to Castle Guardian Manager (CGM).

3.The Castle Guardian Manager broadcasts arm signal, which turns cameras on by activating relay.

I. User has 3 tries to dis/arm sensor before a 15 second loud alarm activates & the arm signal is broadcast.

II. If Castle Guardian Manager is unplugged & therefore cannot send the repetitive arm signal the camera units will auto arm. This will occurs after a two minute timer in which the camera unit will listen for the dis/arm signal from the CGM.

  1. With the system now armed, if the door is opened the Amazon cam will auto alert the user to the detection. The CGM will briefly activate the alarm for one second to warn the detection to input the disarm code & start a thirty second timer. If the disarm code is not presented then the loud alarm is activated for five minutes or until the correct code is presented.

  2. Once the disarm code is given the CGM broadcasts a disarm signal & the loud alarm is deactivated.

Technical Interface Chart

Technical Item

Interfaces W/

Owning Sub System:

HC12

Other HC12

Arduino

Communication

Relay

Arduino

Amazon Cam

Power

Buzzer

Arduino

Alarm

Pigtail Antenna

HC12

Communication

Amazon Cloud Cam

Relay

User Phone

Alarm

Reed Switch

Arduino

Alarm

Alarm

Relay

Alarm

Arduino Pro Mini

ALL SYSTEMS

Programming

FTDI Programmer

Arduino

Programming

FTDI Cord

FTDI Programmer

Programming

Project Box

Encapsulates System

N/A

IR Remote

IR Receiver/Arduino

Alarm

IR Receiver

IR Remote

Arduino

Alarm

12VDC Plug

Buck Converter

Power

Buck Converter

12VDC Plug

Arduino

Power

Notes

 

  1. The Technical Interface Chart serves as an aide to remind you what item interfaces with what so that you don’t forget something as you code & physically build your project
  2. Items are also grouped into their respective subsystem to further identify the core role each item plays in the execution of the arduino code.

Sub System Interface Chart

Sub System

Interfaces With

Power

All Systems

Alarm

Programming>Communication

Programming

All Systems

Communication

Programming> Alarm

Notes

  1. Much like the Technical Interface Chart, the Subsystem Interface Chart shows how subsystems relof ate to each other as code is executed.
  2. Consolidates core tasks & responsibilities of each subsystem.

 

Stay tuned as my next post will be a video  of me assembling all materials by subsystem. Look out for my updates page to provide a date for the next phase of project Castle Guardian!