I'm developing a bluetooth radar detector interface

[NaterGator]

... and I sorta figured this would be a good place to find potential testers/gather some info. I'm an electrical engineering student and I'm doing this project in my free time.

I'm starting targeting the V1 (since the V1 is what I own, and I have the specifications for the remote display comm bus timing) and will be integrating this V1's data with my Droid cell phone.

The goal is to make the V1 locationally aware: I will record and upload radar events over the 3G network, using GPS to record the location. After a drive I can view the "events" on a map (from my computer or phone) and choose to silence these locations in the future, warn myself of a speed trap zone, etc. It is my intention to allow the phone to control both display on/off status on the V1 and mute functionality.

I recently just found out about trapper and sent their developers and email hoping that I can agree to standardize the RFCOMM data I stream so that they can integrate this with their existing software without much fuss, but we'll see if they are interested.

If any of you guys have ideas for other detectors with a remote interface (be it like the V1's, a computer interface like USB, etc) please let me know. There is a thread for the app/hardware development on an android forum but I can't post the link with my postcount so that will have to wait. In the meantime, I'm open to ideas and suggestions, so please throw them my way. I'm going to subscribe to the thread to stay updated.

Thanks,
--Nate

[taylormade]

Sounds cool. Sounds like my 9500ix, but cool none the less. Good luck.

[NaterGator]

Alot like the 9500ix, but without the subscription fee and the design goal is to be future proof for switching detectors... IE your GPS awareness "goes with you" as long as your new detector has some sort of data bus. Also, there are a few die-hard V1 users out there left (I guess in a sense I am one of them) and I really wouldn't mind having the GPS-anti-false integration like the 9500 with a V1. That's my personal goal from this, and if that's all I get then I'll be happy.

I guess based on the (lack of) response to this thread there isn't quite as much interest as I thought . Oh well, I got the bluetooth radio up and running tonight and an RFCOMM connection between my laptop and the device established across the condo, so it's a start. So far the asynchronus command recognition is in place on the AVR and from here on out I need to get a basic Android app written and verify the RFCOMM works well there too. After that I'll hook in the V1 and go for a drive and see if I don't get some data

I will post status reports here from time to time. If I ever get this account (God I wish I could recover my old one) up to the requisite number of posts I'll detail parts/source code necessary to build one of these units yourself.

-Nate

Edit: Wa-hey, I can apparently at least attach pics. So hey, here's a pic of the prototyping setup so you all know I'm not just some idiot BS spammer wasting your time

[voyager7]

Let us know how it works out.

[Beatlesfan]

I would be HIGHLY interested in this. Good luck.

[Divewjason]

Sounds very interesting. I certainly will be watching.

[swarga]

The goal is to make the V1 locationally aware: I will record and upload radar events over the 3G network, using GPS to record the location. After a drive I can view the "events" on a map (from my computer or phone) and choose to silence these locations in the future, warn myself of a speed trap zone, etc. It is my intention to allow the phone to control both display on/off status on the V1 and mute functionality.

While this sounds like a fun project to play around with, tying it to a cell phone would be a deal-breaker for me. For one thing, I don't always take my cell phone with me when I drive. And I never hold the phone in my hand while I'm driving (that's illegal here) so using it as some kind of remote control for my V1 is a non-starter. Plus most people change cell phones every few months; are you gonna write an app for every new cell phone model that comes out?

One approach you might consider would be to forget the Bluetooth and use an embedded cellular module to give your microcontroller its own dedicated cellular link to the Internet. Then your project would suffer from none of these drawbacks.

Have you given any thought to how your "TrueLock" function would work? For example, if there's a drug store with a K band door opener on your route to work, how would your device decide whether to mute the V1?

[Cauhauna]

The goal is to make the V1 locationally aware: I will record and upload radar events over the 3G network, using GPS to record the location. After a drive I can view the "events" on a map (from my computer or phone) and choose to silence these locations in the future, warn myself of a speed trap zone, etc. It is my intention to allow the phone to control both display on/off status on the V1 and mute functionality.

While this sounds like a fun project to play around with, tying it to a cell phone would be a deal-breaker for me. For one thing, I don't always take my cell phone with me when I drive. And I never hold the phone in my hand while I'm driving (that's illegal here) so using it as some kind of remote control for my V1 is a non-starter. Plus most people change cell phones every few months; are you gonna write an app for every new cell phone model that comes out?

One approach you might consider would be to forget the Bluetooth and use an embedded cellular module to give your microcontroller its own dedicated cellular link to the Internet. Then your project would suffer from none of these drawbacks.

Have you given any thought to how your "TrueLock" function would work? For example, if there's a drug store with a K band door opener on your route to work, how would your device decide whether to mute the V1?

I disagree with a lot of this.

The link to the cellphone via bluetooth is the only good and feasible idea. There is no option of a dedicated cellular link. What carrier do you think will allow this? How many people would be willing to pay the extra monthly fee? None, none, none.

As far as the question about having to write a new version every time a new phone comes out, that will not happen. Only a smartphone would be able to run an app such as this. That means blackberry, iphone, driod, palm, etc. These phones each have a basic operating system. An app for each would be required, but other than that, that's it. Every blackberry runs basically the same operating system -- a user 8 years ago could pick up the latest and greatest and feel right at home.

As for the "illegal to hold cell phone" issue.... I hate to sound cliche, but speeding is illegal too. My state does not have this law, but I don't think that would stop me from using the app. Besides, you could operate the app without even looking at it. Buttons and things don't just move around --- taking 5 minutes to orient yourself with the app would allow you to operate it well below window level without ever taking your eyes off the road.

Lastly, not sure why you don't take your cellular on the road. But you should. I can't think of a reason not to.

Back on topic, I am super interested in this app and would love to see Blackberry support

[swarga]

The link to the cellphone via bluetooth is the only good and feasible idea.

That's your opinion. Not a particularly well-informed opinion, but you're entitled to it nonetheless.

There is no option of a dedicated cellular link. What carrier do you think will allow this?

Try all of them.

For example, On*Star uses Verizon's cellular network. There are dozens if not hundreds of embedded vehicle tracking modules that use GSM carriers like at&t and T-Mobile.

If you have a GSM carrier, getting an embedded module like the Telit connected is as simple as popping the SIM card out of your phone and into the embedded module.

How many people would be willing to pay the extra monthly fee?

How many On*Star subscribers are there? On*Star costs something like $20/month. Same for the GPS tracking devices; they all charge for the service, part of which goes to pay for the cellular connectivity, and millions of people are more than happy to pay for those services.

As far as the question about having to write a new version every time a new phone comes out, that will not happen.

Uh huh. That's why you're still waiting for a version for your Blackberry.

[GreenRadar]

I think that there is a good idea here, and with the right people behind it and appropriate features you could really have something. I've always wondered what it would be like to integrate a cell phone and a detector