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Published April 12, 2019

MEGR 3171 Mailbox Notification System

Done with the days of going to the mailbox to find that it hasn't come yet or someone else has picked it up. Our system gives you control.

IntermediateShowcase (no instructions)1,069

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Particle Photon

Breadboard (generic)

LED (generic)

AA Batteries

4xAA battery holder

Resistor 1k ohm

Jumper wires (generic)

Magnetic Proximity Sensor, Sensor and Magnet

Software apps and online services

Google Sheets

IFTTT Maker service

Particle Build Web IDE

Story

Our goal was to create a mailbox notification system that made the user aware if mail had been delivered or retrieved. The reason for doing this was because we found it frustrating going to the mailbox and the mail had not yet been delivered or someone else had picked it up without saying anything. With our system this will no longer be an issue.

An in house device with an LED will light up when the mailbox is opened as shown below.

In house Photon with LED

With a click of the reset button, the LED will simply turn off. If the LED does not alert you, or you are away from home, the IFTTT service will send you an email to let you know there is new mail.

In the mailbox, there is a battery powered photon hooked up to a normally closed switch. Once the mailbox opens, the switch is opened as well and the photon alerts that the mailbox is open. Then as the switch is closed again, the photon alerts that the mailbox has closed. Below is the photon that resides outside,

Mailbox photon

The white rectangle on the right of this image is the magnetic security switch that uses sticky tape to mount on the mailbox.

Below is a short video of the photons in action.

Data Recording

Google sheets was used to record all our interactions and the time that they took place. It also updates a graph that tracks how many interactions have happened. This data can be used to track delivery and pick -up times. Here is the link to the live data https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gfgYEs7wP5ajZlXddxGex5oFBJaHdVaoDoozLzgQDD4/edit?usp=sharing

Anyone at UNCC can view.

Google sheet with test points

Graph of test points

Our data can be viewed in real time at Google Sheets.

Code

// Mailbox notification system

SYSTEM_THREAD(ENABLED); //Enable multitasking.  Allows the ability to catch the mailpin trigger and send the message.

SYSTEM_MODE(AUTOMATIC);  //Run code, then connect.

int inputPin = D0;              
int light = D4;
int pirState = LOW;             // no motion detected
int val = 0;                    // variable for pin status
                  // Variable for pin status

int calibrateTime = 30000;   

void setup() {
    pinMode(light, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);  
    Particle.subscribe ("newmail", myHandler);
}

void loop() {

  if (calibrated()) {

    readTheSensor();

    reportTheData();
    }
}

void readTheSensor() {
    val = digitalRead(inputPin);
}

bool calibrated() {
    return millis() - calibrateTime > 0;
}


void reportTheData() {
    if (val == HIGH) {
        // the current state is no motion
        // announce this change by publishing an event
        if (pirState == LOW) {
          // we have just turned on
         Particle.publish("Mailbox", "Mailbox Open", PUBLIC);
          // Update the current state
          pirState = HIGH;
                 }
    } else {
        if (pirState == HIGH) {
          // we have just turned off
          // Update the current state
          Particle.publish("Mailbox", "Mailbox Closed", PUBLIC);
          pirState = LOW;
                  }
    }
}

void myHandler(const char *event, const char *data) {
    digitalWrite (light, HIGH);
    delay(1500);
    digitalWrite (light, LOW);
}

int ledPin = D0;                // LED Pin


void setup() {
    pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
    Particle.subscribe("Mailbox", myHandler);
}

 void myHandler(const char *event, const char *data) {
  Particle.publish("newmail", "New Mail", PUBLIC);
  digitalWrite(D7,HIGH);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(500);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
  delay(15000);
}


void loop() {}

Credits

Daniel Kiesz

1 project • 0 followers

Contact

MEGR 3171 Mailbox Notification System