Remote control via GPRS/GSM SMS(Arduino)

Remote control, especially when this no ethernet or Wifi in the outdoor, has
been a very profound things in the past. When I was a child, I always image
that I have an equipment which can control all home appliances. Now, this
becomes a reality,with Arduino and GPRS modules and some other related
modules. And, it is also quite easy, even for the beginners. Here I will step by
step to show you how to remote control your home appliances via the
GPRS/GSM SMS and relays.
At first, let me give a brief introduction about relay to you.
Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power
signal (with complete electrical isolation between control and controlled
circuits). It acts as a low voltage controlled switch to control high voltage, For
example, if you want to control power of your washer or air conditioner, which
is oftern110v or 220v,by microchip such as AVR or PIC, it is necessary and
safe to make your microchip control the relay first, and then control the power
supply of those device with the relay.
With the GSM SMS, it is possible to control the relay remotely. You can send a
message via phone to control the relay on&off. With this, it will convenient to
control any device wirelessly, especially helpfully on irrigation, smart home,
outdoor remote control etc.
So, lets make such a SMS controlled Relay with Arduino, GPRS/GSM and a
Relay module.

Step 1: Prepare your tools and parts.

Select the module you need, a Xduino, a GPRS/GSM module and relay
module is essential. The GPRS/GSM and relay in Shield would be more
Convenient if works with Arduino:
The modules I used in this application are as below:
Crowduino
GPRS/GSM Shield
Relay Shield
Notice that the Rated Current of the relay Is important, make sure it
meets your requirements. Otherwise it maybe dangerous. Here, I use a
2A rating current relay, which is enough for my application to control a lamp.
Usually, home appliances consume currents as below
Device Max current(A)
Electric Fan 1
Lamp 2
TV 2
Refrigerator 2
Microwave Oven 8

Air Conditioner Depends on the power, usually <20

Of course you will need some tools, such as the Insulating tape
Scissors...

Step 2: Insert a SIM card to the GPRS shield.

The GPRS module needs a SIM card to work, just the same as a phone.
Insert a SIM card to the SIM socket , make sure the SIM is unlocked(that is, it
works in your phone). Record the number of SIM Card, it will be used in
programming for Arduino.

Step 3: Communicate with Crowduino/Arduino by hardware

serial.
There are two methods for GPRS/GSM Shield to communicate with the micro
controler, one is through the software serial port, another is hardware serial
port. I will show you the second method,communicate with the Crowduino/
Arduino by hardware serial port.
There are three pins 2*3 pins in the GPRS shield. You can see the silk mark in
both side of pins, one side is Xduino(this is connect to the hardware serial

port), and the other side is SWserial(this side is used as software serial port).
Just as the picture, plug the jumper caps to the Xduino side.

Step 4: Upload the program.

As the programming, you will need the Arduino IDE to compile and download
the program to Arduino.
Download the code :
Using_SMS_to_Control_Relay_Hardware Serial.ino
Before the compiling, please Open the file: SoftwareSerial.h in
arduino\libraries\SoftwareSerial, and modify the
#define _SS_MAX_RX_BUFF 64 // RX buffer size
To
#define _SS_MAX_RX_BUFF 128 // RX buffer size
With this modification, the Arduino would have more buffer for the received
message to avoid any communication bugs.
If you have not got ready to comprehend the details, you can just copy the
codes into your Arduino IDE and down it to Arduino to continue.
Then, open this file by Arduin IDE. Upload the program to the
Crowduino,please note that don't connect the GPRS shield to Crowduino
when uploading program, very important!!!!

Step 5: Plug Relay+GPRS Shields to the Crowduino

Plug your shields to the Crowduino, you can put the GPRS Shield in the top or
put the Relay Shield in the top. In here, because we need operating the Relay
Shield later, so I put the Relay Shield in the top.

Step 6: Have A TryControl the Relay shield by manually.

Now, the hardware has been connected, the program has been uploaded, we
can have a try of the Relay Shield, This Relay Shield is very interesting! There
are 4 Independent relays on the relay shield, each one can be controlled by
the Arduino or manually. Also, there are 4 LEDs to show user the working
state of relays.

Step 7: Have a test for the manual control.

Before remote control the lamp, we can make a test. Here, we need
abreadboard, a LED, two AA battery and some breadboard cables.
Plug the anode wire(the red one) of power supply to the anode of LED via the
breadboard, using the same method, plug the breadboard jumper wire to the
cathode of LED.
As we only need one relay here, we use the relay U3, which was controlled by
the Arduino Pin5.
There are 3 terminals for U3 relay: COM3, NC3 and NO3. The COM3 is the
common port, while the NO means Normally Open and NC means
Normally Connected. Thats to say, the logic between these 3 terminals is:
When the relay is not active:
COM3 connected to NC3 and disconnected to NO3;
When the relay is active:
COM3 disconnected to NC3, and connected to NO3;

Insert the cathode wire(black one) of power supply to NO3, insert the cathode
wire(orange) of LED to COM3 and tighten the terminal with a screwdriver.
Now, you can control the LED on or off via button 3, it is funny, hah...

Step

8:

Control the LED via SMS.

It is time to take out your mobile phone, (make sure your Gprs/Gsm shield is
on) sent a text onb to the number of the SIM card in GPRS module, the relay
would be on, and the LED on!
It is necessary to explain the program, if you feel it is boring or it is too simple,
just skip the following paragraph and remember there are 4 relays: U1, U2,
U3, U4 each corresponding to d, c, b, a, if you want to control U1 on or off, you
can send 'ond' or 'offd' to the number of the SIM card in GPRS module, the
relay U1 would be on or off. If you want to control multiple relays in one SMS,
just send the control commands in one SMS. For example, if I want to control
U1, U2, U3 on and U4 off, sending 'ond onc onb offa' would reach this
purpose. In here, I was using U3 to control the LED, so after I send 'onb', the
relay U3 would be on , and the LED on!
There are some important functions you need to learn if you want to learn

more on the gprs shied:

void ProcessGprsMsg()
Function: process the data Arduino get from the GPRS shield. If there is a
string +CMGR: in the received data, theArduino will get to know: I have
received a short message, I need to analyze the message to know what to do
next!
Parameter: none
Return: none;
void ProcessSms( String sms )
Function: Arduinoanalyze the short message received. As received a string:
ona, it will pull up the related pin to active the relay, making the terminal
COM4 connected NO4; while received a string offa, it will pull down the pin to
make the COM4 and NO4 disconnected.
Parameter: the received message;
Return : none
In this program, once the Arduino receive the command offa, which means
off the a it will pull download the Arduno pin4, which change the relay U4
from inactive to active state. You will hear some noise like bang..bang, and
also the LED would blinks.

Step 9: Connect the lamp to the Relay

shield.

Finally to the

another leading

role to play, do you

still remember the

lamp at the

begining? This

step I will show you

how to 'destroy'

this nice and cute

lamp.

Cut off the power

supply wire of the

lamp(as the

picture), and insert

one end to

COM3,tighten the

terminal with a screwdriver, and

the other end to NO3 with the
same method.
Make sure the Crowduino and
Shields are connected to the
power and the program was run
normally.
Give the power to the lamp, push the switch of lamp to on, and stay
away from it...

Step 10: Control the lamp via

SMS.
Everything is ok, but the SMS. Take out your phone again, sent a text
onb to the number of the SIM card in GPRS module. The lamp was
finally lit...
You can control all the device you want via this method. and, you can
even control 4 relays simultaneously to control 4 device by modifying the
program in Arduino. But again, Notice the Potential danger especially
for the high voltage and big current decice. Good luck