$*National Conference on Telecommunication Technology Proceedings, Shah Alam, Malaysia

SMS GATEWAY INTERFACE -

REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROLLING VIA GSM SMS

Beh Kok S a n g I , Abdul Rahman Bin Ramli I&',

V Prakash I, Syed Abdul Rahman Bin Syed Mohamed I

I Multimedia and Intelligent System Laboratory

Department of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

'Intelligent Systems and Robotics Laboratory (ISRL)

Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), University Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract result will be lookup from a database and retumed

SMS Gateway Interface system utilized
the existing GSM SMS service with low-cost
hardware equipment to create a system for remote
monitoring and remote control. The system can be
controlled and monitored via SMS from anywhere
that covered by GSM service. Devices that connect
to the system like lights for example, can he turn on
or off by sending SMS to the system (Smart Home
System). The system also can turn music on or off
The songs to be played can also be selected by the
system via SMS (SMS Jukebox System). The
status of the system can be requested via SMS. The
system can also be programmed to send specific
- SMS to predetermined number if any event or
condition triggered.
to the sender via SMS. Example of this type system
are traffic summon check via SMS, new university
intake result via SMS, and semester result via
SMS.
Mohyjoe [ 1) design, develop and operate
wireless services and marketing campaigns in the
UK and across Europe. Mobyjoe wireless
marketing is the activity o f sending and receiving
SMS message to and from consumer mobile phone
as part of a campaign to influence consumer.
Nokia provide a platform for wireless
communications. The Nokia M2M platform [2]
includes hardware and software to implement
wireless communications. MZM stands for
machine-to-machine, mobile-to-machine and
machine-to-mobile.

Keywords: Remote Monitoring, Remote Control, This paper will discuss a solution to
GSM, SMS, Smart Home provide control and monitor other hardware
devices from a remote location.

1. Introduction
People always want to be in control. They
need real-time information whenever they need.
With the advance of technology, mobile phone is
no longer a luxuries item. It's easily available and
posses by most population of our country
The popular communication technology
use today are SMS, WAP, MMS, GPRS, 3G.
Among these, SMS is most widely use. Partly
because it is supported in all modem mobile
equipment, another reason is the low usage cost.
SMS is commonly use for the purpose of
data retrieval I enquiry. Base on a query SMS, the
2. Methodology
The GSM system is selected as the
communication medium. The main reason to
choose GSM system is the wide coverage of the
system. The GSM system is also wireless, this
provide the element of mobility. The system can be
setup in area where wiring is impossible or for
temporary / field usage.
A single system can .serve many user at
the same time without the need to add another set
of equipment like Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) system. The SMS only need a few seconds
to enter the system. While IVR system need to play

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 voice and wait for response from the user with the TABLE 1

I I 1 wov2 1 1
phone connected. GSM provider in Malaysia

Modem mobile phone that able to store I GSM I GSM I Net- I Fre- I
SMS in the phone and allow the message to be Operator Network cy;
selected and resent later. This allows SMS with
appropriate command message to he store and send Maxis Maxis
as needed. Communicat
ions I I I
A micro-controller board is built to control Telekom I TMTouch 1502-13 1 GSM
and interface to hardware devices that need to be Malaysia I 1800
control and monitor.

The complete system for SMS Gateway Time

Interface System can be setup for many
applications. Some of the examples are Smart Celcom Celcom
Home System and Remote Data Collection System.

GSM [3] SMS service provides a method

of sending alphanumeric and character messages by
using mobile phone. Mobile Phone available in the
market today support sending and receiving SMS.
Each SMS can have up to maximum of 160
characters. However, newer mobile phone can GSM Intra- Inter-
support sending I onger S MS. This is can be d one Network Operator Operator
by breaking up the longer SMS into several shorter SMS SMS in
SMS. These short SMS messages will be assemble Malaysia
back at the receiver's mobile phone. In case the Maxis 0.15 0.15
receiver's mobile phone does not support this TMTouch 0.15 0.20
method, the receiver can still view the SMS as
Digi 0.20 0.20
several SMS.
TimeCel 0.15 0.15
Technically each SMS is only 140 x 8bit Celcom 0.10 0.30
code. By using GSM 03.38 [4], a method that use a
lookup table to apply 7 bits encoding for text-base One of the advantages of the system by
SMS can increase the length of a single SMS to employ GSM SMS is the low cost of sending SMS
160 characters. compare to dialing Interactive Voice Respond
(IVR) system. The longer the distance, the cost for
140 x 8 bits = 1120 bits IVR will increase.
I120 hits / 7 = 160 chars (7 bits)
The SMS Gateway main program is
written using Visual Basic. The main program
There are five GSM service provider in communicates to mobile equipment (ME) via GSM
Malaysia. They are Maxis Communications, 07.07 protocol [SI. GSM 07.05 [6] is applied to
Telekom Malaysia (TmTouch) , Digi send and receive SMS. The physical link between
Communication, Time Telekom (TimeCel), and Computer and ME can be RS232 serial port or
Celcom. Maxis and Celcom operate their service infrared links depend on type of ME employed.
using GSMPOO while TmTouch, Digi, and TimeCel Typical ME can be a mobile phone or a GSM
operate in GSM1800 kequency band. SMS can be modem with the capability to interface with
sent to and from any of these GSM networks even computer. In our case, we use a low cost mobile
they operate on different frequency. phone connected t o a computer RS232 serial port
via data cable.
GSM Operator in Malaysia charges each
SMS send to any destination in the country at flat The main program also connected to a
rate regardless of the distance. Some GSM micro-controller board (MCB) which interface to
Operator charges different rate for SMS send inter- other hardware. The main program constantly
operator and intra-operator. Table 2 show the SMS monitor for any events that need to process. These
charges by GSM Operator in Malaysia. events are new SMS arrival, checking for any
changes ofthe surrounding through the MCB.

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 A micro-controller hoard (MCB) is build
using PIC 16F84A micro-controller by Microchip
[7] [8]. The PIC micro-controller is selected
because of it provides FLASH memory to store
program and RAM. This is also a low-cost device.
The main purpose of this hoard is to provide
control and feedback to other hardware devices that
need to he control. Some examples of these devices
are lights, switches, fans, alarms, sensors, and
household electrical appliances.
The MCB currently have 6 output (relays)
and 2 input (switches). The number of output and
input can he added as required. The MCB also have
a RS232 link to the computer running SMS
Gateway Interface main program.
Figure 1 show the basic component and
connection of the SMS Gateway Interface.
FIGURE 1
SMS Gateway Interface
Mobile Phone
Microcontroller
Program
I Motion sensors, smoke detector or existing alarm
Security of the system is done by restrict
the allowed SMS sender predefine in the system
Other SMS from other sender will he ignored.
The SMS Gateway System is setup to
show the concept of smart home. The typical setup
of the system is show in Figure 2 & 3. The system
is set to control 4 lights, 1 music source, 1 bell and
2 input switches.
FIGURE 2
SMS Gateway Smart Home Demo System Block
Diagram
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The mobile phone that connected to the
system is inserted with a prepaid GSM SlM Card.
A prepaid GSM SIM Card is easily available and
provide low operation cost. The phone number is
determine by the SIM Card.
To control the system using SMS, we send
a SMS to the phone number of the system. When
the system receive the SMS, it will check if the
sender is allowed to control the system. Then it
check the SMS message for valid commands.
Example of the command are LIGHT 1
OFF, MUSIC ON, MUSIC ALBUM 1012.
The above command will instruct the
system to turn LIGHT 1 off, turn on the speaker
and play music album 1012 that store in the
system.
The current status of the system can be
request by sending a SMS with message STATUS
to the system.
The system can he wired to a panic switch
that located in the premise. It allows people to
press the switch to seek help during emergency.
system can he interface to the system through the
MCB.
If any of the switchedsensors is trigger,
the system will send a SMS to the owner I
operation center. The phone numbers are store in
the main program. An operation center can he setup
with 24 hours assistant that monitor a huge number
of SMS Gateway Interface system.
3. Result
A SMS t w k minimum 7.5 second to reach
the system. Overall response is under IO seconds,
unless there is a GSM network problem. This is
calculate base on the time took when we press send
button on another mobile phone and the time that
SMS reach the system ME. A good GSM network
provider should he choose for the system.
We also try to send a SMS to our system
from international using free SMS service provided
by ICQ. The command is BELL. This command
will ring a door hell that attached to the MCB. The
result is impressive. It took 8.6 seconds on average
for the SMS to arrive to our system.
 4. Conclusion
GSM 07.07 Digital cellular
The low operation cost of the system will telecommunications system (Phase 2+);
make it suitable to own by personal or any agency AT Command set for GSM Mobile
that require remote control and monitor their Equipmenf (ME). European
property / operation. Telecommunications Standards Institute
(ETSI).

5. Reference GSM 07.05 Digital cellular

telecommunications system (Phase 2+);
Stephen Mills, An Introduction to SMS Use of Data Terminal Equipment - Data
and Wireless Marketing, Mobyloe Circuit terminating; Equipment (DTE-
Limited, 2002. DCE) interface for Short Message Service
(SMS) and Cell Broadcast Service (CES).
Nokia M2M Gateway, European Telecommunications Standards
http://www.nokia.com/m2m , Institute (ETSI).
200 1.
Myke Predko, Programming and
Jorg Eberspacher and Hans-Jorg Vogel, Customizing PICmicroQ
GSM Switching, Services and Portocols. Microcontrollers. McGraw-Hill
John Wiley & Sons Ltd, England, 1998. Companies, Inc., USA, 2000.

GSM 03.38 Digital cellular Carl Bergquist, Guide to PKmicroB

telecommunications system (Phase 2t); Microcontrollers. Prompt Publication.,
Alphabets and language-specific Sams Technical Publishing, USA, 2001.
information. European
Telecommunications Standards Institute
(ETSI).

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