Car GPS tracker for MegaFon Autocontrol service
Recently MegaFon has a new service MegaFon Autocontrol. But few people know that we took direct part in the project. All the "iron" part is designed and manufactured by PHT.
The service is currently offered in test mode in the Moscow region. Recall in brief what it is. In essence, this is a personal transport monitoring service, which includes a data transfer tariff, a WEB-service for viewing this data on an electronic map and the device itself - a car GPS / GSM tracker pre-configured to work with MegaFon's WEB service. The user does not need to worry about the settings, about installing the equipment on the car (it is as simple as possible), about finding a suitable map service, where you can view the points and tracks of the location and movement of the car, how much GPRS traffic it will consume and how much will cost - all this has already been thought out by MegaFon and RNT experts.
The tracker itself does not require a mandatory wired connection, and it has a powerful magnet that allows it to firmly hold on any metal surface, for example, under the hood of a car. But since all antennas are built-in, the GPS receiver may receive poor signal under the hood, so it is advisable to experiment with the location of the tracker, try it in the cabin, in the trunk. MegaFon recommends installing the tracker behind the dashboard, under the rear shelf or under the hood, as close as possible to the windshield. It all depends on the features of operation, but it is desirable that it is not very far from the car outlet, as the unit needs to be recharged periodically, which includes a charger from the cigarette lighter, as well as a set of wires with terminals for connecting directly to a 12V battery car.
There is no SIM-card in the usual sense in the block. Instead, there is a SIM chip (MFF standard), which has an extended temperature range, increased fault tolerance and a “life span” compared to a conventional SIM card. The chip is soldered directly on the board, which eliminates its own replacement by the user.
Work with a conventional SIM card in the tracker is not provided, instead it has a built-in SIM chip
To activate and work the tracker does not need to start a new phone number. The service is tied to the current phone number of the user in the MegaFon company. This is also convenient from the point of view of payment, the amount is debited from the subscriber’s main account, at the time of writing this article it was 300 rubles per month, and is fixed (10 rubles per day), i.e. does not depend on the used GPRS traffic.
The tracker also has an accelerometer that is triggered by impact or movement. Accelerometer, along with GPS-receiver, is a device that generates tracker events. The logic of the device is such that if it is at rest for more than 10 minutes, then it rises independently in the so-called “security mode”. In security mode, it reports to the server information about events that occur to it at the time of their occurrence. This is especially true for accelerometer events - the impact and the beginning of the movement. After that, the tracker leaves the security mode and can transmit information about events no longer instantly, but in blocks, as it accumulates. The server, having received information from the device in protection mode that an event has happened to it, automatically informs the owner about this on its main telephone number (it is reported when the tracker is registered in the system). This can be done either by SMS or by phone call to the subscriber’s number. These settings are set by the user in the service site specially created by MegaFon.
Here the user can see the history of events and the track of his movement.
In general, the functionality of the device and the WEB-service is quite simple, but this is just not bad. After all, the service is designed for the mass user, and work with it should be as simple and clear to all. In addition, it is possible that for MegaFon this is just a test version of the service, which further implies more complex transport monitoring functions built into the hardware. The possibility of expanding the range of services, using the service as a full-fledged monitoring system, with speed control, visiting zones, an extended set of events implemented by accelerometer settings (such as loading onto a tow truck) is not excluded.
The intended audience of service users is not only motorists. It can also be a small fleet, whose owners need to quickly receive information about the location of the car. In addition, the tracker can be installed on any mobile equipment - boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, as well as movable industrial equipment, such as concrete pumps, compressors, diesel and petrol current generators. This opens up new opportunities not only for private users, but also for managing a small business, such as equipment and inventory rental.
The service is currently offered in test mode in the Moscow region. Recall in brief what it is. In essence, this is a personal transport monitoring service, which includes a data transfer tariff, a WEB-service for viewing this data on an electronic map and the device itself - a car GPS / GSM tracker pre-configured to work with MegaFon's WEB service. The user does not need to worry about the settings, about installing the equipment on the car (it is as simple as possible), about finding a suitable map service, where you can view the points and tracks of the location and movement of the car, how much GPRS traffic it will consume and how much will cost - all this has already been thought out by MegaFon and RNT experts.
The tracker itself does not require a mandatory wired connection, and it has a powerful magnet that allows it to firmly hold on any metal surface, for example, under the hood of a car. But since all antennas are built-in, the GPS receiver may receive poor signal under the hood, so it is advisable to experiment with the location of the tracker, try it in the cabin, in the trunk. MegaFon recommends installing the tracker behind the dashboard, under the rear shelf or under the hood, as close as possible to the windshield. It all depends on the features of operation, but it is desirable that it is not very far from the car outlet, as the unit needs to be recharged periodically, which includes a charger from the cigarette lighter, as well as a set of wires with terminals for connecting directly to a 12V battery car.
There is no SIM-card in the usual sense in the block. Instead, there is a SIM chip (MFF standard), which has an extended temperature range, increased fault tolerance and a “life span” compared to a conventional SIM card. The chip is soldered directly on the board, which eliminates its own replacement by the user.
Work with a conventional SIM card in the tracker is not provided, instead it has a built-in SIM chip
To activate and work the tracker does not need to start a new phone number. The service is tied to the current phone number of the user in the MegaFon company. This is also convenient from the point of view of payment, the amount is debited from the subscriber’s main account, at the time of writing this article it was 300 rubles per month, and is fixed (10 rubles per day), i.e. does not depend on the used GPRS traffic.
The tracker also has an accelerometer that is triggered by impact or movement. Accelerometer, along with GPS-receiver, is a device that generates tracker events. The logic of the device is such that if it is at rest for more than 10 minutes, then it rises independently in the so-called “security mode”. In security mode, it reports to the server information about events that occur to it at the time of their occurrence. This is especially true for accelerometer events - the impact and the beginning of the movement. After that, the tracker leaves the security mode and can transmit information about events no longer instantly, but in blocks, as it accumulates. The server, having received information from the device in protection mode that an event has happened to it, automatically informs the owner about this on its main telephone number (it is reported when the tracker is registered in the system). This can be done either by SMS or by phone call to the subscriber’s number. These settings are set by the user in the service site specially created by MegaFon.
Here the user can see the history of events and the track of his movement.
In general, the functionality of the device and the WEB-service is quite simple, but this is just not bad. After all, the service is designed for the mass user, and work with it should be as simple and clear to all. In addition, it is possible that for MegaFon this is just a test version of the service, which further implies more complex transport monitoring functions built into the hardware. The possibility of expanding the range of services, using the service as a full-fledged monitoring system, with speed control, visiting zones, an extended set of events implemented by accelerometer settings (such as loading onto a tow truck) is not excluded.
The intended audience of service users is not only motorists. It can also be a small fleet, whose owners need to quickly receive information about the location of the car. In addition, the tracker can be installed on any mobile equipment - boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, as well as movable industrial equipment, such as concrete pumps, compressors, diesel and petrol current generators. This opens up new opportunities not only for private users, but also for managing a small business, such as equipment and inventory rental.
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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/152357/
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