A smart bluetooth-based ad hoc management system for appliances in home environments

Abstract

The number of home devices integrating new technologies is continuously increasing. These advances allow us to improve our daily routines. In addition, the improvement in network infrastructure and the development of smart phones and mobile devices allow us access from any place to any of our systems over the Internet. Bearing in mind this idea, we have developed a low-cost ad hoc protocol based on Bluetooth technology that allows us to control all our home appliances and monitor the power consumption of our homes. Our proposal is based on an Android application installed on a mobile device which acts as server. The application allows users to program the various appliances. It is also able to check the status of the appliance, as well as controlling the power consumption of the house and its cost. The system is equipped with a smart algorithm able to manage all appliances and decide which ones should work as a function of various criteria such as time of day or power consumption. Finally, the system is able to detect faults in water and electricity supply for acting accordingly. All data received and sent by the server are stored in a database which the system can check and compare to make their own decisions. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.