Devices

In the MobileTrack Nexus Suite, various types of devices can be integrated and managed. These include mobile phones, fall alarms, door sensors, GPS trackers, and other IoT devices. Each device type serves a specific purpose, such as monitoring safety (fall alarms), tracking location (GPS trackers), or providing communication (mobile phones with SIM cards).

  Note

As far as the data and the receivers/handlers are concerned, there is no real distinction between devices. A device is a device, and the data it sends is processed in the same way, regardless of its type. The device receiver only functions as a translator.

A device can contain GPS location services, but it is not a requirement. It can contain an SMS card for direct communication, but it is not a requirement. And so on.

Communication Methods

1. Cloud Communication

Devices can communicate with the cloud using device receivers. These receivers act as intermediaries, collecting data from devices and forwarding it to the cloud for further processing. This method is not mandatory but is commonly used for devices that need to send data regularly or in real-time, such as GPS trackers or sensors.

2. Direct Communication via Azure Communication Services

For devices equipped with SIM cards, such as mobile phones, direct communication is possible through Azure Communication Services. This service enables voice and video calls, SMS, and other forms of direct communication between devices and users. It is particularly useful for real-time alerts or communications, such as a fall alarm triggering a call to emergency contacts.

Data Processing and Forwarding

Once a device sends data, it is received by the device receiver in the cloud. The receiver parses the data to extract relevant information, such as location, status, or sensor readings. This parsed data is then forwarded to the appropriate background services within the Nexus suite. These services are responsible for tasks such as storing data, triggering alerts, or updating dashboards. The architecture ensures that data flows smoothly and securely from devices to the end-user interface or other integrated systems.

Device Management

In the Nexus Portal or through the REST API, devices are managed through the web portal, where users can configure settings, group devices into Environments, and monitor their status. This management capability allows organizations to have a centralized view of all their devices, easily handle maintenance, and respond quickly to alerts or issues.

Connection strings

There are three ways to identify a device; using its IMEI[1] number, its MAC Address[2] or an alternative identifier. Multiple identifiers can be used for a single device. If an identifier is entered, it must be in a valid format and not be used by any other device (regardless of who owns it).

  • Imei Numbers must only contain numbers and be 15 or 16 digits in length. If the number is 15 digits long, this means the 15th digit is a check digit. If the number is 16 digits long, the 15-16th digits are the Software Version Number. In the case of 15 digits, we use the last digits to validate the rest of the number using the Luhn algorithm[3]. Imei numbers are stored in binary format inside the ImeiNumber structure.

  • Mac-Addresses must be in the format of 6 pairs of hexadecimal characters, separated (or not) by special characters. For example,

    C#
    00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E
    or
    C#
    00+-+1A+-+2B+-+3C+-+4D+-+5E
    are both valid formats. These will be parsed into 6 bytes inside the MacAddress structure.

  • Alternative connection strings are used for devices that deviate from the standard. These can be any string of characters, but trailing and leading whitespace will be removed.

Bibliography

[1] Special Mobile Group Technical Committee of the ETSI, Digital cellular telecommunications system; International Mobile station Equipment Identities (IMEI) (GSM 02.16), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_gts/02/0216/05.00.00_60/gsmts_0216v050000p.pdf
[2] IEEE Standards Association, MAC-Address format standard, IEEE, https://www.ieee802.org/1/files/public/docs2020/yangsters-smansfield-mac-address-format-0420-v01.pdf
[3] GeeksForGeeks, GeeksForGeeks: Luhn Algorithm, GeeksForGeeks, https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/luhn-algorithm/

See Also