Design and Implementation of a Bluetooth based General Purpose Controlling Module

Bluetooth is a high end wireless technology designed for short range communications with high means of integrity. The application of Bluetooth technology for remote monitoring and control is an evolving concept in automation. However, in these applications, the controller which is controlled via Bluetooth technology or the sensor which transmits the sensed values via Bluetooth technology is application-specific. On the other hand, more productivity can be achieved by making the module general purpose, such that it can be used for wide range of applications. In fact, the general purpose concept can be applied to a selected set of devices with standard data interfaces, by making the system general purpose to the developer rather than the end user. In this work, a general purpose controlling module is designed with the capability of controlling and sensing up to five devices simultaneously. The communication between the controlling module and the remote server is done using Bluetooth technology. The server can communicate with many such modules simultaneously. The module can handle both analog and digital devices provided with suitable interfaces designed by the developer. Furthermore, an Application Programming Interface (API) is introduced to the developer for absorbing the benefits of the controller. A remote monitoring and controlling system was successfully developed using the proposed module and the system was deployed for an application of home automation with a selected set of electrical appliances.