HSBuddy and intermittent geoFencing (irritating)

[Guest]

I am sorry - had to complain today.

I noticed that I got a new update to HSBuddy (either last night or this AM), and still I am having issues with HSBuddy and the geoFencing aspects.

About my setup:

- Samsung Galaxy S10+ with Location settings enabled to HSBuddy
- HS4 Pro installed and running fine - not seeing any errors in the logs

When i get in the car - the screen lock feature is disabled once the BlueTooth in the phone connects to the car. So I can simply touch the screen and open the phone. Sometimes I connect a USB cable so that I can use Android Auto (which does not properly function over BT).

I have my geoFencing set to one level below HIGH on the HSBuddy App. I have the 'fence' set to 0.10 miles.

Here is the issue I am seeing. I leave the house, and just about the same place (either direction I go) - I get the notification sound I have set for HSBuddy that I am "AWAY" - AWESOME. It is a little more than 0.10 miles from my home - but still this is working. What is NOT WORKING is the "HOME" (Arrive) setting. 95% of the time, I am coming home from the same direction as I left. Should be getting the "ARRIVED" message about the same place. It is not. I am usually at home and have already let myself in with my Schalge Z-Wave Connect lock with a PIN, and inside sometimes up to 10 minutes before I get the SOUND and message that I am HOME.

I have cleared the cache, made sure that the APP ACCESS to the LOCATION is set, everything I can think of. Makes no sense that the AWAY feature is working, just not the HOME. Right now until I can get this all working - I have only HSBuddy sending an SMS to my phone as to the STATUS (HOME or AWAY). Once I get this working as desired I will set it to unlock doors and turn on lights.

I can see in the logs the GPS data in the logs - so i know it is seeing that I am moving.

Looking for some help.

Curtis

[avargaskun]

Hi Curtis, thank you for the detailed report. I noticed you also submitted feedback through the app, I will be taking a look at that as well and following up over email. If possible, it would be helpful if you could send a new report from the app right after you get the notification that you are HOME, to know what happened within those ~10 minutes in between your arrival and the app updating the location.

One random thought, perhaps it would help to set HSBuddy as a 'never sleeping app'. I recently switched from an iPhone to a Samsung phone and noticed geolocation data was a little laggy. I added HSBuddy to the list of 'never sleeping apps' via: Settings -> Battery and device care -> Battery -> Background usage limits -> Never sleeping apps. I think geolocation has been more predictable since I made that change but can't be 100% sure it was related. In any case, it may be worth giving it a try.

[Guest]

Hi Curtis, thank you for the detailed report. I noticed you also submitted feedback through the app, I will be taking a look at that as well and following up over email. If possible, it would be helpful if you could send a new report from the app right after you get the notification that you are HOME, to know what happened within those ~10 minutes in between your arrival and the app updating the location.

One random thought, perhaps it would help to set HSBuddy as a 'never sleeping app'. I recently switched from an iPhone to a Samsung phone and noticed geolocation data was a little laggy. I added HSBuddy to the list of 'never sleeping apps' via: Settings -> Battery and device care -> Battery -> Background usage limits -> Never sleeping apps. I think geolocation has been more predictable since I made that change but can't be 100% sure it was related. In any case, it may be worth giving it a try.

I will give that a try --- I just find it ODD that I ALWAYS get the "Curtis is AWAY" SMS message - just not the "Curtis is HOME" SMS. I am using that only now as a test - before I start running an EVENT to "do" things.

I did change the geoFencing to the highest ACCURACY setting on Saturday - has made no difference.

If you need me to collect anything, let me know.

Curtis

[joegr]

I will give that a try --- I just find it ODD that I ALWAYS get the "Curtis is AWAY" SMS message - just not the "Curtis is HOME" SMS. I am using that only now as a test - before I start running an EVENT to "do" things.

I did change the geoFencing to the highest ACCURACY setting on Saturday - has made no difference.

If you need me to collect anything, let me know.

Curtis

This is a little off topic, but I am doing the same thing you are trying, automated home/away for household members. I'm still using Geofency, but I am interested in switching to HSbuddy if it didn't drain my phone battery so much. Anyway, same problem as you - delayed home indication. My solution is to use Jon00's bluetooth plugin. It's been pretty reliable at detecting our presence within seconds on getting home. I still need the Geo fencing too, because the phones will drop the bluetooth after being home a while. So, Geo Fence to detect away, and bluetooth to detect home.

[Guest]

Hi Curtis, thank you for the detailed report. I noticed you also submitted feedback through the app, I will be taking a look at that as well and following up over email. If possible, it would be helpful if you could send a new report from the app right after you get the notification that you are HOME, to know what happened within those ~10 minutes in between your arrival and the app updating the location.

One random thought, perhaps it would help to set HSBuddy as a 'never sleeping app'. I recently switched from an iPhone to a Samsung phone and noticed geolocation data was a little laggy. I added HSBuddy to the list of 'never sleeping apps' via: Settings -> Battery and device care -> Battery -> Background usage limits -> Never sleeping apps. I think geolocation has been more predictable since I made that change but can't be 100% sure it was related. In any case, it may be worth giving it a try.

Avargaskun,

Update. I have made the changes on the GALAXY S10+ to never sleep the HSBUDDY app - and it is still set to the HIGHEST LEVEL of Accuracy for GPS/geoFencing.

Still having the issues with HOME (not triggering until I am already inside the house). I noticed yesterday on my 2 trips from home - the AWAY is now also being delayed. I was over 2.5 miles from the house before I got the notice I was away.

I will willing to help you with what every you need. Just give me steps as to what you want me to SET, HOW TO COLLECT, and WHEN TO COLLECT - and then how to get to you. I am more than willing, as I want to get this fixed.

SIDE NOTE: I have noticed that HSBUDDY and the events seem to behave much better - if I have recently rebooted the system where it is running. (Specs: IBM Thinkpad T61, 4GB RAM, 120GB SSD, Windows 7 Pro (fully updatred), MS Security Essentials - nothing else installed (running))

Curtis

p.s. -- I have removed...all but 2 items from my SMARTTHINGS app on the phone, and I have disabled it's geoFencing aspects as well - so I am hoping that would have helped.

[Guest]

This is a little off topic, but I am doing the same thing you are trying, automated home/away for household members. I'm still using Geofency, but I am interested in switching to HSbuddy if it didn't drain my phone battery so much. Anyway, same problem as you - delayed home indication. My solution is to use Jon00's bluetooth plugin. It's been pretty reliable at detecting our presence within seconds on getting home. I still need the Geo fencing too, because the phones will drop the bluetooth after being home a while. So, Geo Fence to detect away, and bluetooth to detect home.

Joe,

I looked into that as well. Currently the Laptop (which may be replaced) does not have BlueTooth. Although I am no longer seeing that plug-in in the HS4 >> Plugins >> Add.

I have built out a new HP t610 Thin Client with 8GB RAM, Windows 10 Pro and waiting on the mini PCIe card to add BlueTooth and WiFi to it.

Currently my phone (GALAXY S10+) connects to my car when I get in - via BlueTooth, and I have a phone system in the house which connects to the phone once I am home about 5 minutes. It allows me to leave my phone laying some place near the base and when it rings - extensions in my office, bedroom, den, and garage ring as well. Like a cordless phone system which uses my phone instead a wire to to the TelCo.

That setup has been working for 5+ years.

Curtis

[Kevb]

You may want to check your logs regarding when HS sees you cross the geofence and check the time you actually cross, and get the notification. I have HSBuddy flip a virtual switch and send a notification to my phone when my wife crosses the geofence. I've noticed the switch is flipped at the correct time, but at times I've gotten the messages late. I've guessed that it is an issue with the notifications, not the geofence. Most of the time it is dead on for me.

[Guest]

UPDATE - UPDATE

I know it has been a while since I posted in here...been busy post-pandemic at work.

I finally added my SCHLAGE locks to HomeSeer 4 and modified my GeoFencing event to LOCK and UNLOCK a when i come and go. So far the UNLOCK my side-door is working as I desire, I get out of my car and the door is already unlocked...no more entering my PIN.

I still not getting ACCURATE SMS messages which this event happens,,,many times I am in the house 4-10 minutes before I get the notification sound., The same goes for the Notification I have left. This is very annoying. This now is my only complaint of this process/plug-in.

I also been trying to figure out how to put a delay in the GEOFENCE. There are times when I may be running errands and drive through the GeoFence. Is there a way to check that I have been in the 'fence' say 30-60 seconds - before in unlocks the door? Since I am not getting "Accurate' notifications - this would be ideal, I am hoping that when I pass into the fence and back out - if the doors UNLOCKED....they RELOCK when I am not longer in the fence.

Any advice?

Curtis

[Kevb]

You could have an event triggered by entering the geofence unlock the door after a delay of xx seconds, and another event triggered by leaving the geofence that cancels the delayed action for the lock, then locks it (in case it's unlocked).

[Guest]

You could have an event triggered by entering the geofence unlock the door after a delay of xx seconds, and another event triggered by leaving the geofence that cancels the delayed action for the lock, then locks it (in case it's unlocked).

I am not following you. Here is what I have for my 2 GeoFencing Events - and I am using HSBuddy

[Kevb]

Unlock the door after waiting (a delay, not WAIT) 45 seconds. When leaving the geofence, cancel the delayed device action on the lock. That way the command to lock the door in 45 seconds is cancelled and won't happen if you leave the geofence before 45 seconds.

[Guest]

Kevb,

This sort of makes sense....but sort of confusing as hell. Trying to figure out what you have done with these EVENTS.

Does this look right?



Curtis

[Kevb]

Edit: I mistyped in my earlier reply. I meant for you to UNLOCK the door after 45 seconds, not LOCK. I corrected it. You will need to unlock the door after delay of xx time, then your "cancel" event will work. Sorry for the error.

There's a very good writeup on delayed device actions in the HS3 Event Clinic. It still applies to HS4. In essence, when you have an event like the first one I posted, where the door unlocks after waiting xx time, a temporary (unseen) event is written to unlock the door in xx time. This temporary event is deleted once the action takes place. The "Cancel a delayed device action" deletes the temporary event right away. The clinic explains this better than I can.

I use this type of event for a bath fan. If the bath light turns off, and the fan is on, the event turns the fan off after 6 minutes. If the bath light turns on, it cancels that delayed device action on the fan. That way, if the light is off and the fan is still running, and someone turns the bath light on to take a shower, the fan won't turn off automatically (i.e., while they're still in the shower). Hope this helps.

[Guest]

Kevb,

This what I have.--- I still cannot get the PUSH NOTIFICATION to work. :-(

[Kevb]

Not sure about the push notifications, mine have been working pretty well.