Arduino RFID Door Lock

Step 5 Expand

This is only some of the cool stuff you can do with RFID. You could expand this much further with a LCD output, logging of who enters and when, network/twitter connection etc. I plan on making a finished PCB version of this circuit. I have never made a PCB before so I am still working on the design and layout of the parts. Once I have them complete I will post them as well. I encourage anyone to take the code I have written and modify it to do even more cool things!

Comments

[pingywon]

I own a pizzeria and the delivery drivers come in and out of the back door all the time. I have taken your schematic and the modified version of your code (including the eraser card) and modded it myself a little further. I am currently installing this as a system on my back door. I have currently finished all the wiring and am just waiting for a few more parts from spark fun. I have made some changes to fit my actual wants and needs of the location, but overall it is the same lay-out. The whole project has proven REALLY fun so far and I hope to have it all wrapped up with in a week or so.

[pcmofo]

 Thats awesome! Glad to see you are getting some practical use out of my project. I am etching some prototype boards this week and hope to permanently install it on my garage brewery this week.

[pingywon]

So like I said it should be a week later and my project is all done. I have some pics and am uploading a "demo" video to you tube right now. I used RJ45 to run everything and with the 8pins there was one short coming of my version of the project. I will let all of you be the judge to see if you can figure it out. The whole system performs flawlessly....so far anyway.

If there is anyone who decides to do anything else with this code I would really love to see it or even help you test it.


The vid link doesnt show up as a reply. I'll make another post with it.

[pcmofo]

 Wow, I am impressed. You did a really nice job of  throwing that together without using a PCB. I like the eraser card code as well. I cant wait to get mine up and running as well. I hope you had fun building this. It looks like it turned out really nice. 

[pingywon]

Thanks man. I really appreciate that. I havent soldered anything this "complicated" in about 2 years, so my soldering started out terrible and by the time I was done it was looking great. I wanted to go back and resolder the whole thing, but I decided to leave good enough alone.

The "outside board" with the rfid reader... I enclosed it in a water proof box, but I also took the time to "paint" all the connection with "Liquid Electrical tape" to help water/moisture proof the whole thing.

Like I had said before if anyone had an additions to the code or design, I would love to see it. Maybe even impliment some of it.

[pcmofo]

 Nice! someone here made a PCB design to get the boards printed... I am going to print and etch my own reader board to fit a small electronic enclosure and mount it outside like you have done. It's under a patto so it should not be too exposed. For now I am going to leave the breadboard inside so I can play with the code more.

I designed the circuit diagram so you can still connect a programmer and reprogram it. I really like the idea of a master erase card. One idea I thought of is to have a "programming" master card... then a function card, like... "Add" "Erase" "Erase All" etc. which would allow more customized programming. I'm thinking stuff like one-time-access, access at a specific time of day or span of days.... say someone is coming to do electrical work.. they can go in and out all day but the card wont work the next day etc....

Also planning on using a networked RFID system to track and identify customers/beers we are brewing in the brewery.... so planning on using the same readers and tags for everything.... such that anyone carrying a empty keg into the brewery gets access via the keg because clearly they are helping carry heavy things and dont have time to mess with keys.... or the same tag for a friend may allow them to pour as much beer as they want and pay later but not access into the brewery unless I authorize it etc....

So basically I have lots of plans for RFID and this door reader is only the beginning. 

Working on an arduino remote car starter next... may or may not have RFID... but I expect to be playing around with both sets of code regardless soon. 

[pingywon]

I like the idea of one time use cards or "day pass" cards. In order for this system to meet my needs perfectly it would need to have an hours of operation type feature. So that my workers would not be able to enter the door in the middle of the night (11pm-7am) but at the same time I would like my card to work.
That is a feature I would like.
I also think im going to put a simple switch push button on the Arduino RX line so that I can push the button and break the connection between the ardunio and the ID-12 so that I can just jack in to the black box inside housing the ardunio to change the code. instead of having to curently open the box and disconnect the wire.
I was going to use software serial, but I just wanted to get the project done.

Please let me know as you make any new code. I would love you review it and possibly even help test it.

[pcmofo]

After a couple prototypes and attempts I have worked out all of the bugs and published the updated PCB designs and schematics. I also embeded a video on the main page showing the new boards and the system working in action. Im looking into getting boards made somewhere incase others would like to order them.

[montugar]

hey, i was wondering if you could use a 328 chip instead of the 168, from what ive been able to dig up, there isnt much diference. ill look up their datasheets to make sure

[Techno Dancer]

128 and 328 are almost exactly the same things. The 328 should work.

[usamasiraj]

Hi i have done some modification to the code, so now we have 3 master cards, 1 for programming a new card, 2 for deleting an already entered card, 3 for deleting all the cards stored in EEPROM. Also if 3 unprogrammed card are detected in a row it will turn on the alarm (as a safe side if someone else is trying) the alarm can be turned of by the master programming card or by the reset switch on the board. also u can open the door by the master programming card by tapping it twice.......................and it all worked.............

[pcmofo]

That sounds really cool. Can you send me the updated code so I can post it?

[usamasiraj]

sure why not..................but what is your email address..........

[pcmofo]

pcmofo [at] gmail [dot] com

[usamasiraj]

I've already sent u the code by instructable's msg.........

[acherman]

Hi guys, were you able to find time to upload these code changes? Being able to erase lost/stolen cards would be a great feature. Great work, by the way. Good write-up.

[usamasiraj]

Ive sent the code to the author and he has the right ro upload it..Please request him to do so....Thank you

[pcmofo]

I am working on getting that up now.

[vinhtvu2]

Hey, I'm ordering the parts to try this experiment now, just curious, how many pins does the RFID reader take up? Also, will 12v power to the door lock mechanism work along Cat5 cable? I hear cat5 is capable up to 40v... So the Arduino can control 12V power? you dont need a relay or anything? I've always thought you need a relay? Sorry for a lot of questions, I'm doing a huge home automation project, and this will fit in just right. Thanks for the great tutorial!

[pingywon]

You an find the pin out for the ID12/20 anywhere on the net including the manufactueres website. I dont have the pin out in front of me. but to answer your other question, you can run any parts of this project over CAT V. even the 12v DC for the door strike. You dont need a relay (actually recommend against it) but you will need a transistor and prolly a zener diode to prevent backflow of the 12v DC after the door strike disengages. ... i dont know too much..but thats what I did.....and it works

[azaroth08]

 Very good and clever.  Im a little curious about how you could add a log.  It sounds like a challenge :P

[pcmofo]

 you could store a log in memory storing the date and time + the number of the ID that was accessed. Using the ATmega168 is not too practical for this though. If I do that it will be using a network adaptor and sending the log information over the internet. 

At the very least you could store the last 10 people to enter or something along those lines and pull it back out with additional code. 

[jewelzc4]

also the addition of an SD adapter for data logging purposes could work if a network connection is not desirable. This would take care of memory space issues on the ATmega.

[tyler9613]

Two questions at once o.0

How can you add an LCD if you're already using your serial for the RFID reader?

[pcmofo]

You would use the Tx line to get serial data into the LCD and the Rx line to receive data from the RFID reader. Data goes in from the reader and out to the LCD. One serial port, but two connections. This should work with the existing hardware. I am able to "see" the serial data as I swipe the RFID cards on the serial port on the computer. I have to disconnect the Rx line from the reader when I reprogram the arduino as it requires both the Tx and Rx lines during programing. After that, leaving the serial to usb programmer attached shows the serial output.

[Techno Dancer]

You could use a normal lcd screen and wire it up (somehow) as the arduino librarys have them supported (ladyada.net/learn/lcd)