Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Wi-Fi instead of NFC

wifi

Nov 5, 2012
1
Joined
Nov 5, 2012
Messages
1
Guys,

Please give me a suggestion on the following problem.

We are planning to install automatic roadway gates and stuck with payment solution. One of the ways to make payment must be based on smartphones. NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 interfaces are perfectly fit for this challenge and supposed to work in the following way: a driver comes to a gate, launches a special app (iOS and Android), touches a sensor on the gate by the smartphone, the gate system recognizes the smartphone by an ID and opens the gate. There is a problem here - not every model of modern smartphones has NFC and BT4.0 interfaces. As an alternative solution could be a Wi-Fi - we can install a micro wi-fi access point with THE SAME ID on EACH gate of the gates row. The power of each Wi-Fi access points shall be low to avoid collisions between gates and their false response.

So questions:
1) what drawbacks does this solution can have and ways to overcome them?
2) to decrease the initialization time between a smartphone and a micro wi-fi network (ideally it shall be 3-5 sec.) is it possible to use the following solution: install a "big" wi-fi network that covers all gates in the row to make drivers' phones "catch" the wi-fi network in advance (e.g. waiting in a queue of cars) and then make a kind of handover to a micro wi-fi network of a particular gate when the phone within its field?
3) what wi-fi chip can you recommend to use for the design of the micro wi-fi network?
4) maybe some other idea "how smartphone can manage a particular gate" pops-up in your mind?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!
 

donkey

Feb 26, 2011
1,301
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
1,301
ok from my experience with smartphones I am telling you now I will never ever ever ever put my credit card details on something that can be easily stolen. also if someone else gets my phone they could clone it and then multiple users could use multiple phones but only one person will be charged.

anyway 1) how good are you at data encryption? having a wifi network means its open to computers accessing it, which allows hacking which allows problems. the software security must be top grade.
2) if you creat a big networks you could have an app that you simply tell the network which gate you are at and it opens it like a garage door.
4) how many gates you got in mind? if people use a particuliar entrance they should be able to set that as favourites.

depending on where your from there are items like etags that are used to check people in and out, most of them are on toll roads. using a certain code it will give you access to said persons account and charge them on entry/exit. have a toll booth for the other people who haven't paid with someone inside it.
depending on how much you are willing to spend you could go all out and get a super duper application here but I would advise against it. cameras to record number plates on entrance and exit using the tap and go credit cards might be the simplest way
 
Top