JNMailbox

Don't go postal: check your mailbox using a JeeNode.

Stay informed about the status of your physical mailbox with a shameless amount of hardware and software.

BASIC CONCEPTS

Here I'm assuming that you've a mailbox with an upper door (the lid) from which the letters are inserted, and a front door from which it's taken out.

Once the mailman open the lid of your mailbox, a JeeNode is powered on and it immediately sends an "upper_door:open" message. If the lid is left open (and so the JeeNode powered on), after 30 seconds an "upper_door:still_open" message is sent, and the JeeNode turns itself off.

At the other end, a receiver reads the messages and presents a web interface allowing the user to acknowledge the fact that the post was collected.

HARDWARE

You will have some hardware in the mailbox to transmit the information that the mailbox was opened, and a receiver inside the home.

For the mailbox:

• a JeeNode Micro
• some batteries to power it
• a switch of some kind to power on the JeeNode, once the lid is opened

Inside the house:

• a Raspberry Pi or another low-power computer
• a JeeLink or another kind of JeeNode

SOFTWARE

Install a Raspbian or another distribution of your choice on an SD Card.

Copy these files:

• bin/jn_mailbox_daemon in /usr/local/bin; edit it to change the locations of data and pid files (also check the ACK_FILE_UID and ACK_FILE_GID variables)
• etc/init.d/jn_mailbox_daemon in /etc/init.d (also, be sure that it's run at boot, linking it in /etc/rc2.d or calling it from rc.local)
• etc/monit/jn_mailbox_daemon_monit can be (optionally) used to configure monit
• webserver/cgi-bin/jn_mailbox_serve_data must be copyed (with executable permissions) in the CGI directory of your webserver (usually /usr/lib/cgi-bin, for Apache); modify it accordingly to the changes made in the jn_mailbox_daemon script.
• the webserver/jnmailbox/ must be copied at the root directory of your webserver (usually /var/www or /var/www/html)

The Arduino software for the sender (in the mailbox) and the receiver (connected to the Raspberry Pi) can be found in the jeenode directory: copy all the directories in your sketchbook directory and upload the software to your JeeNodes.

IMPROVEMENTS

• avoid manual ACKs using another sensor at the front door
• power the JeeNode using solar cells
• improve the web interface

LICENSE

(C) 2014 Davide Alberani da@erlug.linux.it

This software is released under the terms of the MIT license.