Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Discussion about Z-Uno product. Visit http://z-uno.z-wave.me for more details.
Qbic2007
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 May 2018 00:45

Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Qbic2007 »

Hello guys

My plan is to make a few Nfc badge readers that connect wirelessly to a ‘controller’
The badge code (assume about 40 bytes) must be send to the controller for evaluation.
For clear security and practical reasons i don’t want to evaluate the badge code on the arduino.

Would such be possible with the z-uno?
I have been looking through the documentation for a ‘text’ variable that i can (ab-)use, but did not find anything useful to expose on the z-wave side. Maybe i overlooked? Or maybe such is not allowed/foreseen on z-wave? Transmission speeds seem high enough to deal with it though.

Some more details:
- Nfc reader: seeed grove Nfc shield -> lib for reading out on arduino
- arduino: z-uno or esp32 (wifi enabled arduino feather board), will use html get and post if wireless
- total size ~2x5x4 cm. = crucial
- encryption, aes optional
petergebruers
Posts: 255
Joined: 26 Jul 2015 17:29

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by petergebruers »

I never saw a "text" variable. I think Z-Wave does allow a manufacturer to transfer arbitrary data, but it is somewhat special. But even If Z-Uno supported this... you still need some support on the controller, so that would be your next problem. If you own a Fibaro RGBW you might have seen it supports "programs". I think that is an example of such a special custom transfer of large data. Editing programs is only possible on a homecenter. Also their FGT-001 allows transfer of "log data" but again, only on a homecenter, because they know how to handle that transfer. As far as I can tell, other controllers cannot do that.

I am thinking out loud. I think, you could define a bunch of "sensors" but it is not that easy. I toyed with Lux on a homecenter. it can report 0-32767 so 15 bits. It would take 22 sensors to transfer 40 bytes. Nah. ;)

Mayby someone else has a better idea...
Qbic2007
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 May 2018 00:45

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Qbic2007 »

@Peter, thank you for thinking out loud, good thinking. Not very practical indeed, I could update the lux value 22 times, then I only need one sensor :D
However I read somewhere that z-wave has very strict update rate policy, so I'd probably have to wait for eternity to get all the bytes transferred :roll:
petergebruers
Posts: 255
Joined: 26 Jul 2015 17:29

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by petergebruers »

Well... I thought the same, to make some super-slow-but-usable-transfer-protocol. Transmit to Z-Uno by setting multi-level (dimmer) 0-99, and reply by setting some dummy sensor. Device some handshake protocol. Hmmm... Probably just as fast as morse code ;-) Yes, unsolicited reports every 30 second. But since you can poll the device for status... I think that limit does not apply. You go for ESP32 then?
Qbic2007
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 May 2018 00:45

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Qbic2007 »

@Peter

Go for the ESP32 ? Seems I will have little other option, but it will be a lot harder to make it just as plug and play
- activate WPS
- identification of unit -> by mac?
- more work on the server side (domoticz by the way)
- and last AES encryption does not come automatically like with z-wave)
You see why I would have prefered the z-wave route ;)

Either way it will be a nice project for the next few weeks/month.
Keep an eye on the this or domoticz forum for updates if you like to follow, I plan to share. ;)
Black Cat
Posts: 62
Joined: 02 Mar 2016 00:52

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Black Cat »

Apparently some of the new Oomi devices support NFC for seamless integration with their system, so it may be possible, how it is implemented I have no idea.
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PoltoS
Posts: 7562
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 19:36

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by PoltoS »

We plan to add EntryControl Command Class pretty soon (for our NFC device ;). It allows to send the code of the card right to the controller. This will make your task absolutelly feasibly.

Currently our NFC tag reader uses zunoSendDbg to send arbitrary data (we use 6 bytes only) to transfer the card number to the controller. This is a durty hack, but works with Z-Way
Qbic2007
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 May 2018 00:45

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Qbic2007 »

@Poltos, thank you for the info.

Do you happen to have an approximate timeline on this Command Class?
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PoltoS
Posts: 7562
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 19:36

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by PoltoS »

June/July

We are about to make another release before doing this Command Class
Qbic2007
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 May 2018 00:45

Re: Z-uno Nfc badge reader

Post by Qbic2007 »

@PoltoS
Thanks for the update, fits perfect with my planning, was about to start (effectively) in august/september, finish ideally in november/december. :)
Looking forward to see the new command class being added.
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