1) Technologies
Remootio's auto open feature uses two underlying technologies:
- Geofencing
- iBeacons
With geofencing, applications on your phone are able to know if you are inside or outside certain geographical regions (geofence regions). This allows the Remootio app to know whether you are near your Remootio device or not. Additionally the app is able to perform certain actions upon entering and/or leaving a geofence.
Using the iBeacon technology the Remootio app is able to perform certain actions if the smartphone enters or leaves the Bluetooth range of the Remootio device.
2) How Remootio's auto open feature works
2.a) Auto open zone
When users set up the feature in the app they need to define a so-called auto open zone. This auto open zone consists of two geofences (an inner circle, and an outer circle). The phone is considered to be inside the auto open zone after it enters the inner circle, and it's considered to be outside the auto open zone once it leaves the outer circle.
Auto open actions are not performed if the phone has operated the Remootio device from within the auto open zone. This prevents auto open events where the user just walks around his home and leaves/enters Bluetooth range.
2.b) When auto open is executed
After leaving the auto open zone (leaving the outer circle), the smartphone will:
- Perform auto open via the internet when it enters the auto open zone (enters the inner circle)
- Perform auto open via Bluetooth when it enters into the Bluetooth range of Remootio
(if the Remootio has not been operated yet since leaving the auto open zone)
2.c) When auto open is not executed
- If the gate or garage door is already open according to the status sensor.
- After a successful auto open the smartphone will not perform another auto open (e.g. if the phone first enters the geofence, the auto open was successful, it will not perform auto open upon entering the Bluetooth range).
- If the Remootio was already operated using the smartphone since leaving the auto open zone (e.g. if the user used the app to open the gates for himself before arriving home)
- If the auto open feature is disabled for the Remootio device. (The admin of the Remootio may decide to disable this feature for everyone)
- If the Remootio device was operated recently (in approximately the past 30 seconds). This prevents multiple auto opens from taking place if an entire family arrives home in the same car all with auto open turned on
- If the Remootio app is not running in the background. The Remootio app needs to be open in the background on the smartphone for the auto open feature to work.
3) How to enable auto open in the app
First go to the settings menu of your Remootio device, by tapping on the settings icon in the bottom right corner. Then select the option Auto open/connect.
After this tap on the enable auto open option. Read the information that pops up carefully, and make sure your electric opener is equipped with all the necessary protective equipment before proceeding.
On the screen that pops up you can set the auto open zone. When adjusting it keep the following two things in mind:
- Your phone will perform auto open shortly after entering the inner circle
- Your phone will not perform more than 1 auto open while inside the outer circle. It's recommended to select the outer circle in a way that it covers the whole area that you consider your home.
4) How to see the recent events related to auto open
The app allows users to see recent events related to auto open - such as why the gate/garage door was not automatically opened at a given time. In order to access this log:
First go to the settings menu of your Remootio device, by tapping on the settings icon in the bottom right corner. Then select the option Auto open/connect.
On this screen this tap on Options and select Show auto open history.
Bonus: How to see if the phone is inside or outside the auto open zone
First go to the settings menu of your Remootio device, by tapping on the settings icon in the bottom right corner. Then select the option Auto open/connect.
The app tells you whether the smartphone is currently inside or outside the auto open zone under the Auto open status in the explanation text area in the top of the screen.