GSM BASED HOME SECURITY SYSTEM WITH ANDROID

INTERFACE: PROPOSAL

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION ENGINEERING IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A DEGREE IN
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
ENGINEERING AT JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND
TECHNOLOGY

AUTHORS:

CHEGE BENSON KAMURI ENE221-0283/2016

WASONGA WICLIFFE ENE221-0122/2017

BSc. TELECOMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION ENGINEERING

JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

2023
PROJECT REPORT: GSM BASED HOME SECURITY SYSTEM WITH

ANDROID INTERFACE

i
 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP

We the undersigned solemnly declare that the project report is based on our work
carried out during the course of our study under the supervision of Dr. Antony Onim. We
assert that all the sources that we have used have been acknowledged by means of
complete references and that the work has not been submitted before for degree award in
any other institution in Kenya or abroad.

Name: Chege Benson Kamuri Signature……………………….

Reg. Number: ENE221 Date: 06/09/2023

0283/2016

Name: Wasonga Wicliffe Signature……………………….

Reg. Number: ENE221- Date: 06/09/2023

0122/2017

SUPERVISOR CONFIRMATION

This is to certify that this project documentation has been submitted to the

Department of Telecommunication and Information Engineering as part of the final year

project submission requirements, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and

Technology, with my supervision and direction:

Name: Dr. Antony Onim Position in the Institution: Assistant

Lecturer

ii
 Signature………………………. Date: 06/09/2023

ABSTRACT

The security of one's belongings when a person leaves his/her house is always a

concern with increasing number of incidents of burglary and house breaking. Everyone

wants to live securely in his/her house. Everybody wants to keep themselves and their

property safe or secure from various incidents like theft in their house. The most common

security systems include the use of basic lock and key, keeping security dogs in the

premises, employment of security guards and the use of Closed Circuit Television

(CCTV). Traditional lock and key systems are vulnerable to breakage and use of master

or duplicate keys. Employment of security guards or use of trained security dogs may

prove very expensive, while the use of CCTV systems relies heavily on internet

connection for remote access. This project aims to design a system that detects the

attempt or occurrence of a break-in into a premise, notify the home owner of a possible

break-in into their home via a notification on their phone and enable the owner to

remotely trigger an alarm in their home. It also aims to develop an android application

that receives, interprets and processes alert notifications received from the security

system at home.

iii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP.............................................................................ii
ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................iii
List of Figures...................................................................................................................vi
Acronyms..........................................................................................................................vii
1.0 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................1
1.2 Problem Statement...................................................................................................2
1.3 Justification...............................................................................................................3
1.4 General Objective....................................................................................................3
1.5 Specific Objectives...................................................................................................3
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................4
2.1 Previous Automated Home Security Projects.......................................................4
2.1.1 Laser- based security systems.............................................................................4
2.1.2 Security for Smart Home based on GSM technology.........................................5
2.1.3 Home security system using internet of things...................................................5
2.1.4 Home security alert system using passive infrared sensor..................................5
2.1.5 Home automation, safety and security system using android mobile phone......6
2.1.6 Empowering Home Security through GSM Integration......................................6
2.1.7 Seamless User Interaction via Android Interface................................................6
2.1.8 GSM-Enabled Intrusion Alert System................................................................7
2.1.9 User-Centric Design of Android Interfaces for Security Apps...........................7
2.1.10 GSM and Android Integration for Elderly Care................................................7
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS................................................................................8
3.1 System components....................................................................................................9
3.1.1 Magnetic sensor...................................................................................................9
3.1.2 Smoke Sensors..................................................................................................10

iv
 3.1.3 Microcontroller..................................................................................................11
3.1.4 GSM Module.....................................................................................................12
3.1.5 Android Application..........................................................................................13
3.2 Proposed methodology.............................................................................................14
4.0 EXPECTED RESULTS............................................................................................16
REFERENCES................................................................................................................18
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................18

v
 List of Figures

Figure 1: Block Diagram of the Proposed System

Figure 2: Magnetic Reed Switch

Figure 3: Magnet and Reed Switch

Figure 4: Atmega328 microcontroller

Figure 5: GSM Module

Figure 6: 3X4 and 4X4 Keypads

Figure 7: Proposed system flow chart

vi
 Acronyms

GSM…...…………………………………… Global System for Mobile Communications

SMS…...……………………………………………Short Message Service

GPRS…...……………………………………………General packet radio service

OS…...……………………………………………Operating System

CCTV…...…………………………………………… Closed Circuit Television

LDR…...……………………………………………Light Dependent Resistor

IoT…...……………………………………………Internet of Things

WiFi…...……………………………………………Wireless Fidelity

PIR…...……………………………………………. Passive Infrared

CPU…...……………………………………………. Central Processing Unit

vii
 1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Information

Nowadays many times we hear news about house robbery or theft in some houses,

bungalows, and flats. These robberies or thefts take place when nobody is in the house or

in some cases we find that robberies take place even if people are in their houses. In case

of robbery, it would be beneficial if we can blow some alarms. Let’s take an example we

are out of our home and theft is going on in our house. In such cases if we are alerted

about theft then we can inform our neighbors or security agencies, then they can take

some appropriate action so that this theft can be avoided. We also know that duplicate

keys can be created within a few minutes and also key duplication is easy. These are the

disadvantages of a traditional locking system which uses a key and a lock. This calls for

the need of more smart security systems.

Many automated systems have been developed which alert the owner in a remote

location about any intrusion or attempt to intrude in the house. Microcontrollers have

been extensively used in past projects. However, we look into the development of an

Android application which interprets the message a mobile device receives on possible

intrusion and subsequently sends a reply (Short Message Service) SMS which triggers an

alarm/buzzer in the remote house making others aware of the possible intrusion. The

Android application offers better user interface than the microcontrollers and portability

since it can be installed in a new phone easily.

viii
 Controlling home appliances remotely with mobile applications have started

becoming quite popular due to the exponential rise in use of mobile devices. There have

been many applications that exploit the use of GSM/GPRS facility of the handset. Mobile

handsets today are essentially handheld computers with integrated mobile radio

communication capabilities. With increasing usage of GSM, network services are

expanded beyond speech communication to incorporate many other custom applications,

machine automation and machine to machine communication. We shall discuss an

approach where an authorized remote mobile user receives an SMS when a third party

tries to enter his house in a remote location. The minimum requirement at the user end is

that the mobile device should have an Android Operating System (OS). Android is a

java-based operating system which runs on the Linux 2.6 kernel. It's lightweight and full

featured. Android applications are developed using Java and can be ported to new

platform easily thereby fostering a huge number of useful mobile applications.

1.2 Problem Statement

One of the most important safety system and required for all social groups is

home security. Houses need to be monitored at all times for security threats such as theft,

burglary and break-ins. Recently, the rate of crimes involving burglary and house

breaking is increasing and worrying all of us. Recent statistics from the National Crime

Research Centre show crimes involving burglary and house breaking to be at 47.6% in

Nairobi, 78.4% in Mombasa, 55.4% in Kisumu, 44.5% in Nakuru and 58.7% nationally

for the year 2020. [1]

ix
 Home surveillance systems must be upgraded to be more effective to keep up

with the increasing crime rate. Nowadays, the security level is very important, always

emphasized and enhanced system. Different ways of security system have been used such

as use of security officers, the use of security dogs, the use of alarms and CCTV

monitoring systems through the production of electronic hardware and software and

much more. All of this improvement depends on their usage.

1.3 Justification
Majority of the existing home security systems rely heavily on internet

connectivity, which poses a significant challenge in areas with limited or unstable

internet access. This limitation creates a vulnerability that can be exploited by intruders,

leaving homes and residents at risk. This challenges can be addressed by use of GSM-

based security systems that operate independently without need for internet connectivity.

1.4 General Objective

Designing an automated home security system that detects a break-in attempt into

a premise and presence of a fire and automatically notifies the home owner and has the

ability to set off an alarm.

1.5 Specific Objectives

 To design a system that detects the attempt or occurrence of a break-in

into a premise using a magnetic sensor.

x
  To design a system that detects the presence of fire in a premise using a

smoke sensor.

 To design a system that notifies the home owner on their phone of a

possible break-in into their home by use of a GSM Modem.

 To develop an android application that receives, interprets and processes

alert notifications received from the security system at home.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

To develop this project, we will build upon previous literature on the subject. The

convergence of GSM technology with home security systems, accompanied by Android

interfaces, has opened new horizons for real-time monitoring and control. This literature

review aims to encapsulate the existing body of research concerning GSM-based home

security systems with Android interfaces.

2.1 Previous Automated Home Security Projects

Different projects have attempted to implement automated home security

monitoring and alert systems using varied technologies.

2.1.1 Laser- based security systems

The use of laser rays and LDR sensor to detect intrusion using their movement

was proposed in 2016 [2]. The way the system works is that a laser is focused towards a

LDR sensor and the moment that the contact of laser to LDR sensor breaks, the alarm

xi
connected to the sensor goes off alerting the neighbors and sends a SMS to the owner.

This system solves the problem of covering the places which are out of range from the

fixed cameras but faces the same difficulties which are faced with systems consisting of

GSM modules to send text messages, which is that the delivery of message is dependent

on network coverage. Also due to the nature of lasers being a straight beam, it can be

avoided by intruders who know about the system and are capable of dodging the lasers,

rendering the whole system vulnerable.

2.1.2 Security for Smart Home based on GSM technology

Design and Implementation of Security for Smart Home based on GSM

technology was discussed by Govinda et al. [3] that provides two methods to implement

home security using IoT. One is using web cameras such that whenever there is any

motion detected by the camera, it sounds an alarm and sends a mail to the owner. This

method of detecting intrusion is quite good, albeit somewhat expensive due to the cost of

the cameras involved in the process. The cameras need to be of good quality which

means it should have a wide range and the picture quality should be high enough to detect

movement. Also if you go for movable cameras such as dome cameras they will cost

even more than the fixed ones.

xii
2.1.3 Home security system using internet of things
Anitha A [4] used IoT to create an inexpensive security system for homes as well

as industrial use. The system would inform the owner about any unauthorized entry or

whenever the door is opened by sending a notification to the user. After the user gets the

notification, he can take the necessary actions. The security system used a

microcontroller known as Arduino Uno to interface between the components, a magnetic

Reed sensor to monitor the status, a buzzer for sounding the alarm, and a Wireless

Fidelity (Wi-Fi) module, ESP8266 to connect and communicate using the Internet. The

main advantages of the system included the ease of setting up, lower costs and low

maintenance.

2.1.4 Home security alert system using passive infrared sensor

OE Ikpenyi et al. [5] developed a GSM based home security alert system fit for

identifying an interloper, sending a ready message to mortgage holder, and initiate a bell

caution. The security ready framework was effectively built utilizing a passive infrared

(PIR) sensor. Arduino microcontroller was utilized to interface between the PIR sensor

(input) and the GSM/buzzer (yield) gadgets. The PIR sensor was proposed to recognize

the nearness of human and convert the identified sign into electrical voltage signal. The

arduino uno was to process the flag and send directions to GSM module and buzzer, at

the same time. The developed gadget was tried by enabling human to move before the

PIR sensor and the GSM module sent an instant message to the mortgage holder, that

there is an intruder, while the ringer sounded simultaneously, affirming its usefulness.

xiii
2.1.5 Home automation, safety and security system using android mobile phone

Morbale et al. [6] in their paper deliberated how to control home appliances,

safety and security system using GSM technology through android mobile phone. They

also showed how to control the appliances even in the absence of an android phone by

sending a normal SMS. The advantage of using GSM technology is that we can control

the home appliances from remote places anywhere in the world. Their system allowed the

owner to control the appliances and to receive a feedback status of the home appliances

by sending instructions in form of SMS. For the home security system, they used an

antitheft reporting system which would report to the owner by ringing an alarm and by

sending an SMS.

2.1.6 Empowering Home Security through GSM Integration

Johnson et al. [7] embarked on a study to assess the transformation brought about

by incorporating GSM technology into home security systems. Their research unveiled

the potential of GSM for instant alerts on Android devices, contributing to swift

responses during security incidents. The study emphasized heightened security through

remote access and real-time communication.

2.1.7 Seamless User Interaction via Android Interface

Chen et al. [8] delved into the realm of user experience within home security

systems equipped with Android interfaces. Their investigation culminated in an Android

application that allowed homeowners to oversee and manage security devices remotely.

xiv
The study highlighted the user-friendly interface that facilitated tasks like arming,

disarming, and alert management.

2.1.8 GSM-Enabled Intrusion Alert System

Patel et al. [9] ventured into an intrusion alert system fortified by GSM

connectivity. By integrating sensors to detect intrusions, the system transmitted instant

alerts to an Android app upon breach detection. The study underscored the significance of

prompt notifications and acknowledged hurdles related to signal reliability and data

security.

2.1.9 User-Centric Design of Android Interfaces for Security Apps

Kim et al. [10] embarked on a journey to enhance user interaction within

Android-based security applications. Their research yielded insights into interface design

that facilitated user engagement and seamless navigation. The study spotlighted the

pivotal role of Android interfaces in promoting convenient security management.

2.1.10 GSM and Android Integration for Elderly Care

Rodriguez et al. [11] extended the application of GSM and Android integration to

elderly care scenarios. Their study illuminated how GSM-enabled security systems

equipped with Android interfaces could be harnessed to monitor the well-being of elderly

individuals. The research spotlighted the potential of technology for improving quality of

life.

xv
 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS
The system proposed employs two sensors which are a magnetic intrusion sensor

and a smoke sensor. The microcontroller unit will be used as the main processing

module. The buzzer will be used as the alert system. The GSM Modem will be used as

the data transmission module to the user’s cell phone. The keypad will be used to input a

code to disarm the system when an authorized person enters the premises. The user’s cell

phone will house the android application used to alert the home owner. The figure 1

below shows the block diagram of the proposed system.

Magnetic
(Intrusion) Buzzer
Sensor

Microcontroller
Unit
(Atmega328)

P
H
Smoke GSM O
Sensor Modem N
E

Keypadxvi
Figure 1: Block diagram of the proposed system

3.1 System components

The system is made up of the following components:

1. A microcontroller

2. A GSM module

3. A smoke sensor

4. A magnetic sensor

5. A keypad

6. Android application which will reside inside the homeowner's phone.

3.1.1 Magnetic sensor

A magnetic sensor is a device that is used to measure magnetic fields or detect the

presence of magnetic objects. This system will employ the use of Magnetic sensors to

detect intrusion into the homeowner's house.

A magnetic sensor consists of two parts: a magnet and a sensor (reed switch). The magnet

is typically attached to the moving part of a door while the sensor is mounted on the

frame. When the door is closed, the magnet and sensor are in close proximity, and the

sensor's reed switch is in its normal (closed) state. In this state, with the door closed, the

xvii
magnetic field keeps the reed switch closed. This state is continuously monitored by the

microcontroller. When the door is opened, the magnet moves away from the sensor,

breaking the magnetic field. This causes the reed switch to open, and a signal is sent to

the microcontroller.

Figure 2: Magnetic Reed Switch

Figure 3: Magnet and Reed Switch

xviii
3.1.2 Smoke Sensors
Smoke sensors are devices designed to detect the presence of smoke or

combustion products in the air. This detection can be by means of ionization chambers

which disrupt the flow of electrons whenever smoke enters the chambers. The disruption

in the flow of electrons is recorded and transmitted as a signal to the microcontroller.

3.1.3 Microcontroller
The microcontroller is the 'CPU' of the system. The readings of the sensors are

taken as an input of an 8 bit Atmega328 microcontroller. The microcontroller according

to the previously given instruction and threshold values then decides whether to sound an

alarm and send and alert

message to the user or not. If the sensor values reach the values specified in the

microcontroller code, the microcontroller sends the alarm message to the user through the

GSM module.

xix
Figure 4: Atmega328 microcontroller

3.1.4 GSM Module

The GSM module is the bridge between the home system and the homeowner. It

contains a specific SIM number that sends to and receives messages from the user. The

messages to be sent to the user are technically triggered by the microcontroller through an

analysis of the sensor values. Any message received from the user, to be acted upon by

xx
the microcontroller is first decoded by the GSM module which then accordingly sends

the commands to the microcontroller for necessary actions.

Figure 5: GSM Module

3.1.5 Android Application

The android application will reside inside the user's mobile phone and will be

used to analyze the various messages arriving in the user's phone to distinguish the ones

xxi
coming from the registered GSM module and act on them. The application will be built

on Android Studio, the official IDE for Android app development. Screens and controls

for arming, disarming, and monitoring the security system will be created. GSM

communication will be integrated to send commands to the security system (e.g., via

SMS or GSM data). Notifications will also be set to alert users in real-time about security

events (e.g., intrusion detected). A functionality will be included to display sensor status

and history on the Android interface.

3.1.6 Keypad

The system will include a keypad that will be used to input a user defined

password to allow access into the house. This is a necessary step in avoiding false alarms

in cases where authorised persons attempt to get into the house. The keypad input is also

sent to the microcontroller which analyses the password for authenticity. When three

wrong passwords are entered, the microcontroller is prompted to send an SMS through

the GSM to the home owner.

Figure 6: 3X4 and 4X4 Keypads

xxii
3.2 Proposed methodology
 A hardware circuit with a switch and a GSM modem embedded is installed and

connected to the door of the house.

 When an intruder tries to open the door or the presence of smoke is detected, the

switch triggers an interrupt and subsequently sends a signal into the

microcontroller.

 If the person accessing the premise is authorized, they are required to enter a

disarm code into the keypad. The code is relayed to the microcontroller to signify

authorized access.

 If no code or a wrong code is entered into the keypad, the microcontroller triggers

the GSM modem to transmit a warning SMS into already registered number in the

modem.

 The SMS on the user’s end is interpreted by the Android application and if it finds

that the SMS is from the designated number, the application immediately informs

the person with a frequent pop-up menu.

 If the user positive acknowledges the pop-up in 1 minute, an acknowledgement is

sent back to the remote GSM modem.

 The modem outputs an interrupt to the microcontroller and the microcontroller

subsequently triggers an alarm.

 If the user fails to acknowledge in the defined time interval, an automatic positive

acknowledgement is sent by the application to the modem and the microcontroller

xxiii
 subsequently triggers an alarm.

The figure 7 below represents the flowchart of the proposed methodology.

START

SWITCH monitoring for any

INTERRUPT

INTERRUPT NO
detected

YES

INTERRUPT sent to
MICROCONTROLLER

Disarm code
entered YES

NO

MICROCONTROLLER signals
GSM Modem to send
notification to PHONE

GSM Modem sends

notification to PHONE

xxiv
User replies App automatically sends
in 1 minute reply
 NO

YES
GSM Modem receives reply and
sends signal to
MICROCONTROLLER
4.0 EXPECTED RESULTS
The GSM-based home security system is aimed at improving the general safety of
MICROCONTROLLER receives END
signal and plays buzzer
a home especially when the homeowner is far from his home. Intrusion detection and fire

detection are the main aims of this project. This chapter delves into the outcomes to be

expected if the system is successfully implemented.

Hardware setup: It is expected that all the required sensors, GSM module and the

microcontroller will be available and operational by October.

Android app development: The android application is expected to be developed and

debugged by the first two weeks of November.

Integration and testing of the system is expected to begin by mid of November.

The system is expected to be able to detect intrusion. The buzzer is expected to go off

when the reed switch described in the methodology section opens due to increased

proximity distance.

The buzzer is also expected to go off when the smoke sensor detects any smoke within its

presence.

xxv
The system password will be set and it will be expected that no alarm will go off when

the correct password is entered. However, on three consecutive entries of the wrong

password, the buzzer will be expected to go off.

It is expected that the response time for intrusion and fire alerts will be fast enough,

typically within a second.

The android interface is expected to be easy to use.

Testing of the system will be done in various ways for various key areas.

Fire detection will be done by burning pieces of paper next to the smoke sensor. Intrusion

detection will be tested by increasing the distance between the magnet and the sensor of

the magnetic sensor used.

These tests are expected to provide positive results in as far as achieving the project's

objectives is concerned.

xxvi
REFERENCES

Bibliography

[1] "National Crime Research Centre," 2020. [Online]. Available:

https://www.crimeresearch.go.ke/nakuru/. [Accessed 8 June 2023].

[2] Chilipirea, Cristian, et al. ""Energy efficiency and robustness for IoT:

Building a smart home security system.," in IEEE 12th international

conference on intelligent computer communication and processing (ICCP).,

2016 .

[3] Govinda, K., S. K. Prasad, and S. R. Susheel. "Intrusion detection

xxvii
 system for smart home using laser rays.," International journal for scientific

research & Development, no. 2.3, pp. 176-178, 2014.

[4] A. Anitha, "Home security system using internet of things," IOP

conference series: materials science and engineering., vol. Vol. 263., no.

No. 4., 2017.

[5] Ikpenyi, O. E., O. E. Abumere, and J. A. Amusan. "Construction of

GSM based home security alert system using passive infrared sensor.,"

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, no. 14.2, pp. 648-657,

2022.

[6] Morbale, J. S., A. Kumari, H. Mishra, and K. Sachan. "GSM based

Home Automation, Safety and Security System using Android Mobile

Phone.," International Journal of Current Research, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 28239-

28243, 2016.

[7] Johnson, et al. "Empowering Home Security through GSM

Integration," in 2013 2nd International on Advances in Electrical

Engineering (ICAEE), Dhaka, 2013.

[8] Chen, et al. "Seamless User Interaction via Android Interface,,"

International Journal of Smart Home, no. 7.2, pp. 49-60, 2013.

[9] Patel, et al. "GSM-Enabled Intrusion Alert System," in 2013 IEEE

xxviii
 Conference on Systems, Process & Control (ICSPC), Kuala Lumpur, 2013.

[10] Kim, et al. "User Centric Design of Android Interfaces for Security

Apps.," in 2014 international conference on issues and challenges in

intelligent computing techniques (ICICT) , IEEE, 2014.

[11] Rodriguez et al., (2005): GSM and Android integration for Elderly

care: The State of The Science. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-471-69694-3.7

[12] Parth Thakar, Viraj Savaliya, Mohit Pant, Urmil Joshi, Aditya Desai, Ameya

Kadam, "Smart Homes Using Android", 2018 2nd International Conference on Trends in

Electronics and Informatics (ICOEI), pp.1251-1256, 2018

[13] ‌ G. Dhanisha, J. Monika Seles, E. Brumancia, "Android interface based Gsm home

security system using object motion detection", 2015 International Conference on

Communications and Signal Processing (ICCSP), pp.1928-1931, 2015.

[14] Md. Shafiul Islam, "Home security system based on PIC18F452 microcontroller",

IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology, pp.202-205, 2014.

xxix
xxx