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I am planning to build a micro controller (a switch will be attached to the embedded system which contains this micro controller) and this embedded system will be connected through a wire to mobile phone. My objective is to dial a particular number through the connected mobile phone network when the user presses the switch on the embedded system. ( planning to use AT commands for dialing). After extensive search, I have found that it is possible to do this above task. Some of the questions I have on this :

a) Do we have to install any drivers on the micro controller to communicate with mobile phone (for sending AT commands) i.e., is it sufficient if we simply code the related AT commands in the micro-controller (in C++) ?

b) Many people were using F-bus protocol for this above objective. Is there any other general protocol similar to this which can help for communicating with all mobiles (samsung,nokia,sony..)

I have read extensively in SO also. But, I have not found any question regarding the drivers. I would appreciate any kind of help

Thanks

Nakamura
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  • The details will be entirely dependent on the mobile phone's software and hardware capabilities. For "dumb" phones that would be manufacturer unique, for "smart" phones it would depend primarily on operating system and secondarily on generation/manufacturer. You will definitely need software on the embedded board to interact with the USB interface, but first you must research the target phone - at present you don't even seem to know if your embedded device must fill the USB host role or the USB device role. – Chris Stratton Mar 25 '13 at 15:12
  • Telit and other offer *telemetry* solutions. You can buy a modem module and put limited *code* (via AT commands) in it to send data remotely; you don't even need a CPU. In some cases, the modem is setup to listen from a remote and the remote drives the commands. It is not clear what you are doing, as [Chris](http://stackoverflow.com/users/429063/chris-stratton) alludes to. Normally you wouldn't use a *cell phone*, but a modem module. – artless noise Mar 25 '13 at 17:24
  • Sorry, I don't mean to push a vendor. [Machine to machine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_to_Machine) is the phrase I was searching for; which is something like *telemetry*. However, you didn't give reasons as to why the call is placed. Are you doing a *voice call* or a data call? If you are doing a *voice call*, why wouldn't someone just use the cell phone instead. – artless noise Mar 25 '13 at 17:34
  • @ChrisStratton Ultimately, I was planning to build a cheap embedded system that can interact with all mobile phones. But, now I realized that we need drivers on embedded system (e.s) to interact with mobile phones...then, I should either install drivers of all mobile phones in e.s (this means I should have an OS in e.s and this may increase the cost of the overall e.s) . And, instead of wired connection between e.s and mobile phones. if I am planning communicate through bluetooth, do we still need drivers on the e.s ? And, my e.s should fill the USB host role as this just have to transfer data – Nakamura Mar 30 '13 at 06:02

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A driver is nothing more than a software that allows your system to interact other devices, and is usually associated with Operating Systems (the driver might provide an abstraction layer for your communication). Do you plan to use an Operating System at all?

In any case, it is quite obvious that if you want to communicate to another device you need the software to do so. The question is if you write it your self or if you get an "off the shelf" solution.

In many cases, particularly when a device uses a proprietary communication protocol, you have no option but to get a driver to communicate with it, and that most likely will require you to have an Operating System.

If cellular communication is all you need, there are MUCH easier solutions available (particularly if you intend of turning your project into a product). Search for "embedded modems" or M2M solutions. There are lots of available modems to which you connect using RS232, and can send the AT commands directly. Telit and Multitech are two providers I've worked with and are really easy to interface with.

Rafael Dazcal
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  • also to @artlessnoise : In the end, the embedded system (e.s) should be able to directly interact / communicate with the mobile phone of the person who is using the e.s (In an embedded modem, we have to put a SIM for ourself and then for each modem we may require one sim and due to this I am looking for an e.s that can talk to all mobile phones). So, now I would like to know how much will it cost (approximately) to build a e.s with an os so that I can install drivers of all mobile phones.And, I am looking to make a data call ; Instead of typing all numbers to make a call,he can press a switch – Nakamura Mar 30 '13 at 06:25