[ANSWERED]Bailing wire and duct tape - a newbie approach

So I was challenged by a coworker that I talk home automation with to 'automagically' know when I was pulling in the driveway, open the garage door and turn on lights inside and out. I have done it (with a light) essentially tying some things together and wondering if anyone else has any ideas.

I'm using IFTTT (ifttt.com) with locational services on my iPhone to send an email to my 'indigo' account. The 'recipe' in IFTTT allows you to create a radius around an address, in my case my house. Since I'm out away from town there is not a chance 'I'm just driving by' and accidentally trip the Indigo trigger. I'm either coming or going from the radius and IFTTT with location services knows that. Indigo is popping the inbox every minute. When it sees an email from a specific address and specific subject line it triggers. Downside is IFTTT app has to running on iPhone.

Any other cool technology that would allow me to do something similar? I have even thought of a bluetooth type of device at the end of the driveway that would kick it. It can't be just a plain motion detector, it has to know it's me and not the UPS truck.

Wow! The link below is full of great ideas. I guess I should have looked around on the forum a bit more. Now where is my wire snips to start cutting away the bailing wire.

viewtopic.php?f=118&t=11222

If you have any other links or ideas please post them.

I would use a combination of proximity, motion detection and network scanner.
First proximity via Find My Device (smallest window is 15 minutes) that would set a variable flag
maybe turn lights on and set hvac at this stage.
Second would be motion detection, to be sure your in a car in the driveway. set a variable flag
Third would be network scan to confirm it was you in the car. set a variable flag

Have a trigger to check when all variable are positive to open the door.

This may be overkill,but here's a long range RFID Setup

http://www.iautomate.com/products/rfid- ... ation.html

And a close range one.

http://www.smarthome.com/24950A9/I-O-Li ... Kit/p.aspx

Appreciate the ideas guys. Seems that there are a plethora of ways to do this and every time I think I have went through the forum I find another thread with great ideas. My recent areas of interest have been with using iBeacons (which is pretty cool tech going forward) and even spinning up FreePBX on a Raspberry Pi. Just when I think I have my home automation close to where I want it something else is popping up.

[jay (support)]

iAutomate supplies a plugin for Indigo for their long-range RFID gear.