Run Code Based on Time From GSM Module (SIM900)

Question

I am trying to check the time from the GSM module to let my code run or do nothing.

If I send the command, AT+CCLK? to the SIM900. This is the response:

AT+CCLK?

+CCLK: "17/02/14,16:58:25-20"

OK

How do I parse the time information from the SIM900 and setup a loop for my code to run if it is past 6pm but before 6am?

My code currently:

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
SoftwareSerial SIM900(7,8); //RX,TX

void setup() {
  PowerOn(); //power on GSM Module
  delay(10000); //delay 10 seconds
  SIM900.begin(19200); //software serial for GSM Shield
  delay(500);
}

void loop() {

// if time is past 6pm and before 6am send text message else do nothing

SendTextMessage();


}

///GetTime
void GetTime()
{
    SIM900.print("AT+CCLK?");
}

///SendTextMessage
void SendTextMessage()
{
    SIM900.print("AT+CMGF=1\r");//Because we want to send the SMS in text mode
    delay(100);
    SIM900.println("AT + CMGS = \"+12137777777\"");//send sms message, be careful need to add a country code before the cellphone number
    delay(100);
    SIM900.println("Motion Detected!");//the content of the message
    delay(100);
    SIM900.println((char)26);//the ASCII code of the ctrl+z is 26
    delay(100);
    SIM900.println();
}

///PowerOn
void PowerOn() 
{
  ///software equivalent of pressing the GSM shield "power" button
  digitalWrite(9, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(9, LOW);
  delay(7000);
}

Answer 1

I'm imagining SIM900 is a serial stream that supports input methods available() and read(). The hour portion of the response string is a two-digit integer delimited by a comma and a colon. The following snippets of code assume you trigger a response and then start a listen() to connect to the software serial input. Since listen() discards old data, presumably a message like +CCLK: "17/02/14,16:58:25-20" will be the next data to arrive.

This code converts any string of digits that it sees into a number. Whenever it sees a non-digit character, it treats it as a delimiter.

When the previous and current delimiters are ',' and ':', it checks if the current number value is in the desired time range, and if so, it sets a flag, else clears a flag.

When the previous and current delimiters are '-' and '"', it assumes it is done with the parse. Or one could, possibly, end the parse as soon as the hour field has been processed.

void loop() {
  // ...
  // somewhere within loop()
  byte num, dell;       // Currrent number and left delimiter
  byte timeFlag, readMore, foundTime;
  //...

  // Send string to elicit +CCLK and tell parser to handle response
  SIM900.listen();      // Discard old input
  SIM900.write("AT+CCLK?"); // Elicit new input
  readMore = true;
  timeFlag = foundTime = false;
  num = 0;
  dell = 0;
  // Read and parse +CCLK input; set or clear timeFlag
  while (readMore) {
    while (!SIM900.available()) {}; // Wait for a character
    char c = SIM900.read();
    if (c >= '0' && c <= '9') { // Is c a digit?
      num = 10*num + c-'0'; // Yes, add it to num
    } else {   // Not a digit, so check for Hour field or End of parse
      if (dell=='-' && c == '"') {
        readMore = false;
      } else
        if (dell==',' && c == ':') {
          timeFlag = (num < 6) || (num >= 18);
          foundTime = true;
        }
      dell = c;            // Record left delimiter of next number
      num = 0;             // Get ready to evaluate next number
    }
  }
  // If foundTime, then timeFlag is true for time in 6 PM to 6 AM, else false
  // ...
  // etc
}