[Ovmsdev] module GPRS connection frequency

[Lee Howard]

For those of you using unlimited data plans this may not matter, but for 
those of us using per-use/per-minute/per-MB plans the frequency at which 
the OVMS module connects via GPRS to the OVMS server is quite relevant 
for the long-term cost of using OVMS.

For example, I'm using AT&T "GoPhone" per-minute plans which basically 
result in a $0.01 charge every time the OVMS module connects via GPRS to 
the OVMS server.  The OVMS module does this a bit more-frequently than I 
had anticipated... about 3X more frequently.  Consequently, I was a bit 
surprised to find what I had hoped to be a $100-per-year account get 
used faster than that... requiring me to add $100 to the account every 
four months or so.  So the per-minute/per-use/per-MB plan I'm on ends up 
not really being less-expensive than their $25 per-month plan.

I see that the OVMS module is connecting with the OVMS server roughly 
every 7 minutes... even if the car is stationary and there have been no 
changes to SOC or other vehicle information.  I see this behaviour both 
with module type "VA" and "XX".

I would prefer to see the OVMS module connect with the server with 
*greater* regularity (like, every 2 minutes) when GPS position is 
changing (more than the expected 60-meter or so "jitter" that I usually 
see) or when SOC is changing or some other information changes.  
However, if the vehicle is stationary and there are no SOC changes or 
other information changes, then I would prefer to see the OVMS module 
connect to the OVMS server very infrequently... like only every 30-90 
minutes.

Is this, by chance, something configurable?  Or is this something that 
I'm going to need to build-into the firmware, myself?

Thanks,

Lee.

-- 
*Lee Howard*
*Mainpine, Inc. Chief Technology Officer*
Tel: +1 866 363 6680 | Fax: +1 360 462 8160
lee.howard at mainpine.com | www.mainpine.com