Simultaneous Overlapping Routines

First off, I apologize in advance for the length of this post. Secondly, this isn’t about any problem that I am having…more just putting my thoughts out there to see if anyone see any issues with it or perhaps a better way to accomplish what I’m trying to do. Thirdly, not sure if I posted in the appropriate category. If not, let me know where I should move it to. Here goes…

Currently, I am running a Schlage Connect deadbolt and a SmartThings Hub (I have a few z-wave toggle switches as well but they are irrelevant to this post). I wanted to have the door lock after someone left and unlock when someone arrived. I also wanted to change the system mode to “Home” when anyone was present and “Away” when everyone was gone. It is only my wife and I and we are using our phones as presence sensors. However, without having door sensors (yet), I have to set up the routines based solely on our presence sensors. So I have individual “Hello” routines for each of us that unlock the door and change the mode to “Home” when either of us enters the geofence. I also have individual “Goodbye” routines for each of us that lock the door when either of us leaves the geofence. Due to the typical scenario where one of us leaves and the other remains home, I do not have the individual “Goodbye” routines change the mode to “Away”. In order to work around that, I set up a separate “Goodbye” routine that changes the mode to “Away” after we have both left the geofence.

I set up the routines to notify me when they are triggered and after a few weeks of testing, everything seems to be working fine as intended.

Do any of you see any issues with this configuration, particularly when my wife and I leave or enter the geofence simultaneously triggering several routines all at once? I’m also open to suggestions for how to accomplish this more efficiently.

I do plan to purchase door sensors which I can then use to trigger the door locking. However, not sure how best to tackle the Home/Away mode shift. I don’t currently have anything that is triggered by the home shift but I hope/plan to soon (thermostat, lights, etc.).

Again, I apologize for the length of the post. Thanks in advance for any input. I look forward to hearing from you!

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So first the TL;DR version. Should work.

Long version:
Lets assume worst case and think about what happens when routines collide.

  1. Both come home at once.
    Both routines basically do the same thing. As far as I know when a routine requests an action that would set a device to what it’s already set to, nothing happens. You will not experience your smartlock attempting to unlock itself again. In fact I doubt that the system will even send the second command.

  2. Both leave at once.
    Again same effect. The lock will not lock itself again, it’s already locked.

  3. One returns, one leaves, same time.
    This is where things get interesting. We have to consider the theoretical vs. the practical. Theoretically, you and your wife meet each other in the driveway and the last action detected by the hub wins. We’re talking fractions of a second. You could come home to the lock opening or closing depending on who is faster. That said here’s what will likely happen based on practicalities and the fact that I’m assuming neither of you is a Time Lord.

For this scenario, assume you are returning and she is leaving but the inverse works in the same way.

You are coming down the road in the car and you enter the geofence about .2 mi away. Assuming that your house is NOT .4 mi across you WILL enter the space before she can possibly exit the geofence. Your presence device triggers your arrival and unlocks the door. She is walking out to the car but remember - your house is not .4mi in diameter, so she’s still in the geofence. You meet in the driveway and give her a peck on the cheek (or whatever you like to do - not my business) and then she is on her way. You enter the house (unlocked) and shortly after she exits the geofence (approximately 30-60 seconds later, depending on the vehicle and other physics things D=R*T, E=MC^2, not a Time Lord, etc.) you’re grabbing a beer as the lock does its thing and locks.

If you HAPPEN to both cross the geofence threshold at the exact time, last man (or woman) wins…

(enter big discussion about whether phone presence sensor works or not)

If you’re a Time Lord, forget everything I just said and use your Sonic to open the door.

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This isn’t really a problem…
I do something similar (although I don’t use any locks)
I have a virtual switch which is set to on if either myself or wife is at home…
You can then use this switch to prevent the door locking…

In my case, I use it for ‘leak’ alerts… the house speaks if the switch is on (one of us is home) or sends push/sms if nobody is home (switch is off)
I use the same for a door contact on the main safe

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Thanks for the detailed response! That’s what I figured but I just wanted to get some input for peace of mind.

Side note…I’m not a fan of “Doctor Who” so I didn’t get the reference and I was creeped out that you knew that we own a Sonic (Chevy)…but then I put 2 and 2 together, lol

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