Smart Parking System

An IoT-based smart parking system that uses RFID technology for vehicle access control with real-time monitoring and data logging capabilities.

🚗 Project Overview

This project implements a complete smart parking solution that includes:

• RFID-based access control for entry and exit gates
• Real-time monitoring dashboard
• MongoDB database for user management and logging
• Servo motor controlled gates
• Date-wise filtering and data export functionality

🛠️ Hardware Components

• Arduino Uno - Main microcontroller
• 2x MFRC522 RFID Readers - For entry and exit detection
• Servo Motor - Gate control mechanism
• RFID Tags/Cards - User identification
• Jumper Wires & Breadboard - Connections

Hardware Connections

Component	Arduino Pin
Entry RFID (SS)	Pin 10
Entry RFID (RST)	Pin 9
Exit RFID (SS)	Pin 7
Exit RFID (RST)	Pin 6
Servo Motor	Pin 8
SPI MOSI	Pin 11
SPI MISO	Pin 12
SPI SCK	Pin 13

💻 Software Stack

Backend

• Node.js - Runtime environment
• Express.js - Web framework
• MongoDB - Database (using MongoDB Atlas)
• Socket.io - Real-time communication
• SerialPort - Arduino communication

Frontend

• HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript - Web interface
• Bootstrap 5 - UI framework
• Socket.io Client - Real-time updates
• Moment.js - Date/time formatting

📁 Project Structure

smart-parking-system/
├── backend/
│   ├── models/
│   │   ├── User.js
│   │   └── Log.js
│   ├── server.js
│   ├── seed.js
│   ├── mock-rfid.js
│   ├── package.json
│   └── .env
├── frontend/
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── index.html
│   │   └── index.js
│   └── package.json
├── arduino/
│   └── smart_parking.ino
└── README.md

🚀 Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• MongoDB Atlas account
• Arduino IDE
• USB cable for Arduino connection

Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone <repository-url>
cd smart-parking-system

Step 2: Backend Setup

cd backend
npm init -y
npm install express mongoose cors socket.io serialport moment dotenv

Create a .env file in the backend directory:

MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster0.mongodb.net/smart-parking
ARDUINO_PORT=COM3
PORT=5000

Step 3: Frontend Setup

cd ../frontend
npm init -y
npm install parcel-bundler socket.io-client moment

Step 4: Database Setup

Seed the database with initial user data:

cd backend
node seed.js

Step 5: Arduino Setup

1. Open arduino/smart_parking.ino in Arduino IDE
2. Install required libraries:
   • MFRC522 library
   • Servo library (built-in)
3. Upload the code to your Arduino Uno

🎯 Usage

Starting the Application

1. Start the Backend Server:

cd backend
node server.js

2. Start the Frontend Development Server:

cd frontend
npm run start

3. Access the Dashboard: Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:1234

Demo Mode (If Arduino isn't available)

cd backend
node mock-rfid.js

🔧 Features

Real-time Monitoring

• Live updates when vehicles enter or exit
• Connection status indicator
• Recent activity log

Access Control

• RFID-based authentication
• Authorized user database
• Automatic gate control

Data Management

• Date-wise log filtering
• CSV export for entry/exit logs
• MongoDB data persistence

User Interface

• Responsive design
• Modern Bootstrap UI
• Real-time notifications

📊 Database Schema

Users Collection

{
  name: String,           // User's full name
  regNo: String,          // Registration number
  rfidUID: String,        // RFID card UID
  isAuthorized: Boolean   // Authorization status
}

Logs Collection

{
  userId: ObjectId,       // Reference to User
  name: String,           // User's name
  regNo: String,          // Registration number
  rfidUID: String,        // RFID card UID
  type: String,           // 'entry' or 'exit'
  timestamp: Date         // Log timestamp
}

🔌 API Endpoints

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/api/logs/entry	Get entry logs
GET	/api/logs/exit	Get exit logs
GET	/api/logs/download/entry	Download entry logs as CSV
GET	/api/logs/download/exit	Download exit logs as CSV

Query Parameters

• date - Filter logs by specific date (YYYY-MM-DD format)

🔄 Real-time Events

Socket.io Events

• entry-update - New entry detected
• exit-update - New exit detected
• unauthorized - Unauthorized access attempt

⚡ Arduino Communication Protocol

The Arduino sends data to the backend in the format:

RFID_UID|GATE_TYPE

Example:

DF3489C1|entry
DF3489C1|exit

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Arduino not connecting:

   • Check COM port in .env file
   • Verify USB connection
   • Use Device Manager to find correct port

2. MongoDB connection failed:

   • Verify connection string in .env
   • Check network connectivity
   • Ensure MongoDB Atlas cluster is running

3. RFID not reading:

   • Check wiring connections
   • Verify RFID library installation
   • Test with known working RFID cards

4. Frontend not updating:

   • Check Socket.io connection
   • Verify backend server is running
   • Check browser console for errors

Testing Without Hardware

Use the mock RFID script for demonstration:

cd backend
node mock-rfid.js

📝 Adding New Users

To add authorized users to the system:

1. Update the backend/seed.js file with new user data
2. Run the seeding script:

node seed.js

Or add users directly to MongoDB Atlas through their web interface.

🔒 Security Considerations

• RFID UIDs are stored in plain text (suitable for demo purposes)
• No encryption implemented in current version
• Access control based on database authorization flags