Help Pages

Basic Operations

The Bodyguard, Virtual Defender Application has two basic modes of operation -- the Security Mode and the Monitoring Mode.

In the Security Mode, a security alliance network member requests active monitoring by other members of the network, who have been previously added to the particular active members list. Please refer back to the General Help for a discussion on how to create a list of Alliance Members for your network.

Conversely, in the Monitoring Mode each participant is able to monitor active status, positioning and any broadcast security media generated by the other activated members within the user's Personal Security Network.

When first opened, the Application typically starts in the Monitoring Mode, displaying the HOME PAGE. To switch to the Security Mode represented by the SECURITY MEASURES page press the Security Measures button in the lower right corner of the HOME PAGE. The SECURITY MEASURES page will appear. To switch back to the Monitoring Mode press the same button again. It will now be showing the Home Page icon.

Both pages present a series of buttons that allow access to the media and location sharing functions. The Security Mode page also displays a set of large buttons that provide quick access to the core security features discussed later in this Help section.

The media control buttons are arranged across the top of the display area and allow access to the following media functions:

• Video

• Audio

• Photo

At the bottom of the page there are two other buttons which control location data collection and security media sharing functionality.

Generally, any one of these buttons may be grayed out when access to its particular function is not available. The text printed on top of each button indicates its current mode of operation.

Tapping each of the media control buttons selects the type of security media to be collected and shared whenever the data collection function is activated. For example, if the Video button text displays "NO VIDEO," it indicates that video will not be shared when location sharing is active. The same is true for the Audio and the Photo control buttons.

It is important to know that special precedence rules apply to the security media collection functions. For example, video collection overrides both, audio and photo collection functions, if those are also selected at the same time. Meaning, that if the Video button indicates "VIDEO," then only video will be shared regardless of what the other two buttons show. Location data is always shared irrespective of the media selection choices.

The precedence rules are as follows:

• Video overrides everything else

• Photo overrides Audio, but

• Audio and Photo may be shared concurrently

The Share button in the lower left corner always shows which media is selected for the sharing, reflecting the combined state of the media buttons. The Share button always indicates the highest-ranking security media to be shared. For instance, if both, Audio and Photo buttons are selected for sharing, with no Video sharing selected, then the Share button will display "SHARE PHOTO." If later, the Photo button is tapped to indicate "NO PHOTO," then the Share button text will immediately change to "SHARE AUDIO."

If none of the media buttons are selected for sharing, then the Share button displays "SHARE LOCATION," indicating that only location data will be sent to the cloud when the data sharing function is initiated.

Tapping the GPS button next to the Share button changes the way location data is collected while in the data collection and sharing mode. There are two modes of location and security media data collection:

• Periodic GPS, and

• Smart GPS

In the periodic mode of data collection, security media and location data is collected periodically, regardless of other context. For example, when video data collection is enabled, short video clips of 15 seconds in length are recorded every 15 or 45 seconds, depending on the relative user motion, and shared together with the location data. Similarly, when audio data is collected, short audio clips of 30 seconds in length are recorded and shared every 15 to 45 seconds. During the photo sharing, an image is created and shared every 15 or 45 seconds; again, based on computed velocity of the user.

In contrast, when Smart GPS mode is active, security media and location data collection depend on the detected motion of the user. Media collection is activated only when a new location point is acquired, which in turn depends on the detected velocity of the recording device which is then interpreted as relative motion of the user.

The system may classify the user as either:

• Stationary

• Walking

• Running

• Biking

• Cruising

• Driving, or

• Flying

When available, each user's status can be observed as a corresponding icon on the Alliance Member row in the list of Alliance Members discussed in the previous Help section.

Please refer to the SYMBOLS SUMMARY page, accessible from the Main Menu, using the Symbols Summary menu item, for a full description of all motion icons.

In the Smart GPS mode, the current user motion status determines the frequency of security media and location data collection for that user. The duration of each video and audio clip remains unchanged as compared with the periodic data collection method.

The user is free to change any aspect of security data collection even while data collection is already in progress. Thus, the user can switch from Video recording to Audio recording, and/or Photo recording at will. The user can also freely switch on-the-fly between the Smart GPS and the Periodic GPS and vice versa.

In addition to controlling the media and location data collection functions, all of the buttons already discussed, provide other functionality when long pressed by the user. For example, if the user long presses the Video button, a local video recording will immediately initiate and continue until the user long presses the Video button again. This recording will not be shared automatically and will remain on the device until the user chooses to delete it, or manually shares it by long pressing the recording's text. This functionality is available only at some subscription levels and may also be subject to additional restrictions.

When video recording is initiated using this method, there is no preview on the device's display and video recording automatically starts using the last selected camera, if multiple cameras are available on the device. Refer to the Settings Help section for more detailed discussion of available options.

It is important to make sure that the device is properly oriented and held while video recording is proceeding. Otherwise, satisfactory video quality cannot be guaranteed. It may be useful, for example, to place the device in a holder that can be worn around one's neck as a regular body camera would or use some other method to stabilize the device's camera.

While video recording continues, the Video button blinks to indicate that video recording is in progress.

It is not possible to record audio, or to take a photo snapshot while video recording is progressing. For this reason, the Audio and the Photo buttons are both grayed out until video recording is stopped.

Similarly, long pressing the Audio button, when it is not grayed out, initiates an audio recording and the Audio button begins to blink. This recording is also stored locally and is not automatically shared. Please refer to the Media Help section for a discussion of available options regarding viewing and storing media files.

While an audio recording is progressing, the Video button is deactivated, but the Photo button remains active. Pressing the Photo button, when it is not grayed out, takes a photo snapshot and stores it on the local device.

At all subscription levels, long pressing the GPS button initiates collection of location data according to the selected mode. The GPS button begins to blink and continues to blink until it is long pressed again and location data collection stops.

Long pressing the Share button initiates automatic security media and location data collection and sharing of the data according to the selected modes, as discussed above. The Share button begins to blink, and the text of the Share button also changes to "STOP SHARING" to indicate that data sharing is currently in progress. In addition, if any media button was pressed to select the corresponding security media sharing, then that button will also blink together with the GPS button. And it will also indicate that it's active with the text "RECORDING" displayed across it.

Special rules apply to the media and security button presses that are controlled by some of the General Options described in detail in the Settings Help section. Please refer to the General Options items: Enable Media Button Notices, Enable Security Button Notices, and Enable Security Button Warnings.

On the HOME PAGE, a list of currently monitored contacts allows quick access to each contact's details and status. The status row of each contact consists of four items:

• The Quick Access Icon

• The contact's Name

• The current Motion Icon, if available

• The contact's current Status Icon

Pressing the Quick Access Icon, the one displaying the contact's image, brings up a view of all available contact details for the corresponding person. From here, it is possible to choose the most appropriate method of communication with the selected person, should such communication be necessary.

Pressing the contact's Name performs one of the following actions, depending on other context.

For example, if the selected contact does not have a valid Bodyguard account, which is indicated by a question mark over a gray user current Status Icon, then an ALLIANCE MEMBER INVITATION page opens up to allow the user to invite their friends, family, and trusted acquaintances to join their security network.

If, as another example, a valid Bodyguard account does exist for the selected contact, but that contact has not authorized the user to access their location and security media information, then pressing the contact's Name sends them an alert requesting authorization to access this data. Refer to the Privacy Help section for detailed discussion of how to authorize alliance member accounts and the associated implications.

In all other cases, pressing the contact's Name on this page will redirect to the contact's ALLIANCE MEMBER LOCATION page discussed in the Location Help section. The ALLIANCE MEMBER LOCATION page displays that member's available location history data on a map according to the location history filter settings. This page also allows access to the selected contact's security media data, if such data is available.

Pressing the contact's current Status Icon, or long pressing the contact's Name, opens a Quick Chat window for direct communication with that contact within the Application. The Quick Chat window displays only the most recently received text from the other user, and it allows entering and sending a response to that member of the network. The Quick Chat function is available whenever a contact's Status Icon is displayed. Simply tap the Status Icon to open.

When the user switches to the Security Mode page, the list of currently monitored contacts is replaced by three large buttons identified by color and text:

• LOCK

• EMERGENCY

• SECURITY

The buttons are arranged in descending order of severity, with the most severe one placed closest to the top of the page.

While the user is viewing the SECURITY MEASURES page, their Status Icon changes to a green shield.

The large yellow SECURITY button is for activation of routine security monitoring procedures. Once activated, an alert message is immediately sent out to every contact in your active network, that is, every contact appearing on your activated contacts list. Only users with Bodyguard accounts will receive these alerts. The alert message identifies who is requesting the routine monitoring along with the date and time of the request. Additionally, location tracking and security media sharing, if any were selected, initiate automatically in this mode.

While this mode is active, the large yellow button blinks at a steady slow rate and the text on the button changes from "SECURITY" to "ACTIVE." If any media was selected for sharing, then the corresponding buttons will also blink at the same rate. Additionally, the user Status Icon will change its color from green to yellow and also blink at the same slow rate, indicating a non-emergency situation.

After the user is done with the routine monitoring mode, long pressing the SECURITY button deactivates all of the location tracking and media sharing functions, stops all blinking, and returns user Status Icon to a green shield.

The large orange EMERGENCY button can be used to alert your network and optionally the police that you are experiencing an emergency situation, should things escalate to that point.

Long pressing this button initiates all the same functions as the yellow SECURITY button, and additionally can call the police emergency number, "911" in the United States, or another alternate emergency number as selected by the user.

When this mode is active, the blink rate doubles and the user Status Icon changes to orange to indicate an emergency situation. Additionally, an emergency alert message is immediately broadcast to every Alliance Member in the activated network.

Long pressing any of the three large buttons will deactivate this mode.

Finally, the large red LOCK button provides additional security during an emergency by blocking access to the device, so that only the owner of the device, having access to the correct credentials, can unlock the device and cancel the emergency mode.

Long pressing this button activates all of the same functions as the orange EMERGENCY button and additionally turns off the screen and locks the device. All of the location tracking and security media collection functions continue in the background.

To exit this mode, unlock the device and long press any of the three large buttons.

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