AlertCatcher: Traveler Guardian User Manual

Patent Pending | v1.0.0

Learn how to set up your edge-AI traveler guardian and receiver system for private, secure monitoring.

Quick Start: Your Travel Security Setup

Guardian Device: On your hotel monitor device (iPad/older iPhone), tap ACTIVATE GUARDIAN.
Guardian ID: Define a secure Guardian ID (e.g. HAN-ROOM-204) and lock it using your device biometrics (FaceID/Passcode).
Receiver Device: On your carry-along phone, tap START RECEIVING and enter the same Guardian ID to link them.
Arm & Blackout: On the Guardian, review settings in the 2x2 grid, tap the START button, then tap the Moon icon to enter Blackout Mode.
Receive: Keep your Receiver phone on. It will immediately alert you via push notifications if any anomaly is classified by the Guardian's AI.

1. Guardian Mode vs. Receiver Mode

AlertCatcher uses a dual-device architecture to monitor and alert:

Guardian Mode: The device left behind in your space (e.g. room, tent, caravan). It uses the microphone and camera (if enabled) to analyze ambient sounds and movement in real time.
Receiver Mode: The primary phone you carry with you. It stays in a power-saving mode, waiting for push notifications, and hosts a dashboard showing connection status and recent alerts.

Note: Any device can act as either a Guardian or a Receiver, and you can change the role anytime by resetting the session.

2. Creating a Secure Link (Guardian ID)

To pair your Guardian and Receiver devices, AlertCatcher utilizes a custom alphanumeric pairing code called the Guardian ID:

Unique & Custom: Create a unique ID up to 30 characters (e.g., MY-SAFE-SPACE-2026).
Biometric Security: Editing or viewing the Guardian ID requires biometric verification (Face ID, Touch ID, or Passcode) to prevent unauthorized tampering.
Symmetric Pairing: Simply input the exact same ID on the Receiver device to establish a secure link.

3. Understanding Sound Classes

In the Guardian settings, you can toggle which sound categories the edge-AI should actively listen for:

Intrusion: Locks jiggling, door handles shaking, footsteps, sliding doors opening, glass breaking. Perfect for overnight hotel monitoring.
Safety & Hazards: Standard fire/smoke alarms, carbon monoxide beeps, and human distress/crying.
Property Care: Running water, dripping pipes, showers left running. Helpful for monitoring vacation rentals.
Baby Monitoring: Specially optimized to capture baby crying and infant distress.
Pet Activity: Listens for dog barking or howling and cat meowing to check on pets left in the room.

4. Motion Sentry & Video Sentry PRO

Maximize your security with integrated camera capabilities:

Video Sentry: When a sound alert is triggered, the Guardian automatically records a 30-second video evidence clip (with synchronized audio).
Motion Sentry: Performs low-overhead, on-device video frame analysis to detect physical movement in the room. When motion is detected, a 30-second video clip is recorded.
Cooldown Period: Motion alerts implement a 60-second cooldown after a trigger to prevent notification spam and reduce battery/data usage.
Local Evidence Library: Recorded clips are stored securely on the local Guardian device and can be reviewed directly in the app's evidence library.

5. Blackout Mode & Power Management

Because Apple's Neural Engine requires the app to remain in the foreground for continuous real-time analysis, standard device locking will pause the app. AlertCatcher solves this with Blackout Mode:

How to Enter: Tap the Moon icon on the Guardian dashboard. The screen will turn completely black, and the brightness will dim to 0%.
Auto-Blackout: If the Guardian is actively monitoring and receives no touch interactions for 10 minutes, it will automatically enter Blackout Mode to protect your screen and conserve battery.
Battery Preservation: Blackout Mode keeps the screen off while the AI models run actively, reducing power consumption.
Exiting Blackout: Double-tap anywhere on the black screen. The display will wake up and prompt for Face ID or passcode to restore original brightness.
Power Recommendation: In sound-only mode, the app is highly optimized and can run through the night on battery. If Motion Sentry or Video Sentry is active, the camera is engaged; we strongly recommend connecting the Guardian device to a charger.

6. Troubleshooting Tips

Notification Latency: Ensure your Receiver phone has a stable cellular or Wi-Fi connection and that Push Notifications are enabled for AlertCatcher in iOS Settings.
Firebase Link Failures: Verify that both devices are linked to the exact same Guardian ID and that your subscription trial is active.
Permissions Missing: The Guardian requires Microphone permission (and Camera permission for Video/Motion Sentry). If the system prompts did not appear, open iOS Settings → AlertCatcher to enable them manually.