System Operation and Troubleshooting

Data Transfer Conditions:

Despite the settings of the "ParentPatrol TDA" mobile app, the "ParentPatrol" service cannot guarantee the timely transmission and receipt of data. In some cases, data may be completely absent. There are certain limitations that may not be noticeable to most users, but you could still encounter them. In such instances, data transfer might be partial or not occur at all.

Reasons:

1. Data Collection. The "ParentPatrol TDA" app only begins collecting data from the moment the "Subscription" or "Trial Period" is activated and only during their validity. Data collected outside this period is not saved to your account.

2. No Internet Connection. If the tracked device with "ParentPatrol TDA" does not have an internet connection, data will not be collected during that period, even if you have an active "Subscription".

3. Android Task Scheduler. The Android system does not guarantee that tasks scheduled through your account will be executed exactly at the specified time. Execution may occur earlier, on time, or later, depending on the device's CPU load and background processes. The delay could be up to 30 minutes.

4. Battery Optimization and System Cleaning. The operation of "ParentPatrol TDA" on the tracked device may be disrupted due to battery optimizer actions or system cleaning apps. Monitoring these settings is necessary during the app installation, and relevant information is provided in the installation guide.

5. App Deletion. The user of the tracked device may delete the "ParentPatrol TDA" app without your knowledge.

6. No Internet or Traffic Limitation. The tracked device may lack an internet connection, or have restrictions on internet traffic usage or power consumption.

7. System Failures. There may be failures in the file system of the tracked device.

8. Battery Drain. A complete battery drain and shutdown of the tracked device can interrupt the operation of "ParentPatrol TDA".

9. Other Technical Issues. Other technical malfunctions of the tracked device may affect the app's performance.

What to Do If Data Stops Appearing in Your Account:

To resolve the issue, follow these steps:

1. Check if your account has an active "Trial Period" or "Subscription".
2. Ensure the tracked device has an internet connection and that there are no outstanding balances with the mobile operator.
3. Manually launch the "ParentPatrol TDA" app on the tracked device. If the app is missing, reinstall it, but do not create a new device in your account. Simply scan the old QR code. To do this, go to the "My Devices" section in your account, select the desired device, and click "Link Device, Install App".
4. In the "ParentPatrol TDA" app settings, enable the "Use Roaming" option (this is important because some mobile operators might be in roaming mode even within the country).
5. In the "ParentPatrol TDA" app settings, disable the "Use Wi-Fi Only" option.

If these steps don't solve the problem, it's recommended to reinstall the app. Again, do not create a new device in your account. Simply rescan the old QR code. To do this, go to the "My Devices" section in your account, select the desired device, and click "Link Device, Install App".

You can find a detailed installation guide for the "ParentPatrol TDA" app here.

Calls

Features of Call Recording and Storage:

1. Call Recording:

   • All calls transferred to your account are available for listening and downloading. You can save them to your computer or phone until they are deleted.

2. Call Storage:

   • Calls uploaded to your account will be automatically deleted 15 days after the transfer. On the 16th day, they will no longer be available for recovery.
   • Note: You can download the recordings at any time before they are deleted, regardless of whether you have an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period". This feature is available for free.

3. Call Deletion:

   • If you delete a call in the parent account dashboard, the recording of that call will still remain in the call history on the tracked device.

Call Recording Features:

Call recordings in your account will only be available during the active "Subscription" or "Trial Mode" period. Recordings made outside this period will not be accessible.

Please note that despite the settings on the device with the "ParentPatrol TDA" app, the "ParentPatrol" service cannot guarantee successful call recordings. While most users do not experience issues, there may be situations where recording does not work correctly.

Statistics on Possible Recording Issues:

• In 30% of cases, both parties are heard clearly.
• In 40% of cases, the sound from both parties may be too quiet.
• In 25% of cases, one of the parties may not be heard at all.
• In 5% of cases, neither party can be heard.

Do not be alarmed by these results. The quality of recordings depends on many factors beyond the control of "ParentPatrol." Unfortunately, our support team and developers are unable to overcome these technical limitations.

Reasons for Recording Issues:

1. Device and Legal Restrictions: Some manufacturers block the ability to record calls due to legal requirements. In countries where call recording is prohibited, devices may have software blocks that prevent sound recording.

2. Hardware Limitations: Microphones on some devices are located far from the speakers, reducing the quality of the recording.

3. Poor Firmware Development: Some manufacturers, especially in budget models, may remove the recording functionality from the device firmware, considering it a low-demand feature.

4. Technical Failures: Failures during recording, such as battery drain or phone shutdown, can lead to data loss.

What You Can Do to Improve Recording Quality (Without Guaranteeing Results):

1. Configuring "ParentPatrol TDA":

   • Go to the settings of the "ParentPatrol TDA" app.
   • Record or take a photo of the current settings, so you can revert them if necessary.
   • Experiment with changing the following parameters:

2. Recommended Settings:

   • Enable recording of incoming calls.
   • Enable recording of outgoing calls.
   • Enable roaming usage (especially if your carrier uses domestic roaming).
   • Enable VoIP recording.

3. Finding Optimal Settings: Try adjusting the following settings one by one, making test calls and listening to the results in your personal account:

   • Source for recording incoming and outgoing calls.
   • Events for recording incoming and outgoing calls.
   • Sampling rate for MP3 recording, Hz.

If the issue is not resolved after these steps, unfortunately, our team will not be able to assist further.

Messages

Message Storage and Recording Features:

1. Message Storage:

   • Messages transferred to your account will be automatically deleted after 30 days. On the 31st day, they will become unavailable.
   • You can download messages to your computer or phone before they are deleted, regardless of whether you have an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period". Access to download messages is always available, even without payment.
   • Once a message is deleted, it cannot be recovered.
   • When you delete a message from your account, it will remain on the device (e.g., on the phone).

2. Message Recording:

   • Only the messages sent and received during an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period" will be displayed in your account. Data sent outside of this period will not be available.
   • In rare cases, the message recording function may conflict with other apps that require access to SMS and MMS. In such cases, you may need to restrict SMS and MMS access either for the "ParentPatrol TDA" app or for the conflicting app. You can disable SMS and MMS access for "ParentPatrol TDA" in the app settings.
   • Since reading SMS and MMS is a highly protected function in Android, the phone (depending on the model) may warn the owner about the POTENTIALLY harmful "ParentPatrol TDA" app. Simply close this warning, and it should not appear again.

3. Viewing SMS and MMS Information in Your Account:

   • The sender's name;
   • The sender's phone number;
   • The date the message was received;
   • Files attached to the message.

The "ParentPatrol TDA" app cannot send SMS and MMS from the tracked phone. It only has access to the list of sent and received messages.

Files

The "ParentPatrol TDA" app on the tracked device currently collects only photos taken with the phone's camera. These photos will be referred to as "Files" in the text below.

File Storage Conditions:

• Files uploaded to your account are stored for 15 days. On the 16th day, they will be automatically deleted.
• You can download files to your computer or phone before they are deleted, regardless of whether you have an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period". This means that downloading is always possible, even without payment.
• Once deleted, files cannot be restored.

File Deletion:

• When you delete a file from your account, the copy on the tracked device is not deleted.

File Collection Conditions:

• Only the files created and uploaded during an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period" will be available in your account. Files created outside of this period will not be available.

Information Displayed in Your Account:

• The original file name (as on the device);
• File size;
• File creation date.

Contacts

The "ParentPatrol TDA" app, installed on the monitored device, collects contacts from the device's phonebook. Typically, all contacts are added to the phonebook, including those linked to installed messaging apps. However, it's important to note that not all messaging apps integrate with the phone's contact list, so contacts from such messengers will not be extracted.

Contact Storage Details:

The contact list is stored indefinitely. You can download it to your computer or phone at any time, regardless of whether you have an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period." This means that access to download remains available even without payment.

If you delete a contact from the list in your account, it will not affect its presence on the monitored device. Deleted information from your account cannot be restored.

Contact Collection Details:

All contacts created during the entire usage period of the device will be available in your account.

Some phones automatically reindex the entire phonebook when a new contact is added. In such cases, the "ParentPatrol TDA" app overwrites the entire contact list, even if only one name was added or deleted. As a result, a notification will appear in your account history with the total number of uploaded contacts, rather than the exact count of new or updated entries.

Information Available in Your Account:

• Contact Name
• Phone Number

Location

The "ParentPatrol TDA" app, installed on the monitored device, allows location tracking via GPS and the internet.

Data Storage Details

Location data transmitted to your account is stored for 15 days. On the 16th day, it is automatically deleted. It is important to note that you can download all the information to your computer or phone before it is deleted, regardless of whether you have an active subscription or trial period. After deletion, data cannot be recovered.

Information Collection Details

Location data collected during the active subscription or trial period will be available in your account. Information gathered outside these periods is inaccessible.

The location of the device is determined using GPS, AGPS, and the internet. Specifically:

• GPS provides the most accurate coordinates, with an accuracy range of 10 to 100 meters.
• Internet and AGPS offer less precise data: accuracy can range from 100 meters to several kilometers, depending on the environment and proximity to communication nodes.

The accuracy of location determination is influenced by various factors, such as:

• Antenna Strength on the monitored device: a weak antenna, thick walls, or the device being in a basement can significantly degrade signal quality or make it impossible to determine coordinates.
• Environmental Conditions: Data accuracy (from 10 to 50 meters) is achieved when the device is in an open area. When the device is in a pocket, bag, or indoors, accuracy may be significantly reduced.

If the device is in conditions of poor satellite visibility or remains stationary, the interval for collecting coordinates may increase to three or more times the period set in the app settings.

In the absence of internet, location data can only be obtained in an open area with good satellite visibility and GPS enabled. To conserve battery life, it is recommended to increase the coordinate collection interval to 15 minutes or more during periods when it is not required.

Displaying Data on the Map

A marker is displayed on the map indicating the center of the zone where the monitored device was located. It is important to understand that this marker does not represent the exact location of the device but rather the center of a circle within which it may have been.

Example:
If the marker has an accuracy of 100 meters, it means that the device could be anywhere within a 100-meter radius of the marker, not necessarily at its center.

App Usage Statistics

The "ParentPatrol TDA" app, installed on the monitored device, collects information about which apps were used by the user and how much internet traffic was consumed.

Data Storage Details

App usage statistics transmitted to your account today will be deleted after 30 days. On the 31st day, the data will be permanently removed. You can download all collected information to your computer or phone before this period ends, regardless of whether you have an active "Subscription" or "Trial Period" (i.e., even without payment). Once deleted, the data cannot be recovered.

What We Collect and How to Use It

We offer a convenient report format for the data collected from the monitored device. Using various charts, you can view:

• The frequency of app launches on the monitored device and the duration of their usage;
• The time spent by the user in each app and their activity time;
• The amount of mobile internet data consumed by each app, along with the time of consumption;
• The amount of Wi-Fi internet data consumed by each app, along with the time of consumption;
• Summary data for the specified period;

Environment Recording

See the Commands section.

Commands

Before exploring the command functionality, it's important to know the following:

Regardless of the settings of the "ParentPatrol TDA" mobile app, the "ParentPatrol" service does not guarantee the timely transmission and receipt of data or the execution of commands. In some cases, data may be unavailable altogether. There are several technical limitations that may not be apparent to most users but may still be encountered. Details are described in the "Data Transfer Conditions" section. Be sure to review it.

Data Storage Details

The results of executed commands, whether successful or not, transmitted to your account today, will be deleted after 15 days. On the 16th day, the information will be removed. You can download all collected data to your computer or phone before they are deleted, regardless of whether you have an active subscription or trial period (i.e., always, even without payment). Once deleted, the information cannot be recovered.

Available Commands:

• Environment Recording – activates the voice recorder on the monitored device at a specified time and for a specified duration.

• Front Camera Snapshot – takes a photo using the front camera of the device at a specified time, once. The result may be a black photo, which could mean:

  • The device is in a pocket.
  • The device is facing down.
  • The device does not support the command (approximately 15% of devices have such limitations). This issue cannot be resolved as it is a restriction by the manufacturer of the monitored device;

• Main Camera Snapshot – takes a photo using the rear camera of the device at a specified time, once. The result may be a black photo, which could mean:

  • The device is in a pocket.
  • The device is facing down.
  • The device does not support the command (approximately 15% of devices have such limitations). This issue cannot be resolved as it is a restriction by the manufacturer of the monitored device;

• Factory Reset – this command will destroy all data on the monitored device at the specified time without the possibility of recovery and will restore the device settings to factory defaults. To execute this command, the app needs administrator rights. If you did not grant administrator rights to the "ParentPatrol TDA" app during installation, this command will not be available.

• Factory Reset with SD Card Wipe – this command will destroy all data on the device and format all memory cards. The device settings will be restored to factory defaults. To execute this command, the app needs administrator rights. If you did not grant administrator rights to the "ParentPatrol TDA" app during installation, this command will not be available.

• Single Photo on Device Unlock – takes a photo using the front camera of the device starting at the specified time, once. The result may be a black photo, which could mean:

  • The camera is covered.
  • The device does not support the command (approximately 15% of devices have such limitations).

• Change App Settings – all "ParentPatrol TDA" settings can be changed through your account if the monitored device has internet access.

Command Statuses:

• Completed – the command result is available for retrieval, download, playback, or viewing by clicking on the command.

• Failed to Execute – the result is unavailable. The reason can be found by clicking on the command status.

• Failed to Execute, Reinstall the App – you need to uninstall and then reinstall "ParentPatrol TDA". There is no other solution to this problem. You do not need to create a new device in your account; simply scan the existing QR code.

Zone Monitoring

The "ParentPatrol" service allows you to track when the monitored device enters or exits zones that you have set on the map in your account.

To set up zone monitoring, follow these steps:

1. Log into your account and go to the "Menu" → "Zones" section.
2. Click the button to add a new zone.
3. Specify the zone name, choose a color, set notification preferences, and draw the zone on the map.
4. Save the changes.

The created zones will be displayed on all maps in your account and for all devices connected to "ParentPatrol".

How Zone Monitoring Works

1. You will receive notifications on your mobile phone or computer if you have enabled notifications.
2. To view reports, go to: "My Devices" → select the desired device → "Show data collected from the device" → "Menu" → "Events" → "Event History".

Possible False Alerts

The system may sometimes trigger false alerts due to the following reasons:

• The zone is represented as a polygon on the map, while the monitored device determines its location as a circle with a diameter of 10 meters or more (for more details, see the "Location" section).
• An event is recorded when there is an intersection between the zone and the area where the device could potentially be located.
• With low GPS accuracy, false alerts may occur when entering or exiting a zone, especially if the zone is close to the area where the device could be. These conditions depend on the quality of the GPS signal in the device's region.

Events and Limits

The "ParentPatrol" service allows you to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic limits, as well as app usage time.

How to Set Limits

1. Go to the "My Devices" section.
2. Select the desired device.
3. Click "Show data collected from the device".
4. In the menu, select "Events", then click the menu button and choose "Event Settings".
5. Set the necessary limits.
6. Click "Save".

How to Remove Limits

1. Go to the "My Devices" section.
2. Select the desired device.
3. Click "Show data collected from the device".
4. In the menu, select "Events", then click the menu button and choose "Event Settings".
5. Set the value to "0" (zero) instead of limits.
6. Click "Save".

How Limit Monitoring Works

• You will receive notifications on your mobile phone or computer if you have enabled notifications.
• Event reports will be generated. To view them, go to the "My Devices" section, select the desired device, then click "Show data collected from the device", then "Event History".

Can't Find the App in the List? What to Do:

1. Check if the app is on the monitored device—it might have been deleted.
2. If the app is on the device, wait about 15 minutes; it should appear in your account. You can also use the forced data upload feature in the "ParentPatrol TDA" app settings.