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Estate Planning

Patent Pending

Heartbeat Capsule: Your Offline Digital Estate

We've eliminated the service dependency. Download a self-contained capsule of your entire EstateHelm vault that works offline, forever—no internet, no servers, no service required. Open it in 5 years, 20 years, or 50 years from now.

From Heartbeat to Capsule

When we introduced the Heartbeat Protocol, we mentioned a limitation: it required EstateHelm's servers to be operational. If our service ever went down, your beneficiaries wouldn't be able to access their packages.

We've solved that. The Heartbeat Capsule is a completely self-contained, offline-accessible archive of your EstateHelm data. It's your vault, frozen in time, that anyone with the right credentials can unlock—with or without us.

What's in the Capsule?

  • Your complete household vault (properties, contacts, documents, etc.)
  • Your personal vault (identities, heartbeat messages to loved ones)
  • All encrypted file attachments (photos, PDFs, videos)
  • A fully functional offline viewer application
  • All decryption logic—no external dependencies

How It Works

The Heartbeat Capsule is part of the Heartbeat Protocol, available with an Estate subscription. Export your capsule and store it anywhere—a USB drive, cloud storage, your email, a safety deposit box. When you or your beneficiaries need it, simply open the included viewer in any web browser.

1

Export Your Capsule

Go to the Heartbeat Protocol page and click "Heartbeat Capsule." Choose your password settings and what to include.

2

Store It Safely

Save the capsule to multiple locations: USB drives, external hard drives, cloud storage, or a safety deposit box. Multiple copies in different places means maximum redundancy.

3

Open Anytime, Anywhere

Double-click index.html, select the vault folder, enter credentials. No internet, no installation, no accounts needed.

4

Works Forever

The capsule runs entirely in-browser using standard web technologies. For extra peace of mind, include a portable browser (like Chrome Portable) on the same USB drive—completely self-contained.

Inside the Capsule

heartbeat-capsule/
index.html# Self-contained viewer app
manifest.json# Bundle metadata & key index
keys/# Encrypted key bundles
master.enc, beneficiary_*.enc
entities/# Encrypted vault data
properties.json, contacts.json, ...
attachments/# Encrypted files
*.enc + *.meta.json

Multi-Role Access Control

The capsule supports different access levels. You (the owner) and your beneficiaries can each unlock only what they're meant to see.

Owner / Executor

Full access to everything in the vault with master credentials

Dual password (your choice) or single password
All household keys + all personal keys

Beneficiary

Access only to specifically assigned content

Unique generated password (you share it with them)
Only their designated keys (e.g., general + heartbeat)

Viewer Entry Screen

EstateHelm Heartbeat Capsule
Master AccessFull access with owner passwords
Beneficiary AccessSelect: [[email protected]]

Flexible Unlock Mechanisms

Choose how your capsule is protected. A single password works for simplicity, or use dual passwords for extra security—one you remember, one stored separately.

Single Password

One password you create or have generated for you. Simple and effective.

Dual Password

Two passwords combined cryptographically. Store them in different places for maximum security.

How dual passwords work

Give one password to a family member and the other to a friend or lawyer. Neither can unlock the capsule alone—both parts are required. This ensures no single person can access your data without the other's cooperation.

Full Media Support

The offline viewer doesn't just show text—it renders your entire vault experience, including encrypted media playback.

Images

Family photos, IDs, insurance cards

Documents

Wills, power of attorney, deeds

Videos

Messages to your loved ones

Everything is decrypted in-browser, in-memory. Nothing is written to disk unencrypted.

The Forever Promise

This isn't just for emergencies. Your Heartbeat Capsule is a time capsule of your life's important information that you or your family can open at any time:

5 years from now — Your kids need that insurance policy number

20 years from now — Settling an estate after you're gone

50 years from now — Grandchildren discovering family history

The capsule uses AES-256-GCM encryption and standard web APIs. Include a portable browser on the same drive and you have a truly self-contained archive—no servers, no subscriptions, no company dependency.

Patent Pending

Self-Contained Offline Encrypted Estate Capsule

The Heartbeat Capsule technology is protected by a provisional patent application covering the self-contained offline encrypted estate capsule with multi-role and N-of-N password-based access control.

Key claims include: offline decryption without network access, embedded UI runtime, beneficiary-specific key bundles, N-of-N and M-of-N threshold unlock mechanisms, and long-term archival independence from the originating service.

Heartbeat Protocol vs. Heartbeat Capsule

FeatureHeartbeat ProtocolHeartbeat Capsule
Works offlineNoYes
Automatic releaseYes (after inactivity)Manual (anyone with credentials)
Service requiredYesNo
Always up-to-dateYes (live data)No (snapshot at export)
Buffer period protectionYesNo (instant access with credentials)
Works in 50 yearsDepends on EstateHelmYes

Use both together

The Heartbeat Protocol handles automatic release during normal circumstances. The Capsule is your backup for worst-case scenarios or long-term archival. Export a fresh capsule periodically.

Common Questions

How often should I export a new capsule?

Whenever you make significant changes to your vault. Some users export monthly, others quarterly. The capsule is a snapshot—more recent exports have more current data.

Where should I store the capsule?

Multiple locations for redundancy: a USB drive in your safe, cloud storage (the encryption protects it), emailed to yourself, given to your attorney. The more copies in different places, the better.

Can beneficiaries see each other's data?

No. Each beneficiary has a unique password that only unlocks their assigned key bundle. They cannot see data assigned to other beneficiaries.

What if I forget the password?

There is no recovery mechanism—that's the point. The encryption is real. Use a password manager or store your credentials securely (separate from the capsule itself).

Can the capsule be tampered with?

Any modification to encrypted data will cause decryption to fail with an authentication error. The integrity of the data is cryptographically guaranteed.

What browsers support the offline viewer?

We recommend Chrome or Edge. For a fully self-contained solution, include a portable version of Edge or Chrome on the same USB drive as your capsule—no installation required.

Your Legacy, Independent Forever

Export your first Heartbeat Capsule today. Store it safely. Rest easy knowing your family can access what they need, no matter what.

Available with Estate subscription

Get Started with Estate