Patent ID: 6513046
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method in a computer to assist a user in recalling a previous environment of the user, the computer having input devices capable of recording audio and video information from the environment and having output devices capable of presenting audio and video information, the method comprising:receiving a plurality of indications from the user, each received indication to store a state fragment having information about a current state of an environment of the user, the indications received by a State Storage Module executing on the computer; for each of the plurality of received indications, storing a state fragment by, recording video information from the environment using at least one of the input devices; recording at least one audio recall tag from the user using at least one of the input devices, the recall tag related to a subject of the recorded video information, the recording performed under control of the State Storage Module; recording at least one audio annotation from the user using at least one of the input devices, the annotation providing descriptive information about the recorded video information, the recording performed under control of the State Storage Module; and creating a stored state fragment having the recorded video information, the recorded audio recall tags, and the recorded audio annotations, the creating performed by the State Storage Module; and when the user indicates to present stored information from one of the stored state fragments in order to assist the user in recalling the environment of the user at the time of the storing of that state fragment, recalling a stored state fragment by, receiving from the user an indication of a subject, the indication of the subject received by a State Recall Module executing on the computer; comparing the indicated subject to the recall tags of the stored state fragments, the comparing performed by the State Recall Module; and when the indicated subject matches a recall tag of one of the stored state fragments, under control of the State Recall Module, presenting to the user on at least one of the output devices the recorded video information of the one stored state fragment; and presenting to the user on at least one of the output devices the recorded audio annotations of the one stored state fragment, so that the user can recall video and annotation information for a previous state of an environment of the user.