Abstract:
Surveillance technology particularly suited to continuous gathering of autobiographical data. Integrated into a portable construction are data collection mechanisms for capturing substantially all perceptual stimulus and acquirable digital data in the immediate vicinity of the system, a data integrator for correlating said autobiographical data, and memory for storing collected data. The unit comprises a programmable device for integrating all data captured into an integrated, content-retrievable format. Data editing formats are also suggested.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     (1) Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention relates generally to data acquisition and access, and, particularly to a system for real-time collection of selectively retrievable autobiographical data.  
         [0006]     (2) Description of Related Art  
         [0007]     In the state of the art microprocessor speed and memory capacity increase at an incredible rate—along a number of dimensions, computers get twice as powerful relative to price every eighteen months, or in other words, increase by about an order of magnitude every five years. Therefore, new uses for such powerful machines and programs need to be developed. Particularly, as computing speed and memory capacity drop in price, personal use systems become more powerful and more desirable.  
         [0008]     One valuable use for powerful computing processes is multimedia, surveillance or personal data collection. There is known in the art individual devices which already employ microprocessors and application specific integrated circuits for recording specific types of data; e.g., video (with sound track capability) and still cameras for recording the local surroundings (including day-date imprints), pen-size digital dictation devices for sound recording, space satellite connected global positioning systems (GPS) for providing instantaneous position, movement tracking, date and time information, personal digital assistants (PDA) for downloadable note taking and other computing activities, biofeedback devices, e.g., portable cardio-vascular monitors, for medical patients and sports enthusiast, and the like.  
         [0009]     For recording autobiographical thoughts and notes, hand-scribed diaries are more than just passe; they suffer from being subjective, time consuming, bulky, disaster-prone, and virtually useless for comprehensive data retrieval.  
         [0010]     Current video and audio recording devices are typically used to record sight-rememberable places. Other than the option of a day-date stamp feature, personalization as well as mobility and location information is limited to local sound and user subvocalization commentaries. Audio-video recording medium management, such as editing, is tedious, and often requires specialized off-line equipment. Degradation of the commonly used magnetic tape over time is also a known problem in the state of the art. Moreover, actual continuous recording sessions are timed sporadically to meet the level of interest in the current subject, cost, and available battery life.  
         [0011]     Data monitors, such as medical biometric recorders, have personalization and mobility capabilities, but measure only a limited number of targeted traits, in effect, providing a targeted data query response. Moreover, most medical monitors only collect data for transmission to some other processing facility. Security and privacy is not an issue.  
         [0012]     There is a need for a system which will permit digital, active and passive, collection of all recordable information over virtually everything that transpires in the course and immediate vicinity of daily life. Note that such a full-data capable system can be adapted to a more targeted data collection such as in the business of surveillance.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     In its basic aspect, the present invention provides a system for accessing a substantially comprehensive record of an immediate environment of a user, including: a substantially continuous record of information from a plurality of time-correlated input data streams; mechanisms for specifying a query into the record; and mechanisms for displaying a result of a query made using said mechanisms for specifying a query.  
         [0014]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a portable device for capturing a substantially comprehensive record of an immediate environment of a user, including: a portable housing; associated with said housing, one or more data collection devices; and integrated with said housing, a time-keeping device, a data storage device, and a programmable device for correlating all data captured by the data collection devices based upon time reported by the time-keeping device and for storing so-correlated data on the storage device.  
         [0015]     In still another aspect, the present invention provides a wearable device for querying a substantially comprehensive record of an immediate environment of a user, including: a portable housing; associated with said housing, at least one data output device, and at least one input device for specifying data queries; and integrated with said housing, a data storage device containing a data record and a programmable device for accepting queries from the at least one input device, for identifying sections of the record based on the queries, and for displaying the results of the queries on the at least one output device.  
         [0016]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a system for data collection including: a portable housing; and interconnected within said housing, data collection means for capturing data representative of an immediate vicinity of the system, integration means for correlating said autobiographical data, and memory means for storing said autobiographical data.  
         [0017]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for generating autobiographical data, the method including: providing an integrated apparatus for collecting data representative of perceptual stimuli in the immediate vicinity of a person; continuously collecting said data; in real-time, integrating said data in accordance with predetermined relational characteristics of said perceptual stimuli into a content retrievable data collection; and storing said data collection in a memory.  
         [0018]     In another aspect, the present invention provides surveillance apparatus including: a portable housing; and integrated with said housing, a camera, an audio recorder, a GPS, a data memory, and a programmable device for integrating all data captured by said camera, audio recorder, and GPS into an integrated, content-retrievable format and for storing and retrieving data so formatted from said memory.  
         [0019]     The foregoing summary is not intended to be an inclusive list of all the aspects, objects, advantages and features of the present invention nor should any limitation on the scope of the invention be implied therefrom. This Summary is provided in accordance with the mandate of 37 C.F.R. 1.73 and M.P.E.P. 608.01(d) merely to apprise the public, and more especially those interested in the particular art to which the invention relates, of the nature of the invention in order to be of assistance in aiding ready understanding of the patent in future searches. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following explanation and the accompanying drawings, in which like reference designations represent like features throughout the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an autobiographical data collection system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1  in operation.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart for data integration and programming in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a system block diagram representation of a data record, data collection apparatus, and output for the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram related to  FIG. 4  showing annotation data operations in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating data pattern matching operations in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart for system operations which include event pattern input in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a graphical illustration of a response process giving a list of attributes in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram of an exemplary query into memory using pattern matching as described in accordance with  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 10  is an illustration of the use of the system by deja vu query in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 11  illustrates the security aspects of the present invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart illustrative of one embodiment of a data compression module in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating use of a portable/wearable apparatus system embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with a data archive system.  
         [0033]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention to capture a substantially comprehensive record of an immediate environment of the user.  
         [0034]      FIG. 15  is illustrative of another embodiment of the present invention employing remote data collection devices. 
     
    
       [0035]     The drawings referred to in this specification should be understood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically annotated.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]     Reference is made now in detail to a specific embodiment of the present invention, which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated for practicing the invention. Alternative embodiments are also briefly described as applicable.  
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a data collection apparatus  100  in accordance with the present invention. A central “INTEGRATION” unit, or “integrator,”  101  is a microprocessor or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) based, programmable device, having an associated data storage unit, “MEMORY,”  102 . When IC memory achieves a great enough capacity in solid state form, it can be included as part of the integrator  101 . The data collection units  103 - 108  can be adapted from state-of-the-art products. An output port  109 , wired or wireless, is provided for downloading recorded data from memory  102  to a mass data storage device or even in real-time, alternatively or in parallel, from individual data collection units  103  (indicated by phantom-line connections). In the main, the system is implemented in a motherboard fashion as would be known in the computer fabrication arts.  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  illustrates a person, or “user,”  99  equiped with the present invention  100  as shown in  FIG. 1  such that autobiographically related data (or surveillance data) is continuously and automatically recorded. The autobiographical data collection apparatus  100  is housed via an unobtrusive, belt  201  mount  202  and case  203 ; waist pack, backpack, briefcase or other convenient carrying implementations can be designed to provide equivalent carrying convenience.  
         [0039]     A control panel  204  is implemented in any known manner, but preferably is such as a touch screen LCD display and control combination, e.g., having series of scrollable or pop-up windows providing controls over the data integrator  101 , including memory  102 , the various data collection units  103 - 107 , and input-output  108 ,  109  functions. While an all-in-one unit can be implemented for all data capture, processing and storage, in order to provide certain advantages and to miniaturize the system, it is preferred that some remote sensors for acquiring data and having data direct transmission capability are employed as needed for each of the data collection units  103 - 107 .  
         [0040]     For video unit  103  input, in order to provide the user  99  point of view, a headset  211 , wearable as a pair of eyeglasses, incorporates a camera  213  (either full video or selective sequential still mode or both). For example, a small video camera such as the X 10  model by XCam Co. of Seattle, Wash., could be employed in accordance with the present invention. The video data processor is preferably a digital type such as would be used in a common handheld camera and is incorporated into the apparatus  100  motherboard. A known manner heads-up display  214  associated with the camera output allows the user  99  to monitor the real-time field of view of the camera  213 . For a less obvious implementation, e.g., for discrete field surveillance uses, the belt buckle  201 ′ or other less noticeable placement can be employed.  
         [0041]     While all components and units can be hardwired, in the preferred embodiment wireless transmission, e.g., radio frequency (RF), from the remote video sensor(s)  213 , audio microphone(s)  215 , and biometric sensor(s)  217  is provided, each indicated as having an antenna  213 ′,  215 ′,  217 ′ for data transmission in a known manner.  
         [0042]     For the audio unit  104 , a remote microphone  215  is preferably positioned adjacent the vocal chord region of the user&#39;s neck so that in addition to picking up all audio stimulus around the user  99 , subvocalization recording of user input can be registered. Thus, the microphone  215  is shown as an unobtrusive collar pin style. A model EMC3 microphone by Kenwood company of Long Beach, Calif., can be employed in accordance with the present invention. Note that an earpiece  215 ″ associated with the microphone  215  can be optionally provided; this is particularly valuable when the employed microphone is directional and is picking up particular input toward which it is pointed in an otherwise relatively noisy surrounding environment.  
         [0043]     GPS apparatus are commercially available; e.g., a variety of models are available from Garmin International, having places of business in Olathe, Kans., and Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom. An adapted, incorporated GPS unit  105  provides a continuous data stream for date, time, current location, and resettable, motion mapping.  
         [0044]     For the biometric data unit  106 , a biometric data sensor  217  is appropriately mounted directly to the user&#39;s body in accordance with the make and model. For example, a model S410 heart rate monitor by Polar CIC, Inc., Burbank, Calif., can be employed in accordance with the present invention. Note that a plurality of sensors can be used; e.g., in addition to a heart/lung/blood sensor, an electro-oculographic monitor  219  might be employed, built into the headset  211 . Such biometric data units  106  are well known and can provide current data regarding the user such as heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, blood glucose or alcohol level, and the like.  
         [0045]     The local environmental data unit  107  can gather information regarding temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, and the like. For example, the model 53 Series II local environmental condition sensor by Fluke company of Everett, Wash., can be employed in accordance with the present invention. Any ambient environmental condition data can be provided for with an appropriately adapted state of the art monitoring device, e.g., temperature, humidity, oxygen level, radiation level, wind speed, noise level, traffic level, or the like.  
         [0046]     A digital data input port  108  is provided for downloading data files directly from other digital devices; e.g., computers, PDAs, test instruments, from web sites (e.g., e.mail messages on an Internet capable cell phone), and the like; such direct data is represented by communication line  111 . A common serial, parallel, infrared, or the like known data port can be provided in accordance with a specific implementation design goals. Similarly, a digital data output port  109  is provided for downloading from the memory  102 —e.g., for putting the current session&#39;s collected data into long term, mass storage—or from specific data collection units  103 - 107  via user commands using the control panel  204 . While not shown, the data ports  108 ,  109 , can include portable telephone equipment and capability.  
         [0047]     In the current state of the art, high capacity memory drives in a one-inch diameter hard disk with associated read-write electronics have been reduced in size to where a wearable, belt-pack, data storage unit can be used to record up to 80 Gbytes of data. Such a storage device as model WD800BBRTL by Western Digital company of Lake Forest, Calif., can be adapted for use in accordance with the present invention. Magnetic tape drives such as those manufactured by Seagate Corp. of Scotts Valley, Calif., can be adapted and employed. MP3 devices such as those manufactured by Creative Labs might also be employed.  
         [0048]     The heart of the invention is the integrator  101 . The basic methodology  300 , implementable via known manner firmware/software programming techniques, in accordance with the present invention is shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . Simultaneous reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  will assist in the understanding of the following.  
         [0049]     Assuming the apparatus  100  has been OFF, e.g., over-night, charging batteries, or the like, the first step is to turn the system ON, step  301 . Having a control panel  204  indicating that the apparatus  100  is initializing, the user  99  may wish to immediately jump to some limited mode of operation, step  303 , YES-path; e.g., allowing an Internet download  111  via the input port  108  while using a public access terminal. Otherwise, step  303 , NO-path, or when the user has finished the specific task(s) commanded, step  305 , the integrator  101  program  300  initializes all data collection units  103 - 107 , and any associated remote sensors  211 - 219 , automatically, step  307 . Preferably, the boot-up routine includes running diagnostics, step  309 , to ensure full functionality of all subunits of the apparatus  100 . If the apparatus  100  is not fully functional, the display  204  reports a fault, step  311 , which the user  99  must then address off-line.  
         [0050]     Once fully booted, the system commences data collection, step  309 .  
         [0051]     Since the inputs from the data collection units  103 - 108  are discrete collections, data integration is provided. For example, video data and audio data inputs are synchronized and stamped with GPS information on a frame-by-frame basis. Again, illustrated by step  315 , the user  99  is provided with override commands using the touch screen display  204  to customize data collection to suit the present situation; for example, turning off the GPS unit  105  while on a commercial airline where FAA regulations prohibit the use of GPS devices.  
         [0052]     The integrated data is stored in memory  102 , step  317 . As the data is in effect a serial autobiography, automatically subject to every whim of the user, it is preferred that the data storage routines and memory be those used for known manner content addressable memory (CAM). The information collected will be voluminous; therefore, in the preferred embodiment, using data compression is advisable. For example, assuming the video data is the greatest user of memory, it is estimated that with data collection unit  103 - 107  technology currently available, a fully operational system will store about 1.5 gigabytes per hour or 24 gigabytes per 16 hour day of average use. Without integration and content addressability, data retrieval problems become nearly insurmountable.  
         [0053]     As long as the user  99  ( FIG. 2 ) desires, the recording session can continue, step  319 , NO-path. Once the current session, or multiple recording sessions are over, if memory  102  is non-volatile (preferably) and still has sufficient empty space for a next session, step  321 , NO-path, the system is simply turned OFF step  331 . If necessary or desired, step  321 , YES-path, the memory is downloaded to mass storage, e.g., writable CD-ROM, ZIP™ drive cartridges, or the like, steps  321 ,  323 ,  325 ,  327  (en masse or-edited as described hereinafter). Data storage memory  102  is reset, step  329 , for a new data acquisition and storage session(s). The apparatus  100  can then be powered down, step  331 .  
         [0054]     Re-acquiring data from on-board memory  102  during a current session—e.g., via control panel  204  commands, replaying video footage on the heads-up display  214 —is a valuable option, particularly useful for editing captured data. Note that other data display can be programmed; e.g., “display current electrocardiogram.” 
         [0055]     Note that known manner or proprietary data encryption techniques can be employed to ensure the recorded data is available only to those with specific decryption capability.  
         [0056]     With such a portable apparatus  100 , an accurate, external, memory can be created of all that has gone on around the user and direct data inputs by the user (see description of elements  108 / 111 , above). The uses of such data are legion; e.g., for surveillance operations or memories (e.g., vacation) recording, the uses are intuitively obvious; some examples of other uses follow.  
         [0057]     The stored data can be used to replay scenes in response to queries based on time, location, object or person physical identifying features, or the like. For example, with content addressable memory, a “MATCH” command could search video records to find the identity and previous encounter with a currently displayed person or place on the heads-up display.  
         [0058]     Another important use would be of the availability of a complete medical history from the biometric unit  106 .  
         [0059]     To continue the data rate collection example, a reasonable lifetime (75 years) of daily recording would result in about 650 terabytes of data. Therefore, as a preferred option, program routines (on-line or off-line) for selectively editing, steps  323 , YES-path, and  325 , the data in memory (or retrieved from an off-board mass storage bank (not shown)) is provided. Such a program can have options as simple as a time-based DELETE function for on-line editing (e.g., the last hour of recording consisted of data collected after falling asleep in a park) to advanced, video, keyframe extraction algorithms. Another option is a dynamic data degradation routine, where the full record of a session is kept on a time-based criteria or storage availability basis and then edited in a selected predetermined order, such as personal interest (e.g., “keep faces and associated data (name, occupation), delete meeting background places (office wall with hanging paintings)”; or “delete normal biometric data greater than 2 years old”; or the like).  
         [0060]      FIG. 4  represents a systematic block diagram of the data collection apparatus and data flow associated therewith. The collection apparatus  100  is simplified for in this embodiment description. The composite data record  401  includes time tracking  403  provided by the GPS unit  105  as needed for data correlation. The data record  401  also includes collected data input streams  405  and annotation data streams  407 .  
         [0061]     Collected data input streams  405  have individual data records that are represented by the labeled boxes shown as coupled to the collection apparatus  100  by arrows. In this embodiment annotation apparatus  409  are shown as a separate unit from the collection apparatus  100 . Annotation data streams  407  have individual data records that are represented by the labeled boxes coupled to the annotation apparatus  409  by a single arrow. Such streams typically contain information about people, places, object, and events that are considered to be related to the immediate environment at particular points in time. They may also contain notes or other comments the user makes that are believed to be relevant to the immediate environment and may comprise a “reduction” of data input streams, e.g., the transformation of an audio stream into a textual transcript. The collected data input streams data records  405  are annotated, if so desired, by routing through the annotation apparatus  409 , represented by arrow  411 , thus forming respectively associated annotation data streams  407  having individual records related to the input streams. By this illustration, it is specifically intended that in addition to subunits of the apparatus  200  such as the microphone  215  of  FIG. 2 , that known manner manual input devices, such as computer keyboards or keypads, electronic styluses, barcode readers, optical character readers, or the like, can be adapted for use as such annotation mechanisms  409 . Moreover, and referring briefly also to  FIG. 5 , automated annotation mechanisms such as image recognition, voice-print recognition, identity beacon transmissions, digital data bases (e.g., data transcript data streams, and the like) can be adapted for use as such annotation mechanisms  409 .  
         [0062]     Output comprising the collected data input streams  405  and any related annotation data records attached thereto in the annotation data streams  407  are routed (arrow  413 ) from memory (e.g.,  FIG. 1 , memory unit  102 ) to an adapted, known manner, computational apparatus  415 , (e.g., a personal computer, not shown), forming a composite data base for selective data processing. The computational apparatus  415  is used in conjunction with a known manner input device  417  using known manner programming processes for specifying queries into the record data base. The computational apparatus  415  is used in conjunction with a known manner output device  419  for displaying results of such queries.  
         [0063]     Looking again to  FIG. 5 , an illustration of automated collected data annotation for the composite data record  401  is provided. As an example of an operational implementation, the collected data video data record  501  can be routed (data routing is again illustrated as in  FIG. 4  by connecting arrows for all individual data records, e.g., video data record  501 ) to a program associated with facial feature recognition  503 . Collected data audio data record  505  can be routed to a program associated with speech recognition  507  and specific voice recognition  509 . A speech recognition  507  annotated audio data records  501  then forms an audio transcription  511  component of the annotation data streams  407 .  
         [0064]     Being obviously related, voice recognition and facial feature recognition  503  annotated data can be combined. Moreover, such video data  501  and face recognition data  503  can be combined with a person database data  513  and/or data from a device such as an active badge reader  515  associated with a particular person in the database  513 . Note that video data record  501  so annotated  503 ,  509 ,  513 ,  515  forms an annotation stream  407 , a “people present” data stream during an active recording session. Again, it should be recognized that manual annotation as described with  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4  can at any time during the session to augment such automated annotations.  
         [0065]     In the same manner, other automated annotation devices can be employed with captured data in the composite data record  401 . As examples: 
    (1) a location beacon reader  517  associated with a location beacon  519  can be used for “place” annotation data record  521 ;     (2) a map server query agent  523  associated with a remoter map server  525  and the GPS individual data record  527  can be used for the “place” annotation data record  521 ;     (3) a barcode reader program  529  associated with appropriate known manner hardware (not shown) of the system apparatus  200 ,  FIG. 2 , can provide an appropriate “interesting objects” annotation data record  531  (note that interesting objects can also be associated with the video data record  501 ); and     (4) a pattern recognition program  533  can be associated with the biometric individual data records, e.g., “blood pressure  535 ” and “heart rate  537 ” data. Other automated annotation mechanisms can be adapted based upon the specific implementation of the invention.    
 
         [0070]     Pattern matching operations are illustrated by  FIG. 6 . Stored in memory  601  (or e.g.,  FIG. 1, 102 ) associated with the system can be a database of event patterns  603  or other indicia related to pattern matching. For example, there may be rules established for identifying patterns of related events, sounds, current medical conditions, or the like of the user, from the past which relate to current conditions as being recorded. A search for each relevant rule  605  a comparison test  607  can be established and run to look for matches between current data streams of particular interest and the database of event patterns  603 . If a match is found, operation step  607 , YES-path, the rule&#39;s event is added to the annotation stream as of the current time of annotation, operation step  609 . If not, step  607 , NO-path, then the operation can loop through each relevant rule, step  611 , NO-path  605 , until finished, step  613 .  
         [0071]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart for system operations which include event pattern input. The user wears the apparatus  200  as shown in  FIG. 2 , or carries a similar device or set of devices such as in a backpack or briefcase implementation, step  701 , moving through a local environment, step  703 , and capturing a record of multiple time-correlated, collected data input streams  405 , step  705 . Along the way, the annotation data streams are provided into the record  401 , step  707 . Off-line or in real time, depending upon the implementation and sophistication of the programming, the user has specified or specifies rules for patterns of interest correlated to annotations to be made, step  709 . Whenever a match is noted, an automated annotation, as shown in  FIG. 6  is added into the current record  401 , step  711 .  
         [0072]     In the preferred embodiment, at anytime during data capture  705 , the user can make a query, identifying which current input data streams to display and a desired mode of presentation (e.g., video playback, audio, hard copy printout, or the like), step  713 . Temporal regions of interest in the stored data related to the query are identified, step  715 , and displayed, step  717 . The process continues as long as the recording session remains active.  
         [0073]      FIG. 8  is a graphical illustration of a response giving a list of attributes, where three data streams  801 ,  803 ,  804  of a full currently streaming record  800  relate to the current query  806 . The extracted temporally related region data is displayed  807  in the specified mode of presentation. Looking now also to  FIG. 9 , there is provided a block diagram of an exemplary query  806  into memory using pattern matching (e.g, recognizing a place from current video data  405 ) and searching stored records  901  for an immediately previous presence of the user in the same place and fitting rules associated therewith. The response  903  to the specific query is displayed as specified.  
         [0074]     In effect, the present system allows for a recall of prior experiences which may be relevant to a current experience, e.g., a deja vu event. In  FIG. 10 , use of the system by deja vu query is illustrated. In the current full record  1001 , the region label “Now→Target” represents a temporal record in the collected data input streams (see  FIGS. 4 through 6 ), perhaps of only a few seconds, when the user experiences deja vu. The user issues a deja vu query  1003 . The pattern matching rules in this aspect of the invention are based on “similarity metric(s)”  1005 . The “Similarity” graph  1007  depicts a search backward in time through the stored database using the similarity metric  1005  to create a similarity profile, represented by the shaded region  1009 . From the profile  1009 , a “Most Similar” temporal period  1011  is recognized. A display  1013  is generated, providing the user with all of the records for that period  1001  or with annotation data streams related to that period, or both.  
         [0075]     As the system is making a physical record and virtual record of events that may be highly personal, related to business confidentiality requirements, or the like, in the preferred embodiment, the invention also provides for security measures related to system use and record retrieval.  FIG. 11  illustrates the security aspects of the present invention. Again, a current record  1101  comprises a set of time-based, collected data input data streams  1103  from the local input apparatus  200  and associated query devices and mechanisms  1105  for running the query  1109  (analogous e.g, to  FIGS. 8-10 ,  806 ,  1003 ). Note that the query may come from a remote system  1107  via an appropriate input-output port  1111  (analogous e.g., to  FIG. 1, 111 ). A known manner user identification module  1113  is provided. For example, the user may be required to enter a personal identification number (“PIN”) via the control panel  204 ,  FIG. 2 , before the system can be activated. An authorization check  1115  is provided to allow use and access. In the preferred embodiment the system is usable by anyone having an associated identification and authorization code. Thus, the “Authorization” bar chart  1117  is illustrative of a three user system. In this example, one user, viz. the current user, has been authorized for full access, shown as a clear bar; one user has been authorized for access to two temporal regions of data  1119 ,  1121 ; and one user has been authorized for access to a small temporal region of data  1123 . The second and third users may be currently on-line via remote systems  1107 . Authorized results are displayed  1117  and transmitted  1119  across the I/O port  1111  in accordance with levels of authorization in effect. For example, assume the current user is in a business meeting, making the full record (i.e., clear bar authorization). One remote user might be the user&#39;s supervisor who has a need to know certain events  1119 ,  1121 . The other remote user might be a customer who only needs to know a certain limited presentation or result of the meeting  1123 .  
         [0076]     As mentioned briefly with respect to  FIG. 3 , step  323 , editing or data compression can be provided.  FIG. 12  is a flow chart illustrative of one embodiment of a data compression module where provided rules with respect to a computation of level of interest is used. Again, as in  FIG. 3 , step  311 ,  FIG. 7 , step  703 , the user moves through his or her local environment collecting data, focusing now on the video data input data stream (see e.g.,  FIG. 5 , input data stream  501 ), step  1201 . At the same time, the biometric unit  106  ( FIG. 1 ) and related the biometric sensor  217  ( FIG. 2 ) provides associated input data stream  1202 , annotations are made  1207 , speech directed at the user and user subvocalizations are recorded  1209 , similarity metrics are employed  1211  (see  FIG. 10 ), and the like input data streams form a composite record ( 401 ,  FIGS. 4-6 ). “Interestingness” is computed for each specified slice of time of the full record, step  1203 . Note that the “rules” can be automated because input data such as heart rate, breathing rate, similarity, can be recognized. Depending on available storage capacity in memory  102  ( FIG. 1 ), the video frame rate can be adjusted, e.g., degrading the stored frame rate of time slices with high compressibility measures, viz., least interesting, and recomputing current data compressibility automatically according to the specified rules (e.g., higher heart rate, fast breathing=“very interesting”), step  1205 . With speech recognition, the system can implement commands, such as “Interesting” and “Not Interesting,” whereby the specified slice of past time data can be edited such as with deletion or compression to a correlated time period.  
         [0077]      FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating use of a portable/wearable apparatus system embodiment  1301  in conjunction with an archive system  1303 ; exemplary units now shown in labeled box form are exemplified by representative element numbers from other FIGURES in parenthesis. Subsystems of the apparatus system  1301  and archive system  1303  are electrically/optically interconnected (including wireless) in accordance with the current state of the art as needed for data retrieval, recording and transmission (see e.g.,  FIG. 1 ). The archive system  1302  includes a known manner mass data storage unit  1305  where archival data  1307  is stored. A computation unit  1309  is provided for running programs and hardware associated with data storage and deletion, retrieval  1311  from mass storage  1305 , transmission  1313 , and display  1315  of archival data  1307 .  
         [0078]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention to capture a substantially comprehensive record of an immediate environment of the user. In this alternative embodiment of a composite data collection system  1400 , while it may be in one miniaturized package worn or carried by the user or in such form as briefcase implementation, for convenience of explanation, the drawing uses component references from  FIGS. 1 and 2  to represent subunits of the system. In this embodiment, the case, or “portable housing,”  203  including a separate clock  1401  for this embodiment, supplementing GPS  105  time; e.g., one or the other can be at local time while the other maintains an absolute time, such as Greenwich Mean Time. Also included in this system  1400  embodiment is a personal digital assistant (PDA)  1403  which is adapted for use in controls, query entry, and display. A barcode reader  1405  and card reader (e.g., magnetic stripe, optical, or the like)  1407  are also included. In the representative environment  1411 , having four rooms and a hallway, the users  1413 ,  1415  are free to transit from place-to-place, using their respective system  1400 ,  1401 ′ to create respective composite data records from each one&#39;s perspective. Adapted to the system  1400 , places within the environment  1411  can be provided with identification beacons, or the like,  1417 . Objects  1419  of use within the rooms may be provided barcodes in order to adapt to the system.  
         [0079]      FIG. 15  is illustrative of another embodiment of the present invention. In addition to individual collection system apparatus  100 / 200   1 . . . N  associated with each user  99   1 ,  99   2 ,  99   3  . . .  99   N , input data streams can be provided remotely from fixed environmentally mounted data capture devices, such as exemplary video cameras  1501  having wireless transmission I/O subunits  1503 . In accordance with authorization protocols as described with respect to  FIG. 11 , the users  99   1 . . . N  might share collected data input data streams, for example, using electronic mail or other telecommunications devices associated with each.  
         [0080]     The present invention provides a complete system for maintaining autobiographical or other surveillance-type data in a passive, yet comprehensive and secure manner. Data collected as input is subject to pattern matching and data mining programs.  
         [0081]     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. Similarly, any process steps described might be interchangeable with other steps in order to achieve the same result. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather means “one or more.” Moreover, no element, component, nor method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the following claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . . . ” and no process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step or steps are expressly recited using the phrase “comprising the step(s) of . . . .”