Interactive system for producing, storing and retrieving information

Abstract

An interactive processor-controlled system for entering and storing user information about an event that is being concurrently recorded in real time correlates the user information to user-requested addresses, such as time values stored with the recorded signals. The system includes a recording device for producing signals indicating recorded event data that includes periodic addresses, each of which indicates a portion of the recorded signals. An address source, such as a clock, is connected for providing address values to both the processor and the recording device. Using a pen-based user interface in one embodiment of the system, the system user specifically requests an address value in order to correlate user information to the signals being concurrently recorded. In response to a request for an address, the system establishes a spatial region on the display, called a time zone, into which the system user may enter information, in the form of handwritten strokes, about the event. All information entered into a time zone is stored and correlated with the address value represented by the time zone, in effect creating a log of the recorded event that may be used to access the portions of the recorded signals. While time zones are created by the user in sequential time order, information can be entered in to time zones in any sequence, thereby facilitating editing and annotation of previously-entered information. The ability to correlate the recorded signals to keywords designated in the user-supplied information is also provided.