Systems and methods for using persistent, passive, electronic information capturing devices

Abstract

Personal companions crowd-source and/or crowd-share characterizations, and optionally raw data, from real-world, virtual and/or mixed-reality experiences. Characterizations can advantageously be stored in one or more self-evolving, structured databases, and can be organized according to objects, actions, events and thoughts. Characterizations can be weighted differently for different users, and “forgotten” over time, especially in favor of maintaining higher level characterizations. Personal companions can be used to obtain additional information, and conduct interpersonal, commercial, or other interactions or transactions.

1 . A method of using a computer system and first and second persistent, passive, electronic information capturing devices (PPIC devices) to provide guidance to a first person, comprising:
 using the first PPIC device to gather information (first person information) about an environment encountered by the first person;   using the computer system to identify a circumstance based upon abstractions from the first person information;   using the second PPIC device to gather information (second person information) about an environment encountered by a second person, wherein the first one of the PPIC devices is different from the second one of the PPIC devices, and the first person is different from the second person; and   using the computer system to utilize (a) the circumstance and (b) the second person information to automatically provide the guidance to the first person.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first persistent, passive information capturing device is activated by a question and answer conversation with the first person. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second persistent, passive information capturing device is activated by a question and answer conversation with the second person. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first persistent, passive information capturing device and the second persistent, passive information capturing device comprises an artificial intelligence system that is trained using crowd-sourced question and answer conversations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first persistent, passive information capturing device captures an identification of a circumstance, wherein the identification is captured from passive comments by one or more people. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first persistent, passive information capturing device captures an incidental identification, wherein the incidental identification is captured from one or more visual cues in the physical environment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more visual cues comprise text. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more visual cues comprise an image. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second PPIC devices comprises a body-worn microphone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second PPIC devices comprises a body-worn camera. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the circumstance comprises a medical issue and the guidance comprises a suggested course of action regarding one or more treatment options. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the circumstance comprises a time-based issue and the guidance comprises a suggested course of action to minimize an amount of time associated with the issue. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the circumstance comprises finance-based issue and the guidance comprises a suggested course of action based on one or more financial priorities. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first PPIC device and the second PPIC device are vehicle-mounted. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the guidance is provided audibly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the guidance is provided visually. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the guidance is provided by directly controlling a device.