Personal Surveillance System Fights Terrorists, Perverts and Suspicious Neighbors

Data mining is certainly in vogue with government agencies and the private sector, so why not make something available to the individual consumer? A patent issued this month goes one step beyond casual Google-stalking, and would allow users to identify anyone from a petty criminal to a dangerous terrorist (or so says the patent, at least):

The invention is a comprehensive system comprising methods and means of data access, nature assignment, and presentation. The user is able to automatically, selectively, and continually access a plurality of enhanced data sources comprising sex offender, terrorist, criminal, missing children, missing pet and other data. Following access to these data, the user may assign respective natures to object data that will affect presentation. The invention's means of automated presentation and entertaining rehearsal of object data results in recognition of objects wherein social utility is achieved. One example would be a child being able to recognize and avoid a threatening person such as a sex offender or criminal. Another example would be recognition of a missing child based on the methods of the invention.

The system would work with anything ranging from notebook computers and personal digital assistants to cell phones and watches, the patent claims.