RESUME is a system that performs temporal abstraction of time-stamped data. RESUME is based on a model of three temporal-abstraction mechanisms: point temporal abstraction (a mechanism for abstracting values of several parameters into a value of another parameter); temporal inference (a mechanism for inferring sound logical conclusions over a single interval or two meeting intervals); and temporal interpolation (a mechanism for bridging nonmeeting temporal intervals). Making explicit the knowledge required for temporal abstraction supports the acquisition of that knowledge.