Patent Application
20210103253
A time recorder is conventionally used to record start and end times for employees (e.g., hourly employees). Time recorders were originally mechanical based and functioned by inserting time cards into a slot on the time recorder. When the time card was inserted into the time recorder, the time recorder would print day and time information (e.g., a timestamp) on the time card. In more modern system, the time recorder uploads the timestamp to a centralized system and may use a Radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) to automatically identify an employee. Conventional systems, as disclosed above, are widely used for permanent installations where power and hardwiring are available to connect devices to a centralized system. However, these conventional systems are not practical for use in remote or temporary worksites (e.g., festivals, concerts, construction sites, etc.). It would therefore be desirable to provide a time recording system that is practical for remote or temporary worksites as well as for use in traditional settings.
Some embodiments described herein relate to a time recorder. The time recorder comprises one or more biometric sensors to determine a user accessing the time recorder. The time recorder further comprises an electronic clock to determine a time that the user accessed the time recorder and a network transmitter to synchronize the time recorder with one or more of a plurality of time recorders. Input of biometrics of a new user at the time recorder may be populated across one or more of plurality of time recorders via the network transmitter.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments.
In some embodiments, the present embodiments relate to a time recorder with a built-in temperature sensor that may be used to (i) monitor a temperature of a worker before the worker enters a worksite and (ii) monitor a temperature of the worker when he leaves the worksite. As such, the time recorder can prevent an infected person from entering a worksite as well as determine if the person showed signs of being infected while at the worksite in order to slow the spread of any contagion.
The present embodiments relate to a time recorder that includes an internal power supply and is designed to be used in locations that may not be accessible to wired or Wi-Fi networks or may be used in environments where making such connections are inconvenient. The time recorder described herein may be used for organizations that may need to track employee, contractors, volunteers, members, guests or agents time duration at specific locations. The time recorder may also be used for individuals who have to verify they visited various locations, remote temporary locations (e.g., construction sites, security companies, concerts or festivals), or health care providers that visit with a variety of remote patients. The time recorder may utilize an external power supply or power over the ethernet (PoE) in some embodiments.
Referring now to
If the user's breath is analyzed and is found to contain alcohol or other notable substances, the user may be denied access to the worksite 100 and if the user's temperature if above a preset temperature (e.g., 99 degrees Fahrenheit) the user may also be denied access. The first time recorder 110 may also scan other biometric aspects of the user to determine if the user has permission to enter the worksite 100.
One advantage over conventional systems is that the time recorders disclosed herein may be in communication with other time recorders associated with the same worksite 100. In some embodiments, the time recorders may communicate with the other time recorders using cellular networks via a subscriber identification module (SIM) card. For example, the first time recorder 110, after determining that a user's temperature is above a preset temperature, or that the user's breath contains alcohol, may transmit to the second time recorder 115 and the third time recorder 120 that the user's access has been revoked. This may prevent a user from entering a worksite at a different entrance, or even in different locations of great distance. Similarly, once a user has gained access to the worksite, the first time recorder 110 may transmit to the second time recorder 115 and the third time recorder 120 that the user is now located on the worksite. The first time recorder 110 may also transmit to a time recorder located at a remote location. For example, warehouse 125 may be a great distance from the worksite 100. However, once the user is authenticated for the worksite 100, the user may also be authenticated to access the warehouse 125. In this way, the user may enter or leave the worksite 100 via any entrance and their presence, or lack of presence, is known by each time recorder. The time recorders may communicate with each other as part of a peer-to-peer network, communicate with a remote database, or may simply function using a store and forward technique to send data to a next time recorder. Each time recorder 110/115/120 may transmit a signal to a locking mechanism (not shown) to indicate that a user has been authenticated and to indicate to the locking mechanism to release a lock. If the user's temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature or a breath sensor indicates a notable substance, the signal may not be transmitted to the locking mechanism to release the lock.
Besides being able to scan/record a user attempting to enter (or exit) the worksite 100, the time recorder may also store identification information, or may be able to retrieve the identification information via the SIM or network connection from a secure remote database for validation. Likewise, validation information can be uploaded to each of the time recorders as needed. Information transmitted from the first time recorder 110 to the second time recorder 115 as well as information received from a global positioning system (GPS) such as coordinates may be stored in a local database at each individual time recorder for further analysis or processing, or electronically acted upon immediately.
Each time recorder may use GPS and/or information transmitted over a cellular or other network for determining a time zone. Each time recorder 110/115/120 may comprise a programmable tolerance range (based on GPS coordinates) in case the apparatus is moved at a same work site/venue/functional location (e.g., moved 20 ft from its original location). For example, if the first time recorder 110 is moved 5 or 10 feet from its indicated location, the first time recorder 110 may not be considered tampered with or moved because worksites typically require frequent reconfiguration (e.g., a wider door opening is needed, a pole supporting the time recorder broke, etc.). Besides communicating locally at a worksite via a network (e.g., a cellular network) each time recorder 110/115/120 may function as part of a time recorder system.
Now referring to
The back-end system 230 may comprise a remote database and a web-based interface to allow control and monitoring and updating of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 from a remote location. The back-end system 230 may provide access and control of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 so that a manager can remotely enter user information that is then populated across each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220. The back-end system 230 may also backup local data stored at each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 or provide a centralized database associated with user/biometric information that may be selectively accessible to the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220.
Continuing with the example of
Each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 may also be in communication with a global positioning satellite (GPS) system 235. Communication with a GPS system 235 may facilitate the verification of a location of each time recorder to prevent tampering of the time recorder (e.g., being moved away from its current location and then returned) and/or to identify a current location of the time recorder. In some embodiments, a local time at the time recorder is verified by GPS to prevent tampering and/or as a way of determining a time zone of the time recorder (to aid in location tracking). In some embodiments, each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 may transmit its stored GPS coordinates to the GPS system 235 to verify a current location and may also receive GPS coordinates from the GPS system.
In some embodiments the back-end system 230 comprises a server and a database. In some embodiments, when each of plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 is powered up, each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 may automatically connect to an application running on the back-end system 230 based on pre-programmed connection information that is stored in each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220. For example, each of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 may comprise a configuration file that indicates a type of network, a network address and authentication information. Thus, when each plurality of time recorders 210/215/220 is powered up, a connection determined by the configuration file is established. In some embodiments, the configuration information may be hard coded into nonvolatile memory in the device or SIM card. In some embodiments, the back-end system 230 may download configuration information and time synchronization information to one or more of the plurality of time recorders 210/215/220. For example, if a time recorder is stolen, a new time recorder may be installed an all user information, bio-metric information, and time related information may be restored to the new time recorder via the back-end system.
Note the embodiments described herein may be implemented using any number of different hardware configurations. For example,
The time recorder 300 may comprise a processor 310 (“processor”), such as one or more commercially available Central Processing Units (CPUs) in the form of one-chip microprocessors, coupled to a communication device 320 configured to communicate via a communication network (not shown in
The processor 310 also communicates with a memory 325 and storage device 350 that stores data 313. The storage device 350 may comprise any appropriate information storage device, including combinations of magnetic storage devices (e.g., a hard disk drive), optical storage devices, mobile telephones, and/or nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices. The storage device 350 may store a program 312 and/or processing logic 313 for controlling the processor 310. The processor 310 performs instructions of the programs 312, 313, and thereby operates in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein. For example, the processor 310 may receive information associated with a new user and may transmit that information to other time recorders via the instructions of the programs 312 and processing logic 313.
The programs 312, 313 may be stored in a compiled, compressed, uncompiled and/or encrypted format or a combination. The programs 312, 313 may furthermore include other program elements, such as an operating system, a database management system, and/or device drivers used by the processor 310 to interface with peripheral devices.
The clock mechanism 314 may be used to coordinate times associated with a user accessing the time recorder as well as synchronizing an internal clock time with a GPS system or with other time recorders. In some embodiments, the clock mechanism 314 may be internal to the processor 310. The clock mechanism 314 may comprise an electronic clock.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, some or all of the present embodiments may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, the embodiments described herein may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Now referring to
Method 400 may relate to implementing direct entry of both user information and biometric information at a local time recorder and broadcasting the user information and biometric information to other time recorders without the use of a centralized system. Now referring to 410, user information may be received at a time recorder. The user information may comprise one or more of a user's name, address, height, weight, bio-metric data, identification number, password, times that the user is allowed on the worksite, security level, etc. The user information may be entered locally at the time recorder or may be received over a network from a back-end system 230.
The user may record his/her bio-metric data directly into the time recorder, at 420, using one or more biometric sensors such as, but not limited to, a fingerprint sensor, a retina scanner, a facial scanner, scanner, an energetic presence scanner, a body temperature sensor and a breath sensor.
Once the user information and the biometric information have been entered into the time recorder, at 430, the user information and the associated bio-metric data may be transmitted to one or more other time recorders and/or the back-end system such as back-end system 230.
The process flow and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
It should be noted that any of the methods described herein can include an additional step of providing a system comprising distinct software modules embodied on a computer readable storage medium; the modules can include, for example, any or all of the elements depicted in the block diagrams and/or described herein. The method steps can then be carried out using the distinct software modules and/or sub-modules of the system, as described above, executing on one or more hardware processors. Further, a computer program product can include a computer-readable storage medium with code adapted to be implemented to carry out one or more method steps described herein, including the provision of the system with the distinct software modules.
This written description uses examples to disclose multiple embodiments, including the preferred embodiments, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. Aspects from the various embodiments described, as well as other known equivalents for each such aspects, can be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in the art to construct additional embodiments and techniques in accordance with principles of this application.
Those in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the above-described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the claims may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62911466 | Oct 2019 | US |
