TIME AND WORK TRACKER FOR SERVERS

• US 20030195717A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Research Investment Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Lehman, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,789,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/178
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/50 by looper control
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/52 by drive motor control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3423 where the assessed time is active or idle time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/348 Circuit details, i.e. tracer hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/064 involving time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A time and work tracker that automatically collects and analyzes information about time and work performed on a wireless device is described herein. According to the present invention, a time and work tracking function is initiated on a wireless device. Thereafter, a user begins to perform work on the wireless device. As the user works, the tracking function on the wireless device collects data relating to the activities performed by the user. The collected data is then analyzed to determine what types of work the user has actually performed.

Claims

1. A time and work tracker comprising:

a time and work tracking function on a server;

one or more activities configured to be performed on a device;

a synchronization mechanism configured to transfer information relating to said activities from said device to said server; and

one or more data items relating to said information configured to be collected and analyzed on said server.

2. The time and work tracker of claim 1 wherein said information is organized in a log file.

3. The time and work tracker of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a streaming audio/video device, a portable messaging and database device, a general purpose computing device, or a non-computing appliance.

4. The time and work tracker of claim 3 wherein said streaming audio/video device comprises a phone or a wireless phone.

5. The time and work tracker of claim 3 wherein said portable messaging and database device comprises a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) or a laptop computer.

6. The time and work tracker of claim 3 wherein said general purpose computing device comprises a computer with Bluetooth, WiFi, or IEEE connectivity.

7. The time and work tracker of claim 3 wherein said non-computing appliance comprises a dedicated purpose computing device, such as a refrigerator, an automobile, or a microwave.

8. The time and work tracker of claim 1 wherein said information is associated with a wireless related activity, an internal activity, or a desktop related activity.

9. The time and work tracker of claim 1 further comprising a start activity, a switch activity, or a continue activity, wherein said data items are configured to be classified as either said start, said continue, or said switch activities.

10. The time and work tracker of claim 1 wherein said data items are included in a memory location.

11. The time and work tracker of claim 1 further comprising one or more timing items related to each of said data items configured to be collected.

12. The time and work tracker of claim 11 further comprising:

one or more rules configured to be obtained on said server;

and said rules configured to be used to determine which of said activities constitute a pre-defined activity of interest.

13. The time and work tracker of claim 12 wherein said timing items are configured to be used to determine a precise amount of time expended on each of said pre-defined activities of interest.

14. A method for tracking time and work comprising:

initiating a time and work tracking function on a server;

performing one or more activities on a device;

transferring information relating to said activities from said device to said server; and

collecting and analyzing one or more data items relating to said information.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said information is organized in a log file.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said device comprises a streaming audio/video device, a portable messaging and database device, a general purpose computing device, or a non-computing appliance.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said streaming audio/video device comprises a phone or a wireless phone.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said portable messaging and database device comprises a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) or a laptop computer.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said general purpose computing device comprises a computer with Bluetooth, WiFi, or IEEE connectivity.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said non-computing appliance comprises a dedicated purpose computing device, such as a refrigerator, an automobile, or a microwave.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein said information is associated with a wireless related activity, an internal activity, or a desktop related activity.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising a start activity, a switch activity, or a continue activity, wherein said data items are configured to be classified as either said start, said continue, or said switch activities.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein said data items are included in a memory location.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprising one or more timing items related to each of said data items configured to be collected.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

obtaining one or more rules on said server; and

using said rules to determine which of said activities constitute a pre-defined activity of interest.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said timing items are configured to be used to determined precise amount of time expended on each of said pre-defined activities of interest.