Using a mobile station for productivity tracking

• US 20040219928A1
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Deeds, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs

Abstract

A system and method for tracking productivity using a portable communication device such as a mobile station. The mobile station includes a memory storage unit for storing information related to project profiles. When a communication activity is initiated a timer is started to measure the amount of time that the activity consumes, and queries an activity table to determine whether an identifier associated with the activity has a profile association. If so, an event record is made of the profile and the type of communication activity. When the activity is terminated, the event record is supplemented with the duration of the activity. If there is no profile associated with an activity identifier associated with a current activity, then the user may be queried to determine whether an association should be created. The event records may be loaded onto a PC for storage for further processing or to a report generating device for the generation of an appropriate report.

Claims

1. A method for tracking productivity using a mobile station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing at least one project profile on the mobile station;

associating a mobile-station event with a project profile;

detecting the occurrence of the mobile station event; and

creating an activity record.

2. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the activity record on the mobile station.

3. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 2, further comprising the step of querying the user for confirmation of the activity record.

4. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining that an event that has been detected is not associated with a project profile; and

querying the user to enter the association.

5. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 4, wherein the step of storing at least one project profile is performed after the determining step.

6. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 1, wherein the at least one project profile comprises a plurality of project profiles.

7. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the activity record.

8. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 7, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of formulating an email message.

9. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting comprises the steps of detecting when the event is initiated, detecting when the event is terminated, and calculating an elapsed time associated with the occurrence of the event.

10. The method for tracking productivity using a mobile station of claim 9, further comprising the step of adjusting the elapsed time.

11. A mobile-station productivity tracking system, said system comprising:

a project profile for storing information relating to projects for which productivity is to be tracked;

a detector for detecting when a trackable event is occuring;

at least one timer for timing trackable events;

a database for storing information relating to the occurrence of trackable events.

12. The mobile-station productivity tracking system of claim 11, wherein said at least one timer comprises a plurality of timers.

13. The mobile-station productivity tracking system of claim 11, further comprising a color display for indicating productivity-tracking information using variation in color.

14. The mobile-station productivity tracking system of claim 11, wherein the mobile station is capable of determining its location and relating it to detected events.

15. The mobile-station productivity tracking system of claim 11, further comprising a report generation module for generating reports based on stored event information.

16. The mobile-station productivity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the reports generated by the report generation module are in the form of emails to be transmitted by the mobile station.