Communication and synchronization in a networked timekeeping environment

• US 20090157537A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Miller, Barrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An optimized time and attendance system and methods. In some embodiments, a networked time and attendance system includes a network services server with a global database and a client device terminal with a local database. The device terminal is configured to create new time keeping records on the local database using information stored in the local database. The device terminal is further configured to initiate a connection to the host server and synchronize the local database with the global database. In some embodiments, the client terminal is configured to continue creating additional new time keeping records in the local database even when a connection to the host server is unavailable. In some embodiments, the client terminal includes a user interface, a local database, a first processor configured to control all system functions except for biometric data processing, and a second processor configured to capture and process biometric data.

Claims

1. A networked time keeping system comprising:

a host server including

a global database configured to contain time keeping records and stored employee identification data;

a first client terminal including

a terminal user interface,

a local database configured to contain said time keeping records and said stored employee identification data,

a first processor configured to

receive input employee identification data from an employee through the terminal user interface,

compare the input employee identification data from the terminal user interface to the stored employee identification data from the local database,

create a new time keeping record in the local database if the input employee identification data matches the stored employee identification data, the time keeping record being associated with the employee and including a date and a time,

initiate a connection to the host server, and

synchronize the local database with the global database.

2. The networked time keeping system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to:

repeatedly attempt to initiate the connection to the host server when the connection is unavailable, and

create additional new time keeping records in the local database while repeating attempts to initiate the connection to the host server.

3. The networked time keeping system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to initiate the connection to the host and synchronize the local database with the global database at a predetermined date and time.

4. The networked time keeping system according to claim 3, wherein the first processor is further configured to receive the predetermined date and time from the host server during a previous synchronization with the host server.

5. The networked time keeping system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to

check for available software updates after initiating the connection to the host, and

receive the available software updates from the host.

6. The networked time keeping system according to claim 1,

wherein the first client terminal further includes a biometric capture device,

wherein the input employee identification data includes an input digital representation of an employee biometric captured by the biometric capture device, and

wherein the stored employee identification data includes a stored digital representation of the employee biometric.

7. The networked time keeping system according to claim 6, wherein the employee biometric includes hand geometry and wherein the biometric capture device includes

a platen positioned to receive an employee'"'"'s hand,

a light emitting diode configured to illuminate the platen, and

a camera configured to capture a digital image of the employee'"'"'s hand,

wherein the platen of the biometric capture device includes an antimicrobial surface.

8. A method of synchronizing a local database with a global database in a networked computer environment, the networked computer environment including a server with a computer readable memory that stores the global database and a plurality of client terminals each including a computer readable memory storing a local database, wherein the global database and each local database includes a plurality of previously stored data elements and a timestamp corresponding to each previously stored data element, the method comprising:

creating a new data element at a client terminal;

assigning a unique object identifier to the new data element;

adding the new data element to the local database;

initiating a connection to the server;

sending the new data element to the server;

receiving a time stamp from the server; and

storing the time stamp to the local database.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting a unique object identifier for the new data element from a range of available unique object identifiers assigned to the client terminal by the server.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the new data element sent by the client terminal to the server;

determining if the unique object identifier assigned to the new data element is already stored in the global database; and

if the unique object identifier assigned to the new data element is not already stored in the global database,

generating a timestamp,

storing the timestamp and the new data element in the global database, and

sending a copy of the timestamp from the server to the client terminal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the new data element includes an edited attribute of a previously stored data element, and further comprising:

sending a previous timestamp associated with the previously stored data element from the client terminal to the server; and

if the unique object identifier assigned to the new data element is already stored in the global database,

compare the previous timestamp to a timestamp stored in the global database for the previously stored data element, and

if the timestamps match,

change the previously stored data element in the global database to include the edited attribute,

generate a new timestamp,

store the new timestamp in the global database, and

send a copy of the new timestamp to the client terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending an exception message from the server to the client terminal if the timestamps do not match.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending a request for synchronization from the client terminal to the server;

determining the last time that the client terminal sent a request for synchronization; and

receiving a set of data elements from the server, wherein the set of data elements includes all of the data elements stored in the global database that have a timestamp dated later than the last time that the client terminal sent a request for synchronization.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

retrieving an element from the set of data elements from the server, and

adding the element to the local database if the unique object identifier associated with the element is not associated with any other element in the local database.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising

retrieving an element from the set of data elements from the server;

identifying an element stored in the local database that is associated with the same unique object identifier as the element from the set of data elements from the server; and

replacing the element stored in the local database with the element from the set of data elements from the server if the timestamps associated with the two data elements do not match.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending a request for synchronization from the client terminal to the server; and

receiving a set of data elements from the server, wherein the set of data elements includes all of the data elements stored in the global database.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retrieving an element from the set of data elements from the server, and

adding the element to the local database if the unique object identifier associated with the element is not associated with any other element in the local database.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retrieving an element from the local database;

identifying an element from the set of data elements from the server that is associated with the same unique object identifier as the element from the local database; and

replacing the element stored in the local database with the element from the set of data elements from the server if the timestamps associated with the two data elements do not match.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

retrieving an element from the local database; and

deleting the element from the local database if the set of data elements from the server does not include an element associated with the same unique object identifier as the element from the local database.