TIME TRACKING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20130290154A1
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZR Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: ZR Investments, LLC
• Inventors: Cherry, Rocky, Cherry, Zack
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity

Abstract

A system and method to manage employee time at a set of job sites. A time management system comprises a server in communications with a database in which a set of job site data is stored. An employee device application is installed on a set of employee devices. The set of employee devices are in communication with the server through the employee device application. The set of employee devices collect a set of time punch data and a set of photos from the set of employees at check-in events and check-out events. The set of time punch data and the set of photos are sent to the server and stored in the database with the set of job site data. A supervisor management application is installed on a set of supervisor devices to monitor the set of job site data, validate photos and activate employee devices.

Claims

1. A method of employee time management, for a set of job sites, on a time management server in communication with a memory comprising:

receiving a set of time punch data, including a time punch event, for a work shift at a job site of the set of job sites;

receiving an employee image in response to the time punch event;

comparing the employee image to an archived image to derive a match condition;

validating the set of time punch data using the match condition;

defining a set of overtime parameters;

calculating a total number of regular hours and a total number of overtime hours based on the set of time punch data and the set of overtime parameters;

apportioning a first subset of the total number of overtime hours to each job site of the set of job sites; and

,

deriving a payment amount based on the set of time punch data and the match condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the employee image to an archived image further comprises the step of utilizing an electronic facial recognition technique.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

registering the employee device on a Wi-Fi network;

determining a Wi-Fi network address for the Wi-Fi network;

determining a job site location from the Wi-Fi network address; and

,

comparing the job site location to an expected job site location.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

identifying a landmark;

correlating an image of the landmark to a job site location; and

,

comparing the job site location to an expected job site location.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

providing a printed coded image as the landmark; and

,

decoding the printed coded image.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

displaying set of job site data correlated to the printed coded image.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

allocating a second subset of the total number overtime hours to the work shift based on a predefined number of regular hours for the work shift.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of authenticating the employee device further comprises the steps:

authenticating an employee device; and

,

of installing a set of program instructions for generating the time punch event on the employee device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

defining an expected job location for the work shift;

receiving a physical location of the employee from the employee device;

generating the time punch event if the physical location matches the expected job location; and

,

sending an alert if the physical location does not match the expected job location.

10. A method of employee time management at a set of job sites on a time management server in communication with a memory comprising:

authenticating an employee device;

authenticating a supervisor device;

receiving a set of location information from the employee device in response to a time punch event;

comparing the set of location information to an expected job site location to determine a match condition;

generating a set of time punch data for a work shift for the expected job site location if the set of location information matches the expected job site location;

sending an alert to the supervisor device if the set of location information does not match the expected job location; and

,

deriving a payment amount based on the set of time punch data and the match condition.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an employee image from the employee device in response to a time punch event;

comparing the employee image to an archived image to derive a match condition; and

validating the set of time punch data using the match condition.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving an archived employee image;

receiving a check-in image related to a beginning time punch event;

receiving a check-out image related to an ending time punch event;

displaying the archived employee image adjacent the check-in image and the check-out image.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a check-in employee location at a beginning time punch event;

receiving a check-out employee location at an ending time punch event;

displaying the expected job location adjacent the check-in location and the check-out location.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

defining a set of overtime parameters;

defining a set of rounding parameters;

rounding a set of check-in times and a set of check-out times, based on the set of rounding parameters; and

,

computing a sum of regular hours and a sum of overtime hours for the set of work shifts from the set of check-in times, the set of check-out times and the set of overtime parameters.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

allocating the sum of overtime hours to each job site, in the set of job sites.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

allocating the sum of overtime hours to each work shift, in the set of work shifts.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a biometric reading; and

,

comparing an archived biometric reading to the biometric reading.

18. A system for employee time management for an employee, comprising:

an employee device having a first processor and an image sensor;

a computer server connected to the employee device, the computer server comprising a second processor executing a first set of program instructions;

a second set of program instructions, installed in the employee device, that when executed, directs the employee device to;

authenticate with the computer server;

generate a set of time punch data for a set of work shifts at a set of job sites;

receive a set of onsite images from the image sensor into the device memory;

send the set of time punch data and the set of onsite images to the computer server;

the first set of program instructions, that when executed, further directs the computer server to;

authenticate with the employee device;

receive the set of onsite images and the set of time punch data into the first memory;

validate an employee location during a work shift for an assigned job site based on the set of onsite images and the set of time punch data; and

,

allocate a number of regular hours and a number of overtime hours to each work shift in the set of work shifts and to each job site in the set of job sites based on the set of onsite images and the set of time punch data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

an onsite image in the set of onsite images further comprises a landmark feature of a job site;

the first set of program instructions, that when executed, further directs the computer server to;

determine a job site location from the landmark feature of the job site; and

,

compare the job site location to an expected job site location.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein:

an onsite image in the set of onsite images further comprises an employee image; and

,

the first set of program instructions, that when executed, further directs the computer server to compare the employee image to an archived image.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a supervisor device connected to the computer server;

a third set of program instructions stored on the supervisor device, that when executed by a third processor, directs the supervisor device to;

monitor the set of time punch data;

send a first alert signal to the supervisor device if the employee location does not match the assigned job site;

display the set of onsite images;

display the number of regular hours and the number of overtime hours; and

,

send a second alert signal to the supervisor device if the number of regular hours surpasses a predefined limit

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the first set of program instructions, that when executed, further directs the computer server to:

activate the employee device for check-in at a first job site in the set of job sites; and

,

inactivate an employee device for check-in at a second job site in the set of job sites.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the third set of program instructions, that when executed by a device processor on the supervisor device, further directs the supervisor device to communicate with the computer server to:

activate the employee device for check-in at a first job site in the set of job sites; and

,

inactivate an employee device for check-in at a second job site in the set of job sites.

24. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a set of overtime parameters further comprising a predetermined allocation of overtime hours;

a set of rounding parameters; and

,

wherein the first set of program instructions further directs the computer server to;

round a set of check-in times and a set of check-out times, from the set of time punch data for a set of work shifts, based on the set of rounding parameters;

compute a sum of regular hours and a sum of overtime hours for the set of work shifts from the set of check-in times, the set of check-out times and the set of overtime parameters; and

,

allocate the sum of overtime hours to the set of work shifts and the set of job sites in the predetermined allocation.