EMPLOYEE TIME AND PROXIMITY TRACKING

• US 20150327011A1
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fairbanks, Greg
• Application Number:
  US14/272,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/09 for tracking people
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/013 Identifying areas in a building
• 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: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking employee time and proximity are described. According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to track employees in disclosed. The method may comprise registering a mobile device associated with an employee and recognizing when the mobile device associated with the employee enters a location. The method may include monitoring the mobile device once it enters the location and generating a report based at least in part on the monitoring.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to track employees, comprising:

registering a mobile device associated with an employee,

recognizing when the mobile device associated with the employee enters a location;

prompting the employee to perform a registration process associated with the location after recognizing the mobile device has entered the location;

receiving a confirmation from the employee that the registration process has been performed;

monitoring the mobile device once it enters the location based at least in part on receiving the confirmation; and

generating a report based at least in part on the monitoring.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location is defined by a virtual perimeter created by a wireless network.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the virtual perimeter incorporates a business location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the mobile device further comprises:

monitoring movement of the mobile device within the location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing the location, wherein establishing the location includes setting up a wireless network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering multiple mobile devices, each mobile device associated with a different employee; and

differentiating between the mobile devices when the mobile devices enter the location.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the report contains time-stamps relating to when the employee entered and exited the location.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the report compares the time-stamps to a time entry log from a time entry database.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a message to remind the employee to clock-in to work; and

sending the message to the mobile device associated with the employee.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a request to send to the mobile device, wherein the request confirms the employee has begun work; and

sending the request to confirm the employee has begun work.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location is a commercial location.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing one or more sectors within the location, wherein the one or more sectors define one or more different zones of the location.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein monitoring the mobile device further comprises:

recording a time when the mobile device enters the location;

recording a time when the mobile device leaves the location; and

calculating a total time the mobile device was within the location.

14. An apparatus for tracking employees, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

register a mobile device associated with an employee,

recognize when the mobile device associated with the employee enters a location;

prompt the employee to perform a registration process associated with the location after recognizing the mobile device has entered the location;

receiving a confirmation from the employee that the registration process has been performed;

monitor the mobile device once it enters the location based at least in part on receiving the confirmation; and

generate a report based at least in part on the monitoring.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

generate a message to remind the employee to clock-in to work; and

send the message to the mobile device associated with the employee.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

generate a request to send to the mobile device, wherein the request confirms the employee has begun work.

17. A computer-program product for tracking employees, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

register a mobile device associated with an employee,

recognize when the mobile device associated with the employee enters a location;

prompt the employee to perform a registration process associated with the location after recognizing the mobile device has entered the location;

receiving a confirmation from the employee that the registration process has been performed;

monitor the mobile device once it enters the location based at least in part on receiving the confirmation; and

generate a report.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

monitor movement of the mobile device within the location.

19. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

establish the location, wherein establishing the location includes setting up a wireless network; and

establish one or more sectors within the location, wherein the one or more sectors define different zones of the location.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

register multiple mobile devices, where each mobile device is associated with a different employee; and

differentiate between the mobile devices when the mobile devices enter the location.