ATTENDANCE AUTHENTICATION AND MANAGEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20150350225A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Element Inc.
• Original Assignee: Element Inc.
• Inventors: Perold, Adam, Abrams, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,965,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

System and method for single-action time and attendance record generation and processing via computing devices. The record is generated via a computing device (“Client System”) and received by a server system or other computing device (“Server System”). The user utilizes the Client System to execute a simultaneous or near-simultaneous process of authenticating his or her identity, recording time data and location data, and then sending this data to the server system.

Claims

1. A computing system of authenticating and processing time and attendance used by a mobile end user, the system comprising:

(a) a mobile processor, a memory module and a mobile operating system configured to perform executable instructions;

(b) a sensor configured to measure and record a first set of time and attendance data from the mobile end user, the time and attendance data comprising;

(1) an identity of the mobile end user, (2) a time of authentication, (3) a geo-location, and (4) ancillary information associated with time and attendance for cost coding or record retention; and

(c) a communication module configured to send the first set of the time and attendance data to a database in a server, the server being configured to verify the time and attendance data based on a clock of the server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system completes time and attendance authentication of the mobile end user without requesting the mobile end user to actively execute an identifying step, the identifying step comprising one or more of:

(a) submitting a name, (b) entering a passcode, (c) swiping a keycard, (d) providing one or more biometric signatures, and (e) submitting a form of identity.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a display configured to display the time and attendance data to the mobile end user, and

(b) a camera configured to record biometric information of the mobile end user by taking one or more biometric photographs;

wherein the display is further configured to indicate an action, the action comprising one or more of the following;

(1) recording the biometric information of the mobile end user in a simultaneous or near-simultaneous or asynchronous recording and transmittal of a second set of the time and attendance data, (2) pressing a button or touching the display, and (3) speaking one or more sounds.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions comprise a determination of the mobile end user being correctly within premises for a time and attendance purpose, the determination comprising:

(a) capturing geo-location data comprising free-form geographic coordinates representing a location in the world, and (b) comparing the geo-location data to permitted geo-location data, either locally on the system, or remotely via transmission of the geo-location data to the server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the permitted geo-location data is:

(a) provisioned by an additional party in a process comprising;

entering of the permitted geo-location data into the database, and syncing of the permitted geo-location data with the system;

or

(b) updated with a new set of permitted geo-location data and synced real-time with the system, providing a configurable and changing permitted premises for time and attendance authentication.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the entering of the permitted geo-location data comprises entering of one or more geographic coordinate points on a digital map on a computer terminal to form a shape encompassing a target area for the permitted geo-location data.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the determination of the mobile end user being correctly within the premises for the time and attendance purpose further comprises comparing a proximity of the mobile end user to:

(a) a permitted user, via geo-location data of two users'"'"' mobile devices, or via short-range wireless communication between the two users'"'"' mobile devices, enabling a sufficient determination of a permitted proximity;

or

(b) a permitted sensory device, via geo-location data of the system and the permitted sensory device, or via short-range wireless communication between the mobile end user and the permitted sensory device, enabling a sufficient determination of permitted proximity.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the geo-location data:

(a) is created via a clock of the mobile end-use for the time and attendance purpose automatically, and

(b) creates a geo-fence perimeter around the mobile end user, wherein the mobile end user is allowed to clock out by physically exiting specific geo-location based conditions without having to actively enter clock out instructions, the mobile end user performing one or more of;

(1) exiting outside geographic coordinates defined by a geo-fence perimeter;

(2) exiting outside a wireless signal range of a sensory device;

(3) exiting beyond a predefined distance from a second mobile device as measured by a signal between the system and the second mobile devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the geo-location is checked at a regular interval or at a random interval, the checking of the location executed as part of an anti-spoofing process to ensure the mobile user remains compliant with a premises requirement based on one or more of the following:

a time-denominated rule, and a location-denominated rule.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the time and attendance data is synchronized with a database in a third computing device, the third computing device comprising a managing module of a workforce, the manager allowing a user of the third computing device to perform one or more of the following:

(a) viewing the time and attendance data;

(b) communicating directly with the mobile end user; and

(c) triggering a time and attendance authentication directly to the mobile end user.

11. A method of authenticating and processing time and attendance implemented by a mobile computing system and used by a mobile end user, the method comprising:

(a) measuring and recording, by a sensor, a first set of time and attendance data from the mobile end user, the time and attendance data comprising;

(1) an identity of the mobile end user, (2) a time of authentication, (3) a geo-location, and (4) ancillary information associated with time and attendance for cost coding or record retention; and

(b) sending, by a communication module, the first set of the time and attendance data to a database in a server, the server being configured to verify the time and attendance data based on a clock of the server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising completing time and attendance authentication of the mobile end user without requesting the mobile end user to actively execute an identifying step, the identifying step comprising one or more of:

(a) submitting a name, (b) entering a passcode, (c) swiping a keycard, (d) providing one or more biometric signatures, and (e) submitting a form of identity.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(a) displaying, by a display, the time and attendance data to the mobile end user, and (b) recording, by a camera, biometric information of the mobile end user by taking one or more biometric photographs;

wherein the display is further configured to indicate an action, the action comprising one or more of the following;

(1) recording the biometric information of the mobile end user in a simultaneous or near-simultaneous or asynchronous recording and transmittal of a second set of the time and attendance data, (2) pressing a button or touching the display, and (3) speaking one or more sounds.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the mobile end user being correctly within premises for a time and attendance purpose, the determination comprising:

(a) capturing geo-location data comprising free-form geographic coordinates representing a location in the world, and (b) comparing the geo-location data to permitted geo-location data, either locally on the system, or remotely via transmission of the geo-location data to the server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the permitted geo-location data is:

(a) provisioned by an additional party in a process comprising;

entering of the permitted geo-location data into the database, and syncing of the permitted geo-location data with the system;

or

(b) updated with a new set of permitted geo-location data and synced real-time with the system, providing a configurable and changing permitted premises for time and attendance authentication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the entering of the permitted geo-location data comprises entering of one or more geographic coordinate points on a digital map on a computer terminal to form a shape encompassing a target area for the permitted geo-location data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the mobile end user being correctly within the premises for the time and attendance purpose further comprises comparing a proximity of the mobile end user to:

(a) a permitted user, via geo-location data of two users'"'"' mobile devices, or via short-range wireless communication between the two users'"'"' mobile devices, enabling a sufficient determination of a permitted proximity;

or

(b) permitted sensory device, via geo-location data of the system and the permitted sensory device, or via short-range wireless communication between the mobile end user and the permitted sensory device, enabling a sufficient determination of permitted proximity.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the geo-location data:

(a) is created via a clock of the mobile end user for the time and attendance purpose automatically, and

(b) creates a geo-fence perimeter around the mobile end user, wherein the mobile end user is allowed to clock out by physically exiting specific geo-location based conditions without having to actively enter clock out instructions, the mobile end user performing one or more of;

(1) exiting outside geographic coordinates defined by a geo-fence perimeter;

(2) exiting outside a wireless signal range of a sensory device;

(3) exiting beyond a predefined distance from a second mobile device as measured by a signal between the system and the second mobile devices.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the geo-location is checked at a regular interval or at a random interval, the checking of the location executed as part of an anti-spoofing process to ensure the mobile user remains compliant with a premises requirement based on one or more of the following:

a time-denominated rule, and a location-denominated rule.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the time and attendance data is synchronized with a database in a third computing device, the third computing device comprising a managing module of a workforce, the manager allowing a user of the third computing device to perform one or more of the following:

(a) viewing the time and attendance data;

(b) communicating directly with the mobile end user; and

(c) triggering a time and attendance authentication directly to the mobile end user.