Method and apparatus for a web based punch clock/time clock

• US 7,623,985 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Journyx, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, William R., Finch, Curtis L. II, Leake, William, Anderson, Chris V.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US11/477,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 705/32, 705/11, 705/30, 726/2, 726/6, 715/762, 715/777, 709/203, 709/219, 709/235, 702/176, 702/178, 702/187, 379/111, 379/114.03
• US Class Current: 702/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A system and method for building GUI screen screens for a time keeping and expense tracking system includes a time keeping and expense tracking (TKET) server that includes computer instructions that define logic for building GUI screen screens according to user definitions, communication channel throughput capacity, and terminal capacity. In one embodiment of the present invention, the TKET server is operable to receive communication signals transmitted by way of a wireless communication channel and to generate corresponding display screens that are responsive to the user terminal type. The TKET server is also operable to act as a remote time clock. Accordingly, the TKET server is formed to receive and interpret signals that define the user ID, an account code, and whether a start or stop timekeeping event has been selected. The TKET server also is operable to prompt an IVR to interact with the user.

Claims

1. A method within a time keeping and expense tracking server for tracking employee work time using an Internet, comprising:

activating a web based time keeping software program to track time that an employee is working;

transmitting and receiving communication signals with a user terminal over at least one of a wireless network and the Internet to receive a user identification (ID) and an indication of the employee starting or stopping work by way of the wireless network or Internet; and

generating reports that detail employee work activities based on the received indications of the employee starting or stopping work and total account activities.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to a wireless terminal in the form of a short message service message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to the user terminal in the form of a page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to the user terminal in the form of an email message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication signals are generated as a part of a graphical user interface (GUI) screen display in a form that prompts the user to enter his or her responses in the corresponding fields.

6. A method in a time keeping and expense tracking (TKET) server for monitoring employee work time, comprising:

receiving a message transmitted by way of one of a wireless network or a data packet network from a user terminal;

extracting information from the received message that includes a user identification (ID), an account code, and an indication of a start or stop status regarding an employee'"'"'s work related efforts;

storing a time entry event with respect to an account code in relation to the extracted user ID; and

generating graphical user interface (GUI) screen display signals to display information based on the extracted information or to request the additional information and transmitting the GUI screen display signals over one of the wireless network or the Internet for display by the user terminal or by a manager'"'"'s user terminal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the type of GUI screen display that is generated as a result of the GUT screen display signals depends on terminal type.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the TKET server generates the GUI screen display signals to create specified GUI screen displays according to terminal type.

9. A time keeping and expense tracking (TKET) server for tracking employee work time, comprising:

web based time keeping logic that further includes logic for tracking employee work time and logic for sending and receiving communication signals with a user terminal over at least one of a wireless network and the Internet relating to the employee work time;

communication circuitry for transmitting and receiving the communication signals over a network port by way of the wireless network or the Internet; and

wherein the time keeping server is operable to receive a user ID and an indication of start or stop regarding an employee'"'"'s work related efforts and to generate reports that detail employee work activities.

10. The TKET server of claim 9 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to a wireless terminal in the form of a short message service message.

11. The TKET server of claim 9 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to the user terminal in the form of a page.

12. The TKET server of claim 9 wherein the communication signals are transmitted to the user terminal in the form of an email message.

13. The TKET server of claim 9 wherein the communication signals are generated as a part of a GUI screen display in a form that prompts the user to enter his or her responses in the corresponding fields.