Verification method and system

• US 8,639,597 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SteadyCare, LLC
• Original Assignee: SteadyCare, LLC
• Inventors: Clifford, Arthur Phillip, Marrin, Patricia A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, TALIA F
• Application Number:
  US13/870,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• 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: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Systems and methods for verifying and monitoring employees are provided. Employees call-in to the system at scheduled times. If an employee misses a scheduled call-in, an alert can be generated. An employer notification process can generate the alert, notifying a supervisor of the employee'"'"'s missed call. The alert can include the employee'"'"'s name, the location of the employee, and the time he/she was supposed to call. Such systems and methods can be used to verify that a worker is at the proper location at the proper time and awake and alert during the entire time period that he/she is supposed to be working.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for monitoring employees comprising:

an interactive voice response (IVR) system executing on one or more computer processors configured to receive audio data providing a representation of an employee, the interactive voice response (IVR) system processing the employee audio data to determine time and location parameters to facilitate creation of real-time alerts;

an alert system executing on one or more processors, in communication with the interactive voice response (IVR) system;

the alert system configured to generate a real-time alert in response to detecting a potential problem condition, where the potential problem condition is detected using defined expectations for the employee audio data received by the interactive voice response (IVR) system, the defined expectations including a scheduled location and a scheduled time frame, including frequency or time periods, for receiving the employee audio data indicative of the employee being awake during many parts of his work shift, where the alert facilitates monitoring of the employee; and

the alert system configured to generate the alert with a delay such that transmission of the alert is delayed for a period of time to allow the employee additional time to cure the potential problem condition.

2. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein a potential problem condition is detected by the alert system if the scheduled location and the determined location are not substantially the same.

3. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein a potential problem condition is detected by the alert system if the scheduled time frame and the determined time are not substantially the same.

4. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 3 wherein the scheduled time frame and the determined time are substantially the same if the difference between the scheduled time frame and the determined time frame is below a threshold.

5. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 4 wherein the threshold is fifteen minutes.

6. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the alert system generating a real-time alert in response to the potential problem condition detected further includes a supervisor profile implementation process enabling a supervisor to define preferences for receiving alerts in real-time in response to potential problem conditions detected.

7. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 6 wherein the defined supervisor preferences for receiving alerts in real-time in response to potential problem conditions detected further include a supervisor notification preference enabling the supervisor to define the type of alert to be received, where the type of alert is at least one of the following:

an instant message, a telephone call, voicemail message, or an email.

8. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 6 wherein the defined supervisor preferences in the alert system are specified by the supervisor using a web-based interface to the alert system.

9. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 8 wherein the defined expectations are defined by the supervisor using the web-based interface.

10. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein information concerning the employee audio data and any problem conditions are stored in a secure database.

11. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 10 wherein the database further includes:

a third party verification log providing information about the employee'"'"'s work at the determined geographic location; and

security protection measures that inhibit accessing and tampering with the database by the employee.

12. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 11 wherein the third party verification log has a secure architecture that enables it to be used as evidence in litigation to verify the employee'"'"'s actions at work.

13. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the interactive voice response (IVR) system further includes a voice packetizer that processes the employee audio data into packets for handling by the interactive voice response (IVR) system.

14. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 13 further including the telephony server system, interfacing with the voice packetizer, the telephony server system executing a computer telephony integration application that, in combination with the voice packetizer, implements the interactive voice response (IVR) system enabling the telephony server system to handle and monitor incoming voice calls from the employee.

15. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the employee audio data is at least a portion of a pre-recorded audio file or a dynamically generated audio stream.

16. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the employee audio data includes a representation of the employee'"'"'s voice;

the system further including;

an authentication process, in communication with the interactive voice response (IVR) system, comparing at least a portion of the employee audio data with a previously stored sample of the employee'"'"'s voice; and

the authentication process confirming the authenticity of the employee audio data by verifying that the at least one portion of the employee audio data and the previously stored employee voice sample are substantially the same.

17. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the determined location is based on a detected phone number that the employee is calling from.

18. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the employee is unsupervised while working at the determined location, and the employee is monitored while working at the determined location using the employee audio data and the defined expectations.

19. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein intentionally delaying the alert includes delaying generating the alert for a period of time to allow the employee additional time to call into the interactive voice response (IVR) system.

20. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 19 wherein during the delay period, calling the location where the employee is supposed to be;

and if no response is received in response to the call, generating the alert.

21. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the audio data providing a representation of an employee is an employee identifier (PIN).

22. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the alert system is part of the IVR system.

23. The computer implemented system for monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein the employee is any person working for another person or a business, where the employee is any staff member, independent contractor or agent.

24. The computer implemented method of monitoring employees as in claim 1 wherein transmitting the message comprising using the interactive voice response (IVR) system to call to the employee.

25. A data processing system for monitoring employees comprising:

one or more computer processors configured to execute;

an interactive voice response (IVR) system configured to receive audio data providing a representation of an employee, the interactive voice response (IVR) system processing the employee audio data to determine time and location parameters to facilitate creation of real-time alerts;

an alert system executing, in communication with the interactive voice response (IVR) system;

the alert system configured to generate a real-time alert in response to detecting a potential problem condition, where the potential problem condition is detected using defined expectations for the employee audio data received by the interactive voice response (IVR) system, the defined expectations including a scheduled location and a scheduled time frame, including frequency or time periods, for receiving the employee audio data indicative of the employee being awake during many parts of his work shift, where the alert facilitates monitoring of the employee; and

the alert system configured to generate the alert with a delay such that transmission of the alert is delayed for a period of time to allow the employee additional time to cure the potential problem condition.

26. Computer program product stored on a non-transitory medium configured to monitor employees, the computer program product when executed by one or more computer processors monitoring employees by:

processing an interactive voice response (IVR) system configured to receive audio data providing a representation of an employee, the interactive voice response (IVR) system processing the employee audio data to determine time and location parameters to facilitate creation of real-time alerts;

processing an alert system executing, in communication with the interactive voice response (IVR) system; and

using the alert system, generating a real-time alert in response to detecting a potential problem condition, where the potential problem condition is detected using defined expectations for the employee audio data received by the interactive voice response (IVR) system, the defined expectations including a scheduled location and a scheduled time frame, including frequency or time periods, for receiving the employee audio data indicative of the employee being awake during many parts of his work shift, where the alert facilitates monitoring of the employee;

wherein the alert being configured with a delay such that transmission of the alert is delayed for a period of time to allow the employee additional time to cure the potential problem condition.