Time and accounting system

• US 4,549,264 A
• Filed: 10/04/1983
• Issued: 10/22/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B.I. Incorporated (Geo Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: B.I. Incorporated (Geo Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carroll, Gary T., Hunter, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US06/539,049
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 364/406, 340/531, 340/539, 340/534, 340/573, 340/572, 340/571, 340/506, 340/825.49, 375/23, 455/31, 455/343, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/125 Finance or payroll
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A system for automatically logging the interaction between a plurality of objects. Small, self-contained transmitting beacon units are attached to a first set of objects. These beacon units transmit a uniquely coded signal at prescribed intervals. A small, self-contained portable transceiving unit is attached to a second set of objects. The second set of objects typically moves in, about, and among the first set of objects, although either set may move relative to the other. The signals transmitted by the beacon units have a limited range. If the transceiving unit is within this range for a specified period of time, the unique code associated with the transmitted signal is time-logged into a memory element contained within the portable receiving unit. At the end of a specified period of time, such as a work day, the contents of the memory of the transceiving unit may be examined to determine the objects with which an interaction has been had during the time period. A computer may be used to analyze, sort, and generate reports from the data thus logged within the transceiving units. The system is particularly well suited for use as a time and accounting system in a custodial environment, such as a hospital or similar facility.

Claims

1. A system for recording the interaction between a plurality of objects, at least one of which objects moves relative to the other objects, said system comprising:

a transmitting unit, said transmitting unit including;

means for generating a uniquely coded radio frequency (RF) signal, means for transmitting said uniquely coded RF signal at prescribed intervals, and first attachment means for attaching the transmitting unit to a selected one of said plurality of objects;

whereby said uniquely coded RF signal thereafter identifies said selected object; and

a receiving unit, said receiving unit including;

means for receiving said uniquely coded RF signal only when said transmitting unit and said receiving unit remain within a specified distance of each other for a specified time, second attachment means for attaching the receiving unit to another of said plurality of objects, and recording and timing means within said receiving unit for recording the receipt of the uniquely coded RF signal, including the time and interval during which the uniquely coded RF signal was received;

whereby the recording and timing means within the receiving unit may be subsequently examined to indicate the time at which the receiving unit came within the specified distance of a particular transmitting unit and the duration of time during which said specified distance was maintained, thereby providing an indication of the interaction between the selected objects.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the specified distance within which said transmitting unit and receiving unit must remain is the transmitting range of said transmitting unit.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the specified range of said transmitting unit is less than 20 feet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting unit comprises

encoding means for generating a selectable code;

timing means for triggering the generation of said code by said encoding means at prescribed intervals;

transmitting means for transmitting said code; and

power means for providing electrical power to said encoding, timing, and transmitting means.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said transmitting unit is encapsulatewd in an impervious substance, whereby the transmitting unit may be immersed in a sterilizing or cleansing liquid without adversely affecting the operation thereof.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said prescribed intervals at which the encoding means are triggered by said timing means comprise periodic intervals.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said prescribed intervals comprises every 10 to 20 seconds.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said recording and timing means comprises

a multiplicity of memory locations into which information corresponding to the uniquely coded signal received by said receiving unit may be selectively stored;

first means for assigning a specified memory location to a specified time interval; and

second means for storing the uniquely coded signal information into the particular memory location corresponding to the time interval during which the uniquely coded signal was received.

9. A system for recording the interaction between a plurality of first objects and at least one mobile second object, said system comprising:

first means attached to said first objects for generating said transmitting a coded radio frequency (RF) signal at prescribed intervals, a uniquely coded RF signal being assigned for each of said first objects;

second means attached to said second object for receiving said transmitted coded RF signal only when the second object is within a specified distance of one of said first objects;

third means attached to said second object for storing the coded RF signal when received, and for noting and storing the time at which the coded RF signal was received, and the length of time during which the coded RF signal was received; and

fourth means for selectively examining the stored information held in said third means, whereby the interaction between said second object and said first objects may be ascertained by noting the time periods during which a particular coded RF signal, corresponding to one of said first objects, is stored within said third means.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said second means receives said transmitted coded RF signal only when the second object remains within the specified distance in accordance with a prescribed pattern.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said prescribed pattern comprises receiving identical coded RF signals in succession for a prescribed number of the prescribed transmitting intervals of said first means.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said prescribed pattern comprises receiving a prescribed number of identical coded RF signals within a prescribed group of the prescribed transmitting intervals of said first means.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said prescribed intervals of said first means cause coded RF signal to be generated at least three times every minute.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said third means comprises:

a memory element divided into a plurality of memory locations, each memory location being assigned to a prescribed time of the day as measured in desirable time increments; and

means for storing the coded RF signal in the memory location corresponding to the time of day during which the coded RF signal was received.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said fourth means for selectively examining the stored information held in said third means comprises

a CPU;

means for down-loading the information stored in the memory locations of said memory element to said CPU; and

programming means within said CPU for examining, sorting, and otherwise analysing the information down-loaded thereto.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said second and third means comprise a portable self-contained transceiving unit having rechargable power means therein.

17. The system of claim 16 further including fifth means for selectively charging said power means.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said fourth and fifth means comprise a charging and down-load unit including

means for inserting said portable transceiving unit thereinto;

20. The system of claim 18 further including means for recording the time at which the portable transceiving unit is inserted into and removed from said charging down-load unit, whereby said insert/remove times may be used to indicate the time-out/time-in of a user of said portable transceiving unit.

21. The system of claim 18 further including sixth means for sensing when said portable transceiving unit passes within a specified distance of a selectively positioned stationary transceiving unit coupled to said CPU, whereby information may be recorded in said CPU indicating the time at which the portable transceiving unit passed by the selected position of said stationary transceiving unit.

19. means for delivering a charging current to said power means once the portable unit is inserted into said charging and down-load unit;

and

means for down-loading the information stored by said third means to a CPU, said CPU being coupled to said charging and down-load unit.

22. A recording device for use with a plurality of beacon units, each beacon unit being adapted to be attached on or near a selected object with which the recording device may interact, each beacon unit being adapted to intermittently transmit an identifying signal that is receivable within a specified range said identifying signal comprising a radio frequency signal, said recording device comprising:

receiving means for receiving said identifying signal if said recording device is positioned within the specified range of said beacon unit;

verifying means for determining that the same identifying signal is received over a period of time according to a specified criteria;

a storage control means located in said recording device for storing the verified identifying signal therein, said memory means comprising;

a multiplicity of memory locations where information can be stored, each memory location being assigned to a particular time period, and

control means for storing the verified identifying signal in the respective memory location corresponding to the time period during which the uniquely coded signal was received; and

examination means for examing the contents of said memory means.

23. A method for determining the interaction between a first group of objects and a second group of mobile objects, said method comprising the steps of

(a) assigning a unique code to each one of the objects within said first group;

(b) transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal modulated by said unique code from each of said objects of the first group;

(c) receiving said modulated RF signals at each one of said mobile objects of said second group only when the distance between any object of the first group and the respective object of the second group is less than a prescribed distance;

(d) demodulating the signals received by each object of the second group in order to recover the unique code therefrom;

(e) for each object of the second group, storing the unique code in a memory location corresponding to a time period during which the modulated signal was received;

(f) at the end of a desired period of time, examining the contents of the memory locations of each object of the second group in order to determine the presence or absence of a unique code recorded therein; and

(g) assigning to each unique code found in step (f) the time period corresponding to the receipt of that code as determined by the storage location where that code was stored in step (e), which time period identifies the time at which the object of the first group having that unique code interacted with the mobile object of the second group of step (c).