Timekeeping system and method for graphically tracking and representing activities

• US 7,274,375 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter David
• Original Assignee: Peter David
• Inventors: David, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous; Wesner
• Application Number:
  US10/298,644
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 345440-441, 345/764, 345/771, 345/772, 345/581, 345/589, 345/619, 345/661, 715/764, 715771-772, 715/700, 715/859, 715/860, 715/844, 379/266.06, 379/266.03, 379/114.09, 713/500, 713/502
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A timekeeping system and method is provided for enabling users to graphically represent one or more activities, as well as the time that has been allocated to each. A graphical display uniquely identifies activities or events based on different visual indicators (e.g., colors), as well as a dimension (e.g., length, area, etc.) that visually represents the duration of the activities or events. At least one dimension of the visual indicator changes in real time to represent the elapsed time of an activity. A report module comprising a report generator and report editor is provided to enable users to account for and summarize the time that has been spent on various activities.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of graphically tracking and representing one or more activities performed by a user over a period of time, the method comprising:

enabling a user to define at least one activity to be performed by the user for which the user desires to track a duration of performance;

enabling the user to select a visual indicator to be associated with the at least one activity, the visual indicator comprising at least one of a color or a pattern;

providing a selection mechanism, that is associated with the selected visual indicator, that the user can select when commencing performance of the at least one activity; and

providing a graphical display of a clock face on which the visual indicator is illustrated so as to indicate performance of the at least one activity by the user as it occurs in real-time, wherein a dimension of the visual indicator illustrated on the clock face graphically represents the duration of performance of the at least one activity by the user over a period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock face displays a 12-hour time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock face displays a 24-hour time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color, and wherein the

selection mechanism is coded with the color.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to de-select the selection mechanism when ceasing performance of the at least one activity.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the clock face has an hour hand, and the dimension comprises an arc of the color that is swept out by the hour hand for the period of time over which the at least one activity is performed by the user, further comprising:

displaying, when the selection mechanism is selected, the arc of color by sweeping the arc of color out by the hour hand of the clock face in real time to represent the elapsed time of performance of the at least one activity by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color, the clock face has an hour hand, and the dimension comprises an arc of the color that is swept out by the hour hand for the period of time over which the at least one activity is performed by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the arc of color is swept out by the hour hand of the clock face in real time to represent the elapsed time of performance of the at least one activity by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a counterclockwise-most extent of the arc corresponds to commencement of performance of the at least one activity, and a clockwise-most extent of the arc corresponds to cessation of performance of the at least one activity.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a Daylight Saving Time (DST) transition scheme for each distinct geographical time zone, thus enabling display of an appropriate clock face during a transition to or from Daylight Saving Time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a report generator to enable users to display information relating to the at least one activity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one activity comprises a plurality of activities and wherein the clock face has an hour hand, further comprising:

enabling the user to display multiple visual indicators over a single period of time when the activities corresponding to the respective visual indicators are performed simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple visual indicators comprise multiple colors, and wherein the dimension comprises an arc of multiple colors that is swept out by the hour hand for the single period of time over which the plurality of activities are performed.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

enabling a user to display a dialog box associated with the arc of multiple colors, wherein the dialog box includes a description of a function used to allocate portions of the single period of time to the plurality of activities.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to specify that the visual indicator represents a categorization of the at least one activity; and

enabling the user to control the resolution of the categorization.

16. A system for graphically tracking and representing one or more activities performed by a user over a period of time, the system comprising:

means for enabling a user to define at least one activity to be performed by the user for which the user desires to track a duration of performance;

means for enabling the user to select a visual indicator to be associated with the at least one activity, the visual indicator comprising at least one of a color or a pattern;

means for providing a selection mechanism, that is associated with the visual indicator, that the user can select when commencing performance of the at least one activity; and

means for providing a graphical display of a clock face on which the visual indicator is illustrated so as to indicate performance of the at least one activity by the user as it occurs in real-time, wherein a dimension of the visual indicator illustrated on the clock face graphically represents the duration of performance of the at least one activity by the user over a period of time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the clock face displays a 12-hour time period.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the clock face displays a 24-hour time period.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color, and wherein the

selection mechanism is coded with the color.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein de-selection of the selection mechanism by the user indicates cessation of performance of the at least one activity.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the clock face has an hour hand, and the dimension comprises an arc of the color that is swept out by the hour hand for the period of time over which the at least one activity is performed by the user, further comprising:

means for displaying, when the selection mechanism is selected, the arc of color by sweeping the arc of color out by the hour hand of the clock face in real time to represent the elapsed time of performance of the at least one activity by the user.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color, the clock face has an hour hand, and the dimension comprises an arc of the color that is swept out by the hour hand for the period of time over which the at least one activity is performed by the user.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the arc of color is swept out by the hour hand of the clock face in real time to represent the elapsed time of performance of the at least one activity by the user.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein a counterclockwise-most extent of the arc corresponds to commencement of performance of the at least one activity, and a clockwise-most extent of the arc corresponds to cessation of performance of the at least one activity.

25. The system of claim 16 further comprising means for providing a Daylight Saving Time (DST) transition scheme for each distinct geographical time zone, thus enabling display of an appropriate clock face during a transition to or from Daylight Saving Time.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising a report generator to enable users to display information relating to the at least one activity.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one activity comprises a plurality of activities and wherein the clock face has an hour hand, further comprising:

means for enabling the user to display multiple visual indicators over a single period of time when the activities corresponding to the respective visual indicators are performed simultaneously.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the multiple visual indicators comprise multiple colors, and wherein the dimension comprises an arc of multiple colors that is swept out by the hour hand for the single period of time over which the plurality of activities are performed.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for enabling a user to display a dialog box associated with the arc of multiple colors, wherein the dialog box includes a description of a function used to allocate portions of the single period of time to the plurality of activities.

30. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for enabling the user to specify that the visual indicator represents a categorization of the at least one activity; and

means for enabling the user to control the resolution of the categorization.

31. An article of manufacture for graphically tracking and representing activities performed by a user over a period of time, the article of manufacture comprising:

at least one processor readable medium; and

instructions carried on the at least one medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the at least one medium by at least one processor and thereby cause the at least one processor to operate so as to;

enable a user to define at least one activity to be performed by the user for which the user desires to track a duration of performance;

enable the user to select a visual indicator to be associated with the at least one activity, the visual indicator comprising at least one of a color or a pattern;

provide a selection mechanism, that is associated with the selected visual indicator, that the user can select when commencing performance of the at least one activity; and

provide a graphical display of a clock face on which the visual indicator is illustrated so as to indicate performance of the at least one activity by the user as it occurs in real-time, wherein a dimension of the visual indicator illustrated on the clock face graphically represents the duration of performance of the at least one activity by the user over a period of time.