US 2009/0157537 A1 · Communication and synchronization in a networked timekeeping environment

Abstract

An optimized time and attendance system and methods. In some embodiments, a networked time and attendance system includes a network services server with a global database and a client device terminal with a local database. The device terminal is configured to create new time keeping records on the local database using information stored in the local database. The device terminal is further configured to initiate a connection to the host server and synchronize the local database with the global database. In some embodiments, the client terminal is configured to continue creating additional new time keeping records in the local database even when a connection to the host server is unavailable. In some embodiments, the client terminal includes a user interface, a local database, a first processor configured to control all system functions except for biometric data processing, and a second processor configured to capture and process biometric data.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A networked time keeping system comprising:

a host server including
a global database configured to contain time keeping records and stored employee identification data;
a first client terminal including
a terminal user interface,
a local database configured to contain said time keeping records and said stored employee identification data,
a first processor configured to
receive input employee identification data from an employee through the terminal user interface,
compare the input employee identification data from the terminal user interface to the stored employee identification data from the local database,
create a new time keeping record in the local database if the input employee identification data matches the stored employee identification data, the time keeping record being associated with the employee and including a date and a time,
initiate a connection to the host server, and
synchronize the local database with the global database.

8 more elements

A method of synchronizing a local database with a global database in a networked computer environment, the networked computer environment including a server with a computer readable memory that stores the global database and a plurality of client terminals each including a computer readable memory storing a local database, wherein the global database and each local database includes a plurality of previously stored data elements and a timestamp corresponding to each previously stored data element, the method comprising:

creating a new data element at a client terminal;
assigning a unique object identifier to the new data element;
adding the new data element to the local database;
initiating a connection to the server;
sending the new data element to the server;
receiving a time stamp from the server;
and
storing the time stamp to the local database.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Communication and synchronization in a networked timekeeping environment

Life of this patent

Communication and synchronization in a networked timekeeping environment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19