Time accounting system

A system for generating data for input to a computer representing the length of time a worker has spent at a workstation performing a task, comprising:

• (a) portable memory circuit means for storing data relating to said task, said portable memory circuit means including:
• 1. random access memory means for receiving data, said random access means having data input means and data output means for transferring data into and out of said random access memory means;
• 2. read only memory means for storing predetermined data representing said task at said workstation;
• and
• 3. address generator means, connected to the address inputs of said random access memory means and externally incrementable for defining the addresses in said random access memory means at which data is transferred into and out of said random access memory means;
• (b) data entry circuit means, located at said workstation and adapted to electrically connect to said data input means and said address generator means, for controlling said generator means and for automatically and periodically writing into said random access memory means said predetermined data in said read only memory means;
• and
• (c) data reading circuit means, electrically connected to said computer and adapted to electrically connect to said data output means and said address generator means, for controlling said generator means to read out said data written into said random access memory means and for transferring said data, into said computer whereby said memory circuit means is connected to said entry circuit means while said worker is at said workstation, said entry circuit means periodically and automatically writing said data into said memory circuit means, the number of times said data is written into said memory circuit means corresponding to the duration of time said worker has spent at said workstation, said memory circuit means thereafter being connected to said reading circuit means, whereupon all of said data in said memory circuit means is transferred into said computer system to indicate the length of time said worker has spent at said workstation.

A method for generating data for input to a computer representing the length of time a worker has spent at a workstation performing a task, comprising:

• providing said worker with a portable memory circuit;
• providing a data entry circuit at said workstation adapted to connect to said portable memory circuit;
• providing a data reading circuit connected to said computer and adapted to connect to said portable memory circuit;
• having said worker maintain said portable memory circuit connected to said data entry circuit while performing said task;
• automatically and repetitively writing preselected and non-changing data identifying said task into said portable memory circuit with said data entry circuit at regular intervals when said portable memory circuit is connected to said data entry circuit, the number of times said data is written into said portable memory circuit corresponding to the amount of time said worker has spent at said workstation;
• and
• connecting said portable memory circuit to said data reading circuit and reading said data stored in said portable memory circuit into said computer.

In a system for recording the amount of time a worker has spent at a workstation performing a task, a portable memory circuit in which data representing said time is recorded, comprising:

• random access memory means for receiving data written therein at said workstation at regular intervals relating to the amount of time said worker has spent performing said task;
• read only memory means for containing an identification of said worker;
• address generator means for generating addresses for said random access memory means to enable data to be written into and read out of said random access memory means;
• and
• circuit means for erasing the contents of said random access memory means, whereby said data relating to said task is written into said random access memory means periodically while said worker is at said workstation, the contents of said random access memory means and said read only memory means thereafter being read out of said portable memory circuit to identify said worker and the amount of time said worker has spent performing said task.