Biometric multi-purpose terminal, payroll and work management system and related methods

A method of processing a payroll in an electronic payroll system, said electronic payroll system including a data processor, a memory for storing the names of each of a plurality of employees, the pay rate for each of the plurality of employee, a unique identifying account number assigned to each of the plurality of employees, a personal identification number associated with each account number, biometric data that uniquely identifies each of the plurality of employees, the check-in and checkout times of each of the plurality of employees, a card coded with one of the unique identifying account numbers assigned to each of the plurality of employees, a personal identification number assigned to each of the plurality of employees and associated with each unique identifying account number, and an electronic terminal with a card reader for reading the account number coded on the card, a biometric means for receiving biometric data from one of the plurality of employees, with a plurality of entry keys for entering the personal identification number and means to communicate between said electronic terminal and said data processor, said method comprising the steps of:

• communicating said account number from the electronic terminal to the data processor,
• communicating the personal identification number from the electronic terminal to the data processor, and
• comparing the account number and personal identification number with sets of numbers stored in the memory for at least some of the employees, or
• communicating the received biometric data from the electronic terminal to the data processor, and
• comparing the received biometric data with biometric data stored in the memory, and
• using the current time as a payroll checkin or payroll checkout status for an employee if the account number and personal identification number correspond to a set of numbers stored in the memory for that employee or if the received biometric data corresponds to the biometric data stored in memory for an employee.

An electronic terminal for use in an electronic payroll system for processing a payroll, the system including a data processor with a memory for storing the names of a plurality of employees, the pay rate for each of the plurality of employees, a unique identifying account number for each of the plurality of employees, a personal identification number associated with each account number, biometric data that uniquely identifies each of the plurality of employees and the check-in and checkout times of each employee, a card coded with one of the unique identifying account numbers assigned to each of the plurality of employees and a personal identification number assigned to each of the plurality of employees and associated with each unique identifying account number, said electronic terminal comprising:

• a card reader for reading the coded unique identifying number on the card,
• a plurality of entry keys for entering the personal identification number assigned to each employee and associated with each unique identifying account number,
• a biometric means to receive biometric data that uniquely identifies each of the plurality of employees,
• a viewable display disposed on said electronic terminal for displaying a plurality of options including check-in to work and checkout of work,
• means for selecting one of said plurality of options displayed on said display including a check-in to work or checkout of work option,
• electronic communication means disposed in said electronic terminal to communicate one or more of said unique identifying account numbers, said personal identification number, or the biometric data from the employee, and the time of check-in to work or the time of checkout of work to said data processor.

An electronic payroll system for processing a payroll, comprising:

• a data processor,
• a memory for storing the names of a plurality of employees, the pay rate for each of the plurality of employees, the check-in and checkout times of each of the plurality of employees, and unique biometric data for each of the plurality of employees,
• an electronic terminal with a microprocessor,
• biometric means associated with said terminal for receiving unique biometric data from each of the plurality of employees,
• said microprocessor in communication with said biometric means to receive said unique biometric data and to communicate said biometric data to said data processor, said data processor comparing the unique biometric data to biometric data stored in the memory to determine the identity of one of the plurality of employees, and to use the present time as a check-in or checkout time for that employee, and
• a viewable display disposed on said terminal for displaying different selectable options including a view payroll option, and
• said terminal responsive to selection of the view payroll option to display the payroll for the identified employee at the terminal.

A method of processing a payroll in an electronic payroll system, said electronic payroll system including a data processor and a first memory for storing the names of a plurality of employees, the pay rate for each employee and the check-in and checkout times for each of the plurality of employees, and an electronic terminal with a microprocessor having a second memory for storing unique biometric data for each of the plurality of the employees, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving biometric data from an employee at the terminal,
• communicating the biometric data to a microprocessor,
• comparing the received biometric data to biometric data previously stored in a the second memory for one of the plurality of employees,
• using the current time as a check-in or checkout time for an employee if there is a match of biometric data for that employee, and
• communicating the check-in or checkout status for that employee from said terminal to said data processor, and
• printing a copy of a pay stub for an account number at the electronic terminal after the microprocessor has authenticated an employee.

An electronic terminal for use in an electronic payroll system for processing a payroll, the system including a data processor with a first memory for storing the names of a plurality of employees, the pay rate for each of the plurality of employees, and the check-in and checkout times for each of the plurality of employees, said electronic terminal comprising:

• a microprocessor,
• a second memory for storing the unique biometric data for each of the plurality of employees,
• biometric means associated with said terminal for receiving unique biometric data from each of the plurality of employees,
• a viewable display disposed on said electronic terminal for displaying a plurality of options including check-in to work and checkout of work,
• means for selecting one of said plurality of options displayed on said display including check-in to work and checkout of work,
• said microprocessor in communication with said biometric means to receive said unique biometric data and to compare the received biometric data to the biometric data previously stored in the second memory to determine the identity of an employee,
• said microprocessor using the current time as an employee check-in or check-out time for that employee if the received biometric data corresponds to biometric data previously stored in said second memory,
• said microprocessor communicating the check-in time or the checkout time to said data processor, and
• a viewable display disposed on said terminal for displaying different selectable options including a view payroll option, and
• said terminal responsive to selection of the view payroll option to display the payroll for the identified employee at the terminal.