In recent years, the integration of access and security systems with time and attendance systems has meant that employers can both secure their premises and generate valuable time and attendance data for payroll and other services. Generally, in these systems, swipe or proximity cards are used to unlock doors or turnstiles, which in turn also generates information concerning the time that the respective employee swiped the card. However, the problems associated with this approach are that such systems are generally hardwired and, as such, tend to be expensive and time-consuming to install. Also, for shorter-term contract work on a variety of sites, this technique is clearly unsuitable. Other limitations are that, generally, such time and attendance information is held on a local server within the workplace, without remote access.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for enabling the remote monitoring of the time and attendance of a plurality of workers at various work locations. Remote access of said time and attendance data being achieved over an encrypted link on a public network, such as the Internet. The implementation of the present invention, using wireless-based technology, allows for savings in both installation costs and time.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for enabling the remote monitoring of the time and attendance of a plurality of workers at a plurality of work locations, details of each respective worker being held on a unique identification means, the entry and departure of said respective worker to a respective work location being detected by the interaction of said unique identification means with at least one reader means, said reader means retaining details of each entry and departure time occurrence, the method comprising the steps of: remotely accessing each said reader means and recording the entry and departure times of each respective worker detected therein, via a server means; processing and combining said entry and departure times of each respective worker at each respective work location into readily accessible information using a database means held on said server means; and providing remote user access to said entry and departure times of each respective worker using an encrypted communication means, via said server means over a public network.

In a preferred embodiment, said unique identification means may be provided using swipe or proximity cards or hand or thumbprints. Said swipe cards may be provided with a bar code or magnetic strip which stores encoded details of the respective worker thereon. Said encoded details of the respective worker being detected on passing said swipe card through said reader means.

Occurrences of entry and departure may be detected using said plurality of reader means situated at various locations around the workplace.

Preferably, said plurality of reader means being provided by turnstile gates, clock readers, entrance gates and door readers. On detecting said respective worker, said reader means may also be programmed to unlock doors or turnstiles, or to control access to restricted areas. Said reader means may be provided with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) module for remote communication with said server means, such as a Siemens M20 GSM telephone module.

Using an existing Internet dial-up account, the remote user may call up said server means over said encrypted connection means implemented, preferably, using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), such as a Shiva LanRover VPN Gateway. Such an encrypted link provides a secure path for network applications which require no changes to the application. As such, this provides desktop to gateway security within a Local Area Network (LAN) or across a Wide Area Network (WAN).

Remote user processing of the time and attendance data may be provided using'thin client'technology which allows the remote user access to said database means without the need for it to be installed or licensed on the local machine. Using, preferably, a 32-bit client software, the remote user may access said server means, for example, to cut and paste information from said database means into an application running locally, use short cut keys, run applications remotely or print to a local printer from applications running on said server means.

Further preferably, the remote user may use local application software to interpret the swipe times gathered by the clock readers and to produce reports which may include, for example, personnel currently on site, number and cost of hours worked in any given period, accident statistics and labor returns, etc. It can also keep track of employee training, disciplinary action, visitors to site and controls the issue of new swipe or proximity cards. Said local application software being implemented suitably using Microsoft Access.

Also according to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for enabling the remote monitoring of the time and attendance of a plurality of workers at a plurality of work locations, comprising: at least one reader means, which, in use, can record the entry and departure times of each respective worker; database means, being in communication with each said reader means via a server means, for processing and combining said entry and departure times of each respective worker at each respective work location into readily accessible information; and encrypted communication means, which, in use, provides remote user access to entry and departure times of each respective worker held on said database means, via said server means over a public network.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a computer program product for enabling the remote monitoring of the time and attendance of a plurality of workers at a plurality of work locations, details of each respective worker being held on a unique identification means, the entry and departure of said respective worker to a respective work location being detected by the interaction of said unique identification means with at least one reader means, said reader means retaining details of each entry and departure time occurrence, comprising: computer program means for remotely accessing each said reader means and recording the entry and departure times of each respective worker detected therein, via a server means; computer program means for processing and combining said entry and departure times of each respective worker at each respective work location into readily accessible information using a database means held on said server means; and computer program means for providing remote user access to said entry and departure times of each respective worker using over an encrypted communication means, via said server means over a public network.

The advantages of the present invention are that the remote user can quickly and easily access secure time and attendance data for a variety of different work locations anywhere in the world. The implementation of the present invention, using wireless-based technology, allows for savings in both installation costs and time. In this way, it is also possible to cover many work locations and, as such, readily monitor workers employed on short-term contracts or temporary work sites.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations of the present invention are possible, and it is intended that the present invention may be used other than specifically as described herein.

A specific non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the proposed scheme is illustrated in Figure 1, wherein swipe or proximity cards or hand or thumb prints are used to collect data at various work locations. In use, the reader means identify which worker is swiping by reading the bar code printed on each clock card.

Swipe cards may be manufactured using a digital camera and card printer.

An image of the cardholder can be captured and instantaneously printed onto a swipe card, together with encoded details of the respective worker.

In a preferred embodiment, a proximity card may be used wherein a magnetic signal is induced into a coil embedded into the card and this transmits the encoded card number back to the reader means to be read and authorised, as appropriate. Such proximity card being primarily used for hands free operation where the user is not required to present a token to a specific reader means.

At regular intervals, said server means dials each said reader means sequentially and checks them for any swipe times recorded by the unit. Such data is then written to said database means via said server means over a wireless GSM platform. Suitably, each said reader means is equipped with a Siemens M20 GSM telephone module. This performs the same functions as a mobile phone and modem built into one, though without a numeric keypad or dial out facility, and can be contacted via an external aerial. Thus, as long as there is a convenient power supply then the data recorded within the unit can be accessed from any personal computer and modem.

Data of employees'entry and departure times obtained by said reader means are processed and combined using said database means. Such data may be grouped into selectable fields which may include, but are not limited to, employees currently on a certain site, current number and cost of hours worked, lateness and unauthorised absence records, etc.

Using an existing Internet dial-up account, the remote user may call up said server means over an encrypted connection. Suitably, a Shivaw LanRover VPN Gateway provides secure virtual private networking between said remote user and server means. In this way, time and attendance data can be securely delivered to the remote user anywhere in the world. The remote user may then, using WindowsT" 32-bit Terminal Services Client software, remotely execute said database means on the Windows based server from a wide range of devices over virtually any type of network connection.

The remote user may then use any compatible local application software to interpret and manage the swipe times gathered by the clock readers. Suitably, this is performed using a Microsoft Access based user interface.