System for recording employee travel

Abstract

The system for recording employee commutes to a company consists of various components. One device is responsible for registering vehicles as they enter the company parking lot and can recognize license plates, RFID tags, or other vehicle identification features. Another device is designed for registering bicycles in a bicycle parking area, either by reading RFID tags or by identifying bicycles using a camera. Additionally, there is an input terminal where employees can manually enter their mode of transportation. The recorded data is stored in a central database. An evaluation unit uses this data to calculate the energy and CO2 footprint of employee commutes, allowing for the analysis and assessment of the environmental impact of these journeys.

Description

[0001] This application addresses the challenge of recording and analyzing employee commutes to a company in order to create an energy and CO2 balance. Specifically, the application offers improvements regarding the recording of vehicle entries into a company parking lot and bicycle entries into a bicycle parking area. By using detection devices that can capture vehicle license plates, RFID tags, and / or other vehicle identification, accurate recording of employee commutes is enabled. Additionally, a second detection device allows for the recording of bicycles using RFID tags or camera recognition of parked bicycles. The input terminal with multiple input fields allows employees to manually enter the mode of transport used or the type of commute.The central data collection device, with its integrated database, stores the recorded data, and the evaluation unit uses this data to calculate the energy and CO2 emissions of employee commutes. Network connectivity ensures efficient data transmission. The system also allows for the use of an input terminal with employee identification, enabling the recording of employees working from home. Furthermore, the employee commute tracking system can be combined with time and attendance tracking to provide comprehensive data collection and analysis of employee activities.

[0002] For example, EP 3 175 434 B1 discloses an access control procedure in which vehicles are identified by their license plate or RFID cards by comparison with a database.

[0003] German patent DE 21 2018 000 232 U1 describes a bicycle parking system designed to improve the efficiency of finding available parking spaces. The system comprises a display device with an image capture unit, a central processor, and a display screen. The image capture unit records images of the parking space, which are then evaluated by the central processor.

[0004] German patent DE 10 2022 100 710 A1 describes a system for recording consumption data from a building services installation. The system comprises a central unit and at least one first sensor unit, which serves to record a portion of the consumption data. The sensor unit is configured to transmit the recorded consumption data to the central unit. In order to transparently present the CO2 footprint of the building services installation to the consumer and to enable targeted reduction, the system is designed to generate a CO2 balance based on the consumption data transmitted to the central unit.

[0005] The purpose of the invention is to record the energy expenditure of employee commutes.

[0006] The problem is solved by the system according to the invention.

[0007] A comprehensive system for recording employee travel to a company is proposed: - at least one initial recording device for recording vehicle entries into a company parking lot, wherein the initial recording device is designed in such a way that vehicle license plates, RFID tags and / or other identifying features of a motor vehicle are recorded, - at least one second detection device for recording bicycles in a bicycle parking area, wherein the second detection device is designed in such a way that an RFID tag of a bicycle and / or a parked bicycle is recorded by camera, - an input terminal with multiple input elements for manually entering the means of transport used or the type of employee's journey; - a central data collection device with a database for storing the collected data, - an evaluation unit designed in such a way that an energy or CO2 balance of employee commutes is determined based on the recorded and stored data.

[0008] The use of different data collection methods for different modes of transport enables comprehensive and differentiated data collection, ensuring an accurate analysis of employees' choice of transport.

[0009] The integration of an input terminal allows employees who arrive using means of transport that cannot be automatically recorded to manually enter their mode of transport, making data collection more complete and representative of the entire spectrum of employee journeys.

[0010] The evaluation unit, which calculates an energy and CO2 balance of employee commutes, contributes to raising environmental awareness and can serve as a basis for developing measures to reduce the company's ecological footprint.

[0011] This invention offers the advantage of low latency. By using network-connected data collection devices, employee commutes can be recorded in real time and stored in a central database. This allows the collected data to be analyzed quickly and efficiently to determine the energy and CO2 emissions of these commutes.

[0012] By using vehicle license plates, RFID tags, and / or other identification methods, employee arrivals at the company parking lot and bicycle parking area can be easily recorded. No complex installation of additional sensors or devices is required.

[0013] Furthermore, a clear distinction between different modes of transport is made possible. By using different recording devices for car and bicycle entrances, employee commutes can be precisely recorded. This allows for accurate data to be determined for energy and CO2 balances.

[0014] By using a network connection, the data collection devices, the input terminal, and the central data collection unit can communicate with each other and exchange data. This allows the collected data to be efficiently stored in the central database and analyzed by the evaluation unit.

[0015] By using various wireless interfaces such as Bluetooth, Mioty®, LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, 5G and WLAN, the system can be flexibly adapted to different environments and requirements. This ensures that the collected data can be transmitted reliably and securely.

[0016] In a further development, the data collection devices advantageously feature a network connection.

[0017] The network connection of the data collection devices enables timely transmission of the collected data to the central data collection device, resulting in efficient and up-to-date data processing.

[0018] A network connection facilitates the integration of the system into the company's existing IT infrastructures and enables easy scaling and expansion of the system as needed.

[0019] The input terminal is advantageously designed as a touchscreen with symbolic buttons and / or has capacitive light buttons for input.

[0020] A touchscreen-style input terminal offers an intuitive user interface, increasing user-friendliness for employees and reducing the error rate during manual input.

[0021] Capacitive light buttons offer haptic feedback and are particularly durable, leading to increased reliability of the input terminal.

[0022] The use of symbolic keys can support the multilingualism of the system and reduce barriers for non-native speakers, contributing to more inclusive data collection.

[0023] In a further advantageous embodiment, the input data is transmitted via IO-Link.

[0024] Transmitting input data via IO-Link ensures a high level of data transmission security, as IO-Link is an established, robust and widely used interface in industrial communication.

[0025] The integration of IO-Link enables simple and cost-effective networking of various sensors and actuators, leading to a reduction in system complexity and simplified maintenance.

[0026] Preferably, the input terminal is designed in such a way that proof of identification, in particular a company ID card of an employee, is recorded.

[0027] Linking the use of transport with the company ID card can be used to develop incentive systems for sustainable mobility, which supports the company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

[0028] Furthermore, recording an employee's identification document increases the security of the system by ensuring that only authorized persons have access to certain areas or information. Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a system for recording employee travel.

[0029] To analyze employee commutes and, if applicable, to determine a CO2 footprint, it is necessary to record these journeys. The analysis will involve recording the following types of journeys: - capturing vehicle license plates upon entry to the parking areas, - manually recording the mode of transport at the company entrance, - recording the number of bicycles in the bicycle rack area, - recording the number of employees working from home.

[0030] Recording vehicle license plates has the advantage that parking permits do not need to be issued for employees. Employees' license plates are registered and can be recorded as authorized. If an employee uses a vehicle with a new license plate or uses a different vehicle altogether, they can register this at an input terminal or device, for example, in the company's entrance area.

[0031] Guests can also register their vehicle via the input terminal.

[0032] For example, vehicle license plates can be recorded via cameras at the entrance to the parking lots and transmitted to a central evaluation unit.

[0033] Furthermore, RFID tags could be provided for employees' vehicles, and entry could be tracked via these tags. Other electronic devices for vehicle identification are also conceivable.

[0034] Furthermore, it is also conceivable that, for example, thermal imaging cameras could be used to record the number of passengers in a vehicle.

[0035] The input terminal can, for example, be designed as a screen displaying various input elements. Alternatively, the input elements can also be discreetly designed as push buttons or proximity switches, particularly when it is only necessary to indicate the mode of transport used to get to work. For example, whether the employee traveled by car, carpool, bicycle, or on foot.

[0036] Based on manual input at an input terminal and the means of transport recorded by data collection devices at the parking lots and bicycle parking areas, the manually entered data can be validated to ensure a reliable estimate of the routes used.

[0037] To register a vehicle license plate, it is advantageous to have the company ID card recorded for authentication purposes, so that the license plate can be correctly assigned.

[0038] It is also conceivable to combine employee travel to and from work with employee time tracking, so that travel to and from work is recorded in addition to time tracking.

[0039] External employees may be able to register using their identity card.

[0040] To record employee arrivals and departures, an input terminal is provided that can be set up at relevant locations. Employees can use this terminal to quickly, easily, and securely indicate their mode of travel when entering and leaving the company premises. This input terminal is designed as a feedback terminal, similar to those used in hotels, where guests can provide feedback with the push of a button upon departure.

[0041] Such an input terminal can, for example, have several buttons or input elements, each of which is labelled with a mood indicator - e.g. a smiley face.

[0042] The invention essentially uses this principle and applies it to providing feedback on employee arrivals and departures. For this purpose, a number of input elements are provided with corresponding symbols / labels that represent the type of arrival / departure; these could be, for example: a car, a bus (public transport), a carpool, a bicycle, a pedestrian, or a train. Similar to the smiley faces in a feedback box, it is preferred that the corresponding symbols are arranged in a logical sequence, e.g., linearly in order of increasing environmental impact: pedestrian, cyclist, public transport / train, carpool, electric vehicle, hybrid vehicle, gasoline vehicle.

[0043] The process works as follows: after the feedback is submitted, the corresponding type of employee travel (either stored locally and later retrieved and merged, or transmitted via an existing network infrastructure to a central server via a network) is collected, recorded, and statistically evaluated, for example.

[0044] The invention solves the problem that employee commutes are difficult to record because they can be carried out in completely different ways individually, or can vary daily and differ from employee to employee.

[0045] The unique features of the invention are: a technically simple and reliable recording of employee arrivals; the possibility of making virtually all employee arrivals completely recordable while fully covering all entrances and exits to the company; the technical linking of the type of employee arrivals with a data object that can be easily evaluated by software.

[0046] Data transmission can take place in particular via a network connection to an IT infrastructure, for example via a network cable or via a wireless interface, such as a wireless interface according to the Bluetooth, Mioty ®, LORAWAN, NB-IOT, 5G, WLAN standard.

[0047] Furthermore, a possible technical implementation could be to enable input via one or more capacitive light buttons.

[0048] Keystroke data and input data can be advantageously transmitted via IO-Link. The invention opens up a completely new field for recording and determining sustainability reporting data, such as employee commutes, which did not previously exist. It enables the complete, accurate, and reliable recording of employee commutes relevant to Emissions Scope 3, which are otherwise very difficult or impossible to record.

[0049] The invention is relevant for all companies and users who want or need to monitor, track, and improve their sustainability data and / or environmental performance. This is particularly important given the increasing regulatory burden on small, medium-sized, and large organizations.

[0050] Examples of technical implementations of the devices: - Touchscreen with the embodiment of buttons with corresponding symbols - a keypad, each with a label. - Capture and transmission via a radio interface according to the Mioty radio standard.

[0051] Fig. Figure 1 shows a system 1 for recording journeys to a company, preferably employee journeys. The system 1 comprises a central recording device 5 with a database 300, wherein the recording device 5 is connected to at least one recording device. In the illustrated example, the recording devices shown are a first recording device 110 for recording vehicle arrivals at a company parking lot 10, a second recording device 120 for recording bicycles 25 in a bicycle parking area 20, an input terminal 200 for manually entering the means of transport used, and a general-purpose recording device 100.

[0052] The first recording device 110 is preferably designed in such a way that a vehicle registration number, RFID tag and / or other identifier of a motor vehicle is recorded when entering and / or exiting the company parking lot and transmitted to the central recording device 5.

[0053] The second detection device is preferably designed such that an RFID tag of a bicycle and / or a parked bicycle is detected by camera and transmitted to the central detection device 5.

[0054] A third data collection point is an input terminal 200, which allows manual entry of the means of transport used or the mode of travel via several input elements 230. The collected data is transmitted to the central data collection device 5.

[0055] A fourth type of data acquisition device, a general data acquisition device 100, is shown. These general data acquisition devices 100 can, for example, also be databases from which the respective place of work of an employee can be seen.

[0056] For example, whether the employee is working from home. It can also be recorded whether an employee is on a business trip and which means of transport is used. This data is also transmitted to a central data collection device.

[0057] The central recording device 5 also has a database 300 that centrally records the arrival process.

[0058] Furthermore, an evaluation unit 400 is planned, which analyzes employee commutes with regard to energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Employee-specific data can be stored for this analysis, such as distance to the workplace, energy consumption of the means of transport used, and vacation and home office periods.

[0059] The invention also has the following additional aspects: The invention presents, among other things, a device for recording employee arrivals, which combines an input module with a display field. This configuration allows different modes of transport to be represented via symbols and recorded through direct interaction. The uniqueness of this solution lies in its ability to accommodate a wide range of transport options, thus ensuring comprehensive data collection.

[0060] The touchscreen's multi-touch functionality allows users to perform complex inputs with simple gestures such as swiping or multiple taps. A practical example of this would be an employee who both cycles and uses public transport, able to select either mode with a single, fluid movement without having to switch between different input modes. This functionality is particularly useful for increasing the efficiency and user-friendliness of data collection in busy environments such as a company's entrance area. It enables more detailed tracking of commuting patterns, leading to more precise data analysis and more informed decisions when developing mobility strategies.

[0061] A customizable touchscreen that allows for the rearrangement and adjustment of icons offers companies the flexibility to respond to changes in mobility options or specific employee needs. For example, a company introducing a new bicycle transport option in company vehicles could quickly add a corresponding icon to represent this option. This adaptability ensures that the device remains up-to-date and accurately reflects employees' actual commuting options, improving both the acceptance and accuracy of the collected data.

[0062] The ability to use wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for data transmission offers significant flexibility in the installation and placement of the device. Companies can position the device in optimal locations without the limitations of physical cabling to ensure the best possible coverage and ease of use. This facilitates the implementation of the system in existing work environments and enables seamless integration into the company's IT infrastructure, thereby increasing the efficiency and reliability of data collection and transmission.

[0063] The device's autonomous power supply, for example via batteries or solar cells, enables flexible and independent installation at locations without direct access to power sources. This is particularly advantageous for companies with extensive or remote premises where installing traditional tracking systems would be difficult due to infrastructure limitations. The autonomous power supply thus significantly expands the device's application possibilities and supports comprehensive employee arrival tracking across the entire company site.

[0064] The system utilizes the multi-touch functionality of a touchscreen to simplify and accelerate the input of employee commute data. This allows employees to select multiple commute types simultaneously with simple gestures, making data collection not only more efficient but also improving the accuracy and completeness of the recorded data. The ability to precisely capture complex commute patterns helps companies analyze and optimize their mobility strategies by gaining a detailed understanding of their employees' commuting behavior.

[0065] The use of wireless technologies for data transmission enables flexible and efficient collection and transmission of employee arrival data.

[0066] This method facilitates implementation in existing company structures and minimizes installation effort. Wireless transmission ensures seamless and secure data communication, which increases system reliability and guarantees timely data availability for analysis.

[0067] Storing the collected data in a data storage system that uses an SQL database enables efficient and structured information management. This supports complex queries and analyses, allowing companies to gain deep insights into their employees' mobility behavior and make informed decisions to promote sustainable transportation.

[0068] Using a specific IODD for the push-button sensor within the IO-Link system improves the precision and reliability of data acquisition. This enables detailed and accurate recording of approach patterns, which increases the quality of the data basis for subsequent analyses and thus allows for a more precise evaluation of mobility patterns.

[0069] Conducting data analyses to generate aggregated overviews and identify usage patterns and relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) provides companies with valuable insights into their employees' commuting behavior. These analyses support the development of effective strategies for improving the sustainability and efficiency of employee mobility by providing targeted information on the use of different modes of transport and potential areas for optimization.

[0070] In summary, the present system 1 serves the precise recording and analysis of employee journeys to a company location. It comprises several components designed to identify different modes of transportation. A first detection device 110 is specifically designed for detecting motor vehicles entering the company parking lot 10. This device is technically configured to register and process license plates, RFID tags, or other vehicle-related identification features. In parallel, a second detection device 120 is provided, which is specifically implemented for recording bicycles in the designated bicycle parking area 20. This device can detect RFID tags attached to bicycles or, alternatively, identify bicycles using camera surveillance.

[0071] Furthermore, the system includes an input terminal 200, which is equipped with various input elements 230. These serve for manual input and thus for recording the respective means of transport used by the employees for their commute.

[0072] A central data collection device 5, which has an integrated database 300, serves to centrally collect and store the data obtained using the data collection devices and the terminal. All relevant information regarding the employees' travel arrangements is systematically stored in this database.

[0073] An essential component of the system is the evaluation unit 400. This unit is specifically designed to generate an energy and CO2 balance from the information collected and stored in the database. The evaluation unit analyzes the data regarding energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the various commutes and modes of transport used by employees. This enables a sound assessment of the environmental impact of employee mobility and provides valuable data for sustainability-oriented corporate strategies. Reference symbol list 5 central detection device 10 parking spaces 15 vehicles 20 bicycle parking spaces 25 bicycle 100 General recording tools 110 first recording device 120 second recording device 200 Input terminal 230 input elements 300 database 400 evaluation units

Claims

[1] System (1) for recording employee journeys to a company, comprising: - at least one initial recording device (110) for recording vehicle entries into a company parking lot (10), wherein the first recording device (110) is designed to record a vehicle registration number, RFID tag and / or other identifying marks of a motor vehicle, - at least one second recording device (120) for recording bicycles in a bicycle parking area (20), wherein the second detection device (120) is designed such that an RFID tag of a bicycle and / or a parked bicycle is detected by camera, - an input terminal (200) with several input elements (230) for manually entering the means of transport used or the type of employee travel; - a central recording device (5) with a database (300) for storing the recorded data, - an evaluation unit (400) designed in such a way that an energy or CO2 balance of employee commutes is determined based on the recorded and stored data. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the detection means (110, 120) have a network connection. [3] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the input terminal (200) is designed as a touchscreen with symbolic keys and / or has capacitive and / or inductive light buttons for input. [4] System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the network connection is made via a radio interface selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, Mioty®, LORAWAN, NB-IOT, 5G and WLAN. [5] System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the database (200) is an SQL database. [6] System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the input data is transmitted via IO-Link. [7] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the input terminal (200) is designed in such a way that an employee's identification is recorded. [8] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central recording device (5) is designed such that employees working from home are recorded. [9] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (1) for recording employee journeys is combined with an employee time recording system.

Images