Mobile Device Presence Tracking via Geofencing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current personnel tracking and scheduling systems are burdensome and inefficient, particularly when employees need to be monitored across multiple geographically separated facilities, requiring manual or time-consuming administrative processes to validate presence and coordinate work schedules.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a mobile device to monitor geographic position and associate it with designated locations, providing arrival and departure notifications, and a server to analyze presence data for efficient scheduling and monitoring, reducing administrative burden and enhancing privacy by allowing users to configure subsets of tracked locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual timecard collection and scheduling processes are used, then employee presence can be tracked, but administrative burden and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by having employees automatically check-in and check-out using their mobile devices. The mobile device determines geographic position and automatically provides presence indications without requiring manual timecard submission or supervisor intervention, thus reducing administrative burden while maintaining reliable tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual process of timecard collection and scheduling with an automated electronic system. Mobile devices use geographic position determination (GPS or other location services) to automatically detect presence at facilities, substituting manual administrative actions with automated technological processes
2Reliability
If employees are monitored at multiple geographically separated facilities, then comprehensive presence tracking is achieved, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a universal mobile device that serves multiple functions: it determines geographic position, identifies the employee, automatically checks them in at various facilities, and provides presence indications. This single multi-functional device handles tracking across multiple geographically separated facilities without requiring different systems for each location, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive tracking accuracy
3Productivity
If automated presence monitoring is implemented, then administrative efficiency improves, but employee privacy concerns may arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality by allowing employees to configure subsets of locations where they want to be tracked. Instead of universal monitoring across all facilities, employees can select specific locations relevant to their work assignments. This localized tracking approach maintains administrative efficiency for necessary locations while respecting employee privacy by not monitoring all locations uniformly
Data Source
AI summary
A method, device, or system is arranged to determine the presence of a person. The system includes a data store that stores a plurality of locations and stores a subset of the plurality of locations. The system includes a server in communication with the data store that is arranged to i) associate the subset of locations of the plurality of locations with the person and ii) associate a mobile device with the person. The system also includes a mobile device arranged to i) monitor the geographic position of the mobile device, ii) store the subset of the plurality of locations, iii) determine that the geographic position of the mobile device is within a vicinity of a first location of the subset of locations; and iv) provide a first indication that the mobile device is within the vicinity of the first location.