GB2490718A - An attendance device - Google Patents
An attendance device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2490718A GB2490718A GB1107927.4A GB201107927A GB2490718A GB 2490718 A GB2490718 A GB 2490718A GB 201107927 A GB201107927 A GB 201107927A GB 2490718 A GB2490718 A GB 2490718A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- data
- attendance
- output
- date
- encrypted
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000012795 verification Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 18
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241000284156 Clerodendrum quadriloculare Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C1/00—Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people
- G07C1/10—Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C1/00—Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people
- G07C1/20—Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Time Recorders, Dirve Recorders, Access Control (AREA)
Abstract
An attendance device (10) comprises a clock (20) arranged to generate time data and/or date data; an control device (18) for generating a control signal; an output device (22) for outputting data; a memory device (16) storing a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; and a data processor (14) coupled to the clock, control device, output device and memory. In response to the control signal the data processor is arranged to encrypt the time data and/or date data using the device identifier and to output the encrypted data via the output device. The control device may be a button that is pressed when a worker requires encrypted data to be output on a display device. The encrypted data may be decrypted at an attendance verification device which uses the device identifier, which can be found by a manager using a look-up table, to decrypt the received data and so output the time/date data. The device identifier may be a symmetric or public cryptographic key. The invention may be used to check that workers have attended certain locations without the use of GPS devices.
Description
An Attendance Device
Background
Situations exist in which a person is supposed to be at a particular location for some purpose. For example, a maintenance engineer may be instructed to visit a remote location, such as a dam, to perform a maintenance operation. This type of person will be hereinafter referred to as a "worker".
A person may wish to confirm that the worker actually attended the location. This type of person will be hereinafter referred to as a "manager". A manager may have to rely on the word of the worker that the worker attended the location. The worker may falsely claim that he attended the location if he feels that he is unlikely to be caught out.
Systems are known to track the location of a worker. For example, a worker may be provided with a GPS based tracking device such that his location can be monitored.
However, known systems can be quite complex in nature and/or expensive to implement.
Summary
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an attendance device comprising: a clock arranged to generate time data and/or date data; a control device for generating a control signal; an output device for outputting data; a memory device having stored thereon a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; and a data processor coupled to the clock, control device, output device and memory, wherein in response to the control signal the data processor is arranged to encrypt the time data and/or date data using the device identifier and to output the encrypted data via the output device.
Thus, the attendance device according to the first aspect of the invention can be provided at a location, such as a dam, such that a worker can obtain encrypted output data from the attendance device to serve as proof that somebody attended the location. The output data is difficult for an average worker to fabricate because of the fact that the time and date data are encrypted using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device. The attendance device therefore provides a simple solution which can be cheaply implemented.
The encryption and/or subsequent output may be periodically generated, for example every minutes, or may be generated in response to a user input.
The output device may comprise a display device arranged to display a visual representation of the encrypted output data. The display device may comprise a four bit, an eight bit or a sixteen bit display.
Thus, the output data may be visually determined by the worker who used the input device to generate the encrypted output data. The worker may then communicate the encrypted output data using known and ubiquitous means, such as a mobile telephone, to a database where it can be stored for future reference. Alternatively, the worker may record the encrypted output data in a local record system, such as a database or in a log book or sheet.
A four bit, eight bit or sixteen bit display may provide a good trade off between the number of different values that are available and the complexity of the number, the latter being important in embodiments of the invention due to the reliance on a worker to accurately record the displayed output data. A hexadecimal display may be preferred a numeric so as to increase the number of code permutations that are available.
The control device may comprise an input device.
Thus, the attendance device may include a button or the like that enables a worker to cause the attendance device to encrypt the time and/or date data and output the encrypted data in response to the user initiated control signal. This may be advantageous in terms of battery life relative to an attendance device that continually encrypts and outputs data, ahhough in the latter case the output device could comprise an LCD starburst display or other low-current, e.g. 4mA, display.
The device identifier may comprise a symmetric or public cryptographic key.
The attendance device may include a housing and an attachment device for attaching the housing to an object.
Thus, the attendance device may be provided in a form that is simple to transport to and fix to an object.
The attendance device may include a power source arranged to power the attendance device.
Thus, the attendance device may be provided at a location that does not include a power supply.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an attendance verification device comprising: an input device for receiving encrypted data generated by an attendance device according to the first aspect; an output device for outputting data; a memory device having stored thereon a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; and a data processor coupled to the input device, output device and memory device, the data processor being arranged to decrypt the time data and date data using the device identifier and to output the decrypted time data and/or date data via the output device.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of recording attendance at an attendance device, the method comprising: generating a control signal; receiving time data and/or date data corresponding to the time and/or date at which the control signal is generated; encrypting the received time data and/or date data using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; outputting the encrypted data.
The step of outputting may comprise displaying the encrypted date.
The step of generating a control signal may comprise generating a control signal in response to a user input.
The method may include the step of recording the encrypted data in a database.
The method may include the step of receiving the encrypted output data at an attendance verification device. The method may include the step of decrypting the time data and date data using the device identifier and to output the decrypted data.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer readable attendance verification program comprising code means adapted to perform the following steps when the code is run on a computer: receive encrypted data generated by an attendance device according to the first aspect; and decrypt the encrypted data using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device to provide time data and/or date data.
Brief Description of the Drawings
By way of example only, certain embodiments of the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of an attendance device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of date information generated by the clock of the attendance device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a device identifier that is specific to, and stored in the memory of, the attendance device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of the encrypted data output via the output device of the attendance device of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of an attendance verification device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a flow diagram depicting a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
S
Detailed Description
Figure 1 shows a schematic drawing of an attendance device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The attendance device 10 includes a housing 12 within which at least some of the electronic components of the attendance device 10 are housed. The housing 12 may formed of any suitable material, such as metal or a rigid plastics material.
The attendance device 10 includes an attachment device 13 for attaching the attendance device 10 to an object at a location. The attachment device 13 may comprise a clip, cable tie, adhesive pad, magnet, or any other suitable means for attaching the housing to an object. In some embodiments the attachment device 13 may include a plurality of different attachment elements, such as at least some of those described above.
The attendance device 10 includes a battery 24 arranged to power the electronic components. Any suitable battery may be provided. In some embodiments the attendance device 10 may comprise a mains electric adaptor.
The attendance device 10 includes a data processor 14, such as a CPU, arranged to process instructions. The data processor 14 is electrically coupled to a memory device 16 such that it can receive data from it. The memory device 16 may comprise ROM and/or RA]VI and contains a control program for controlling the functionality of the attendance device 10.
Many suitable control programs will be apparent to a skilled person. The memory device 16 also contains a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device 10 and an encryption algorithm, such as a symmetric key algorithm. The device identifier may be a unique identifier in the sense that it describes no other attendance device.
The data processor 14 is also electrically coupled to a clock 20 arranged to generate time and/or date data. Any suitable clock may be provided.
The attendance device 10 includes an input device 18 which is electrically coupled to the data processor 14, memory device 16 and clock 20 and arranged to generate a control signal in response to a worker input. In the illustrated embodiment the input device 18 is a input button 18 and the control signal is generated in response to a worker pressing the input button 18. In alternative embodiments the control signal may be periodic and generated by a clock or the like.
The attendance device 10 includes an output device 22, which in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a display device. Any suitable display device may be provided, such as an LCD array. In other embodiments the output device 22 may comprise a wired or wireless data transfer mechanism, such as a radio frequency transmitter.
The memory device 16 is arranged to make the unique identifier available to the data processor 14 in response to the control signal. The clock is arranged to make the time and/or date data available to the data processor 14 in response to the control signal. The data processor 14 is arranged in response to the control signal to encrypt the time and/or date data using the unique identifier. The time data and/or date data may therefore be considered to be plaintext and the output data considered to be ciphertext, with the device identifier being a key for use with an encryption cipher by which the plaintext is encrypted.
The attendance device 10 is arranged to output the encrypted data via the output device 22 Referring to Figure 2, a example of date data 26 is schematically shown. The date data represents the date 4 May 2011. It should however be noted that in other embodiments, any suitable combination of data and/or time data may be used in any suitable format.
Referring to Figure 3, an example of a device identifier 28 is schematically shown. The device identifier consists of the string of numbers 1 to 8. It should however be noted that in other embodiments, any suitable device identifier may be provided.
Figure 4 shows the encrypted output data 30 resuhing from the data processor 14 encrypting the date data 26 by adding the first number of the unique identifier 28 to the first number of the date data 26, the second number of the unique identifier 28 to the second number of the date data 26 and so on. It should however be noted that any suitable encryption technique may be used in embodiments of the present invention, using time and/or date data and various formats of unique identifier.
As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, in some embodiments of the invention a plurality of the electronic components of the attendance device 10 may be realised by a single means. For example, the data processor 14, memory device 16 and one or more of the input device 18, clock 20 and output device 22 may be implemented as a microcontroller or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
Figure 5 shows a schematic drawing of an attendance verification device 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The attendance verification device 40 includes a housing 42 within which at least some of the electronic components of the attendance verification device 40 are housed. In some embodiments the attendance verification device 40 may be implemented as a general purpose computer running appropriate software.
The attendance verification device 40 includes a power supply 52 arranged to power the electronic components. Any suitable power supply may be provided, such as a mains electricity supply interface.
The attendance verification device 40 includes a data processor 44, such as a CPU, arranged to process instructions. The data processor 44 is electrically coupled to a memory device 46 such that it can receive data from it. The memory device 46 may comprise ROM and/or RAM and contains a control program for controlling the functionality of attendance verification device 40. Many suitable control programs will be apparent to a skilled person. The memory device 46 also contains the device identifier 28 that is specific to the attendance device 10. The device identifier 28 stored in the memory device 46 may be identical to, or similar to but mathematically related to, the device identifier 28 stored in the memory device 16.
The attendance verification device 40 includes an input 48 which is electrically coupled to the data processor 44 and is arranged to make the encrypted output data 30 available to the data processor 44 for decryption.
The attendance verification device 40 includes an output device 50 arranged to be coupled to a display device or the like, such as a computer monitor.
The memory device 46 is arranged to make the device identifier 28 available to the data processor 44 in response to a second control signal. The second control signal may be provided by the data processor 44 in response to the receipt of the output data 30, or by any other suitable means, such as by way of a user input by a manager using a mouse or the like. The data processor 44 is arranged to decrypt the output data 30 using the device identifier 28. The encrypted data may then be outputted via the output device 50 and/or stored in a memory device.
Thus, output data 30 from the attendance device 10 may be provided to the attendance verification device 40 to obtain decrypted date and/or time data, The manager may thereafter check that the date and/or time matches the date and/or time upon which the worker should have attended the location at which the attendance device 10 is provided. If the worker provides a fraudulent piece of output data it is highly unlikely to be decrypted as the date and/or time upon which the worker asserts he attended the location of the attendance device 10. The attendance device 10 according to embodiments of the invention therefore provided a simple and inexpensive means by which to cheek that a worker has attended a specific location on a particular time and/or date. While it is not able to identify the worker attending the location, it is considered that the present invention will in some cases decrease the likelihood of a worker falsely claiming to have attended a particular location.
In embodiments of the invention the attendance verification device includes a plurality of device identifiers each corresponding to a particular attendance device. Thus, a worker may assert that he attended a particular attendance device and provide his manager with the corresponding encrypted output data. The manager may input the encrypted output data into the attendance verification device, along with details of the attendance device in question to enable the system to use a look up table or the like to identify the appropriate device identifier, and obtain decrypted date and/or time data to check that it corresponds to the time and/or date upon which the worker should have attended the particular location.
The functionality of the attendance verification device may be provided by a computer readable attendance verification program comprising code means adapted to receive encrypted data generated by an attendance device 10 and decrypt the encrypted data using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device to provide time data and/or date data.
Figure 6 shows a flow diagram depicting a method 60 according to an embodiment of the present invention of recording attendance at an attendance device.
At step 62 a control signal is generated. In some embodiments this may be in response to a user input, such as a worker pressing an input button of the attendance device.
Alternatively the control signal may be periodical and generated by a clock or the like.
At step 64 time data and/or date data is generated that corresponds to the time and/or date at which the control is generated.
At step 66 the time data and/or date data is encrypted using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device.
At step 68 the encrypted data is outputted, such that it may be recorded or communicated.
The step of outputting may comprise displaying the encrypted date.
The method may include the step of recording the encrypted data in a database, as depicted at step 70.
The method may include the step of receiving the encrypted output data at an attendance verification device and decrypting the time data and date data using the device identifier and to output the decrypted data, as depicted at step 72.
It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be capable of designing many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed in parenthesis shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" can mean "including" or "consisting of' and therefore does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specification as a whole. The singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice-versa. Parts of the invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and/or by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a device claim enumerating several parts, several of these parts may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
Claims (16)
- Ctaims 1. An attendance device comprising: a clock arranged to generate time data and/or date data; a control device for generating a control signal; an output device for outputting data; a memory device having stored thereon a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; and a data processor coupled to the clock, control device, output device and memory, wherein in response to the control signal the data processor is arranged to encrypt the time data and/or date data using the device identifier and to output the encrypted data via the output device.
- 2. An attendance device according to claim 1, including a display device arranged to display a visual representation of the encrypted output data.
- 3. An attendance device according to any preceding claim, wherein the control device comprises an input device.
- 4. An attendance device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device identifier comprises a symmetric or public cryptographic key.
- 5. An attendance device according to any preceding claim, including a housing and an attachment device for attaching the housing to an object.
- 6. An attendance device according to any preceding claim, including a power source arranged to power the attendance device.
- 7. An attendance verification device comprising: an input device for receiving encrypted data generated by an attendance device according to any of claims 1 to 6; an output device for outputting data; a memory device having stored thereon a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; and a data processor coupled to the input device, output device and memory device, the data processor being arranged to decrypt the time data and date data using the device identifier and to output the decrypted time data and/or date data via the output device.
- 8. A method of recording attendance at an attendance device, the method comprising: generating a control signal; receiving time data and/or date data corresponding to the time and/or date at which the control signal is generated; encrypting the received time data and/or date data using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device; outputting the encrypted data.
- 9. A method according to claim 8, including a step of recording the encrypted data in a database.
- 10. A method according to any preceding claim, including a step of receiving the encrypted output data at an attendance verification device and decrypting the time data and date data using the device identifier.
- 11. A method according to claim 10, including a step of outputting the decrypted data.
- 12. A computer readable attendance verification program comprising code means adapted to perform the following steps when the code is mn on a computer: receive encrypted data generated by an attendance device according to any of claims 1 to 6; and decrypt the encrypted data using a device identifier that is specific to the attendance device to provide time data and/or date data.
- 13. A system including an attendance device according to any of claims 1 to 6 and an attendance verification device according to claim 8 and/or a computer readable attendance verification program according to claim 12.
- 14. An attendance device substantially as herein described with reference to the Figure 1.
- 15. An attendance verification device or a computer readable attendance verification program substantially as herein described with reference to the Figure 5.
- 16. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the Figure 6.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1107927.4A GB2490718A (en) | 2011-05-12 | 2011-05-12 | An attendance device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1107927.4A GB2490718A (en) | 2011-05-12 | 2011-05-12 | An attendance device |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201107927D0 GB201107927D0 (en) | 2011-06-22 |
| GB2490718A true GB2490718A (en) | 2012-11-14 |
Family
ID=44243993
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1107927.4A Withdrawn GB2490718A (en) | 2011-05-12 | 2011-05-12 | An attendance device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2490718A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2503454A (en) * | 2012-06-26 | 2014-01-01 | Acclaimed Security Ltd | A patrol logging system |
| GB2509957A (en) * | 2013-01-18 | 2014-07-23 | Daniel George Gould | A device to be used to confirm attendance |
| CN111885510A (en) * | 2020-07-10 | 2020-11-03 | 泰康保险集团股份有限公司 | Attendance checking method, attendance checking client and attendance checking system |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2004025575A1 (en) * | 2002-09-15 | 2004-03-25 | Magnus Maurex | Method for position notification |
| WO2005048199A1 (en) * | 2003-11-05 | 2005-05-26 | Ask Uk Systems Limited | Time and location monitoring system |
| WO2005091230A1 (en) * | 2004-03-22 | 2005-09-29 | Nixu Oy | Apparatus for monitoring remote work |
-
2011
- 2011-05-12 GB GB1107927.4A patent/GB2490718A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2004025575A1 (en) * | 2002-09-15 | 2004-03-25 | Magnus Maurex | Method for position notification |
| WO2005048199A1 (en) * | 2003-11-05 | 2005-05-26 | Ask Uk Systems Limited | Time and location monitoring system |
| WO2005091230A1 (en) * | 2004-03-22 | 2005-09-29 | Nixu Oy | Apparatus for monitoring remote work |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2503454A (en) * | 2012-06-26 | 2014-01-01 | Acclaimed Security Ltd | A patrol logging system |
| GB2509957A (en) * | 2013-01-18 | 2014-07-23 | Daniel George Gould | A device to be used to confirm attendance |
| GB2509957B (en) * | 2013-01-18 | 2016-04-06 | Daniel George Gould | An attendance device |
| CN111885510A (en) * | 2020-07-10 | 2020-11-03 | 泰康保险集团股份有限公司 | Attendance checking method, attendance checking client and attendance checking system |
| CN111885510B (en) * | 2020-07-10 | 2022-01-28 | 泰康保险集团股份有限公司 | Attendance checking method, attendance checking client and attendance checking system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201107927D0 (en) | 2011-06-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |