Recording system for job-accounting information

Claim 1

An apparatus for digitally recording job-accounting information which includes at least a clock-in and clock-out code, current clock time data, a remote station identification code and a job identification code and where such information is recorded at a central station from a plurality of remote stations, said apparatus comprising: digital data recording means for permanently recording digital electrical signals, digital clock means for providing digital electrical clock signals representing the current clock time to said digital data recording means, a plurality of remote station means for transmitting coded digital electrical data signals representing at least a clockin or clock-out code, a unique remote station identification code and a job identification code to said data-recording means, and control means operatively connected to each of said remote station means and to said digital clock means including means for selectively enabling a single one of said remote station means, upon request therefrom, to individually transmit said electrical data signals in a predetermined sequence and means for enabling said digital clock means to transmit said clock signals for recordation in a commonly associated recorded data field by said digital data-recording means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for digitally recording job-accounting information which includes at least a clock-in and clock-out code, current clock time data, a remote station identification code and a job identification code and where such information is recorded at a central station from a plurality of remote stations, said apparatus comprising: digital data recording means for permanently recording digital electrical signals, digital clock means for providing digital electrical clock signals representing the current clock time to said digital data recording means, a plurality of remote station means for transmitting coded digital electrical data signals representing at least a clockin or clock-out code, a unique remote station identification code and a job identification code to said data-recording means, and control means operatively connected to each of said remote station means and to said digital clock means including means for selectively enabling a single one of said remote station means, upon request therefrom, to individually transmit said electrical data signals in a predetermined sequence and means for enabling said digital clock means to transmit said clock signals for recordation in a commonly associated recorded data field by said digital data-recording means.

Claim 15

A system for generating and centrally recording digital employee job-time accounting data wherein the required employee actuation thereof from respectively associated remote terminals is relatively simple and straightforward, said system comprising: a plurality of remote terminals, each remote terminal including a manually operated keyboard for manual entry of digital job identification data, and a check-in key and a checkout key for manual actuation to generate check-in and checkout data representing the desire of an employee to begin and to terminate job related activities respectively, a plurality of coding circuits, each being respectivelY associated with one of said remote terminals for automatically generating predetermined employee identification data when energized, a plurality of select/access circuits, each being respectively associated with one of said remote terminals, a centrally located recording sequence control circuit connected to each of said select/access circuits for generating sequential control signals corresponding to a desired order of data recording, a centrally located digital clock connected to said control circuit for generating digital clock data representing the current clock time in response to predetermined control signals from said control circuit, and digital data recorder means effectively connected to said digital clock and to each of said remote terminals and coding circuits for recording said check-in data, said checkout data, said employee identification data, said job identification data and said digital clock data, said control circuit including a cyclically operated sequencer having a predetermined rest output representing an inactive ready condition and a series of predetermined sequential control output which begin to occur when the control circuit is activated by depression of either a check-in or a checkout key associated with one of said remote terminals, each of said control outputs representing a time period during which predetermined elements of said data are to be recorded, said control circuit including delay means for causing at least one of said control outputs to be delayed for a predetermined time period during which said manually entered job identification data is to be recorded, each of said select/access circuits including logic gating circuitry connected to receive said rest output and said control outputs from said control circuit and to operate therewith for activating its associated remote terminal only if said rest output exists when one of the check-in and checkout keys is actuated thereby effectively preventing access to said recorder means by more than one remote terminal at a time.

Claim 16

A system for generating and centrally recording digital employee job-time accounting data wherein the required employee actuation thereof from respectively associated remote terminals is relatively simple and straightforward, said system comprising: a plurality of remote terminals, each remote terminal including a manually operated keyboard for manual entry of digital job identification data, and a check-in key and a checkout key for manual actuation to generate check-in and checkout data representing the desire of an employee to begin and to terminate job related activities respectively, a plurality of coding circuits, each being respectivelY associated with one of said remote terminals for automatically generating predetermined employee identification data when energized, a plurality of select/access circuits, each being respectively associated with one of said remote terminals, a centrally located recording sequence control circuit connected to each of said select/access circuits for generating sequential control signals corresponding to a desired order of data recording, a centrally located digital clock connected to said control circuit for generating digital clock data representing the current clock time in response to predetermined control signals from said control circuit, and digital data recorder means effectively connected to said digital clock and to each of said remote terminals and coding circuits for recording said check-in data, said checkout data, said employee identification data, said job identification data and said digital clock data, said control circuit including a cyclically operated sequencer having a predetermined rest output representing an inactive ready condition and a series of predetermined sequential control output which begin to occur when the control circuit is activated by depression of either a check-in or a checkout key associated with one of said remote terminals, each of said control outputs representing a time period during which predetermined elements of said data are to be recorded, said control circuit including delay means for causing at least one of said control outputs to be delayed for a predetermined time period during which said manually entered job identification data is to be recorded, each of said select/access circuits including logic gating circuitry connected to receive said rest output and said control outputs from said control circuit and to operate therewith for activating its associated remote terminal only if said rest output exists when one of the check-in and checkout keys is actuated thereby effectively preventing access to said recorder means by more than one remote terminal at a time.