Means and methods of tabulating time and task performances

Claim 1

A system for recording in real-time units-of-work, said units-of-work representing the increment of time an employee spends at a job related function and a job related device or overhead activity, said time being associated with a unique operator identification and department-identification, and making a permanent record thereof, comprising: a portable data collection card, said card including keyboard means having a plurality of field key means and numerical key means; said field key means including a "START" key means to indicate the start of the unit-of-work collection process, "OHD" key means to indicate non-specific work, and "END" key means to indicate the end of the unit-of-work collection process, a first and second toggle key means to activate respective first and second keyboard mappings; control means, activatable by said "START", "OHD" and "END" key means, to start the collection of units-of-work, to suspend the collection of units-of-work, and to end the collection of units-of-work, respectively; memory means for storing said collected units-of-work; display means for displaying time data and instructional prompts; a first power source for transmitting data to a collection station; a second power source for energizing said control means; a bi-directional optical interface for downloading real-time units-of-work to said collection station; said collection station having keyboard means having a plurality of collector field key means and numerical key means; collection station control means for controlling the operation of the collection station; said collector field key means including a "STATUS" key means for actuating the collection station control means to determine the identity and magnitude of information currently residing in said collection station; memory means for storing data; display means for displaying data; a power source for energizing the collection station control means; bi-directional optical interface means for receiving data from the portable data collection card; and means for communicating said receiving data from said collection station interface to a main computer.

Claim 2

A system for recording in real-time units-of-work, said units-of-work representing the increment of time an employee spends at a job related function and a job related device or overhead activity, said time being associated with a unique operator identification and department-identification, and making a permanent record thereof, comprising: a portable data collection card, said card including keyboard means having a plurality of field key means and numerical key means; said field key means including a "START" key means to indicate the start of the unit-of-work collection process, "OHD" key means to indicate non-specific work, and "END" key means to indicate the end of the unit-of-work collection process, a first and second toggle key means to activate respective first and second keyboard mappings; control means, activatable by said "START", "OHD" and "END" key means, to start the collection of units-of-work, to suspend the collection of units-of-work, and to end the collection of units-of-work, respectively; memory means for storing said collected units-of-work; display means for displaying time data and instructional prompts; a first power source for transmitting data to a collection station; a second power source for energizing said control means; a bi-directional optical interface for downloading real-time units-of-work to said collection station; said collection station having keyboard means having a plurality of collector field key means and numerical key means; collection station control means for controlling the operation of the collection station; said collector field key means including a "STATUS" key means for actuating the collection station control means to determine the identity and magnitude of information currently residing in said collection station; memory means for storing data; display means for displaying data; a power source for energizing the collection station control means; bi-directional optical interface means for receiving data from the portable data collection card; and means for communicating said receiving data from said collection station interface to a main computer.