Abstract:
The method and system is for determining a position and time with a dynamic code ( 22 ). The method provides a time device ( 12 ) that shows a time ( 19 ) and a date ( 17 ). The time device ( 12 ) has a unique identification number ( 24 ). The dynamic real time code ( 22 ) is generated by combining the time ( 19 ) and the date ( 17 ) shown by the time device ( 12 ) and the identification number ( 24 ). The code ( 22 ) is packed and sent to a receiver ( 30 ). The receiver unpacks the code and determines the sending time ( 19 ) and date ( 17 ) and the identification of the time unit ( 12 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     It is quite common for service providers, such as cleaning service or any other suitable service, to carry out a job or task without the person requesting the service being able to be at the location to check and make sure the service providers did not leave too early. The difference between the starting time and the completion time of a service is sometimes a good indicator that the service was properly carried out. However, there is currently no system available to reliably control service providers that carry out services in a remote location without actually going to the location to see the person or to review reports prepared by the service provider. Most currently available systems use static codes that do not change with time so that it is difficult to control when the service provider actually obtained the code reported to the person requesting the service. There is a need for a reliable and effective system that requires the service provider to be at the particular location when the reporting code is obtained.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The method and system of the present invention provide a solution to the above-outlined problems. More particularly, the present invention is for determining a position and time with a dynamic code that changes with time and location. The method provides a time device that shows a time and a date. The time device has a unique identification number. The dynamic real time code is generated by combining the time and the date shown by the time device and the identification number. This code is packed and sent to a receiver. The receiver unpacks the code and determines the sending time and the identification of the time unit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the components of the system of the present invention; and  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the components of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0005]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the system  10  has a clock unit  12  that shows the current real time in a display  14  including a date unit  16  and a time unit  18 . The unit  12  also has a code display  20  that shows a code  22  that is based on the real date and time shown in the units  16 ,  18 , respectively, and a unique identification number  24  of the clock unit  12 . The number  24  may be the manufacturing number or any other number that is unique to the clock unit  12 . The system  10  may be used to identify the position and time of a user  26  to, for example, prove that the individual was at the location of the unit  12  at the time  17  and date  19  displayed by the units  16 ,  18 .  
         [0006]     The user  26  may view the code  22 , shown in the code display  20 , and send a message  26  that includes the code  22 , such as an SMS message via a mobile telephone  28 , to a receiving unit  30  such as a computer, that is hooked up to the telephone system to receive the message  26 . It should be understood that the mobile telephone  28  is used as an illustrative example and any suitable communicator device such as PDA or other portable and non-portable computers could be used and that the invention is not limited to mobile telephones. The message  26  includes the code  22  and an identification of the mobile telephone  28 . Preferably, the unit  12  includes a code generation unit  32  that processes the information from the units  16 ,  18  and the number  24  prior to displaying the code  22 . The device  32  may use a suitable algorithm to generate the code  22 . Because the code  22  is both based on the real time and the unique static number  24 , the code  22  is dynamic and changes with time so that the code  22  is different at each instance. This also means that the user  26  must be at the unit  12  to obtain the code  22  in order to show or prove that the user  26 , or somebody else, was at the location of the particular unit  12  at the particular time shown in the units  16 ,  18 . It may also be possible to determine the position of the mobile telephone  28 , at the time of the sending of the message  26  since the approximate location of mobile telephones are known to the telephone operators of the mobile telephone network.  
         [0007]     The receiving unit  30  receives the encoded signal  26  and decodes the message in a decoding unit  34 . The unit  34  decodes the message  26  to a decoded message  36 . The message  36  includes information about the generation time of the code  22  and the identification number  24  of the clock unit  12 . The message  36  also includes information about the user  26  since the telephone number of the telephone  28  may be included in the message  26 . In this way, the unit  30  knows when, for example, a painting job was completed, and the location and sender of the message  26 . It is also possible for the user  25  to enter the code  22  on a website or hand-deliver the code  22 .  
         [0008]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , it may also be possible to place or display codes  36 , such as bar codes, at different locations, such as public bathrooms. The codes  36  are unique so that each location has a different code. In this way, the user  54  may enter the static identification number  36  of the particular location into the mobile telephone  38 . The telephone  38  has an internal clock that shows the date  40  and the time  42 . The telephone  38  has an encoding unit  44 , which could be software or hardware based, that generates the dynamic code  46  based on the date  40 , the time  42  and the number  36 . The dynamic code  46  may be included in the message  48  that is sent to a receiving unit  50  that has a decoding unit  52 , as explained above. The receiving unit  50  may then decode the message  48  to determine the time, location and identification of the sender  54  that sent the message  48  since the telephone number to the telephone  38  is included in the message  48 . When the user  54  moves to a second public bathroom that has a different identification number  36 , the user may report in the same way when the second location is visited also. In the alternative, the number  36  is a bar code that may be read by a bar code reader device  39  that has an internal clock  41  that can be used to generate the code  43 . The information in the device  39  may then be downloaded and encoded.  
         [0009]     In an alternative embodiment of the system  10 , the communication device  28  may be associated with a radio-frequency identification device that provides the position identification and the device  28  may do the coding. The position identification and the code may then be transferred by Bluetooth, or any other communication mode, such as sound. The device  28  may also be associated with a GPS device so that the position identification is provided by the GPS device and the code generation may be carried out in the GPS device also. The device  28  may also have activity feature, such as cleaning, medicine etc. that may be automatically activated by  20  activating the feature so that the extra information may be included in the signal  48  that is sent to the receiver  50 . It is also possible to manually add the activity feature after the generation code.  
         [0010]     While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.