Abstract:
A method, system and device are provided that collect and provide information related to worker productivity. The goods may be or include consumer products, commodities, equipment, food, food products, agricultural supplies and agricultural products. A label may be employed that includes a display screen, a bar code, a quick response code, an RFID chip and/or a radio frequency or photonic communications device to aid tracking of accomplished piecework and worker behavior. The worker may confirm documentation of piecework credit by both displays of piecework counts by the badge and by accessing a database server.

Description:
[0001]    This Nonprovisional patent application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/933,752 titled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING SHIPPED UNITS DURING MOVEMENT OF GOODS WITHIN SUPPLY CHAIN CHANNELS” as filed on Jul. 2, 2013. U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/933,752 is incorporating in its entirety into the present Nonprovisional patent application. The present Nonprovisional patent application claims date of priority of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/933,752. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to information technology and more particularly to systems and methods for associating and documenting human identity in relation to productivity and behavior. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. 
         [0006]    Human activity is often required in commercial and non-commercial processes applied to collect, pack, ship and deliver numerous agricultural products, consumer goods and industrial materials. In many worksites, compensation is based on piece-work principles, wherein earnings provided to individual workers are wholly or partially tied or related to a measure of productivity, such as a quantity of goods or material gathered or repositioned, personally credited to each identified worker. Yet it is not unusual that a count of fully performed work is difficult to be assessed, documented or asserted by the individual worker. When a worker lacks confidence that his or her work will be compensated as promised in a piecework arrangement, productivity of the doubtful worker may be impaired and the morale of a work team may be degraded. Such a lowering of team morale may impact the effectiveness of a venture or other group activity in a myriad of ways. Yet the prior art fails to optimally track and document individual worker output in ways that raise worker expectations of fair compensation in low trust environments. 
         [0007]    In addition, the prior art fails to optimally track and document the interaction of identified persons with foodstuffs, agricultural products, goods and materials at their origins or in the stream of commerce. This additional defect of the prior art generally reduces levels of confidence in the security of food and other potential vulnerable materials and thereby affects the ability of prior art systems and methods to increase public confidence in the quality and safety of various essential goods, such as food, medicine and fuel. 
         [0008]    There is therefore a long felt need to acquire and document information that more reliably and transparently relates human identity to productive activity, human behavior and optionally particular goods or materials. 
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Toward these objects and other objects that are made obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present disclosure, a method, system and device are provided that collect and provide information related to goods or materials, to include, but not limited to, commodities, medicine, chemicals, consumer products, industrial wares, and/or food products. 
         [0010]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. Certain aspects commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms the invention might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. 
         [0011]    In a first aspect of the method of the present invention (hereinafter, “invented method”) a system is provided that tracks and documents accomplished work as performed by individual workers. The system includes a portable device, such as a badge or a cellular telephone that receives a count of work units accomplished and renders the count by visual, auditory or other sensory means. The portable device may present a pattern that identifies the portable device and/or an individual worker, such as a bar code pattern or a quick response code pattern (hereinafter, “QR code”) that may be read by an automated reading device adapted to sense and discern the values of the pattern. The device may additionally or alternatively store a badge and/or a worker identifier in a memory circuit, such as a random access memory, a reprogrammable memory or reprogrammable register. 
         [0012]    The device may additionally or alternatively store the count in a memory circuit, such as a random access memory, a reprogrammable memory or reprogrammable register. The device may optionally include a radio frequency communications interface that receives count updates or count increment instructions from a local device and/or a remote server. 
         [0013]    In a yet additional optional aspect of the invented method, a worker may consult a badge and/or a remote server to verify the recordation of the count. The invented method may further optionally enable a worker or other participant to access the count as stored by a remote server by means of a cellular telephone or other network communications-enabled system. 
         [0014]    In a still other optional aspect of the invented method, a particular unit or piece of material or goods is associated with one or more workers in a record, whereby the handling or proximity of the one or more identified workers to the particular unit or piece unit is documented for later inspection. 
         [0015]    Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or in any combination. Again, the brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present invention without limitation to the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective illustration of an agricultural field where piecework is being tracked; 
           [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a top view of the filed of  FIG. 1B  and showing workers using invented badges; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an electronics communications network that includes the Internet and a telephony network; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a first invented badge; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a second invented badge; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a third invented badge; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6A  is a front view of a fourth invented badge; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6B  is a cut-away side view of the fourth invented badge of  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6C  is a front view of an identity card; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6D  is a front view of an invented wearable device that includes a strap assembly and is adaptable to house electronic elements of an invented badge of  FIG. 3 ,  4 , or  5 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6E  is a back view of the invented wearable device of  FIG. 6D ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a badge reader of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a basic operation of a badge of  FIGS. 3 through 6B ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9A  is a flowchart of basic aspects of the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9B  is a block diagram of an increment message as transmitted from the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7  to the database server of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9C  is a block diagram of a session record as transmitted from the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7  to the database server of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10A  is a flowchart of advanced aspects of the invented method as affected by the third badge of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 10B  is a block diagram of an exemplary activity record of the third badge reader of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10C  is a block diagram of an additional information provided by the third badge reader of  FIG. 5  to the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 11A  is a flowchart of advanced aspects of the invented method as affected by the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 11B  is a block diagram of an alternate session record as transmitted from the third badge reader of  FIG. 5  to the database server of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 11C  is a block diagram of a session message as transmitted from the third badge reader of  FIG. 5  to the badge reader of  FIGS. 2 and 7  and/or the database server of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram of the database server of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  is a block diagram of database record of the database server of  FIGS. 2 and 12 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 14A  is flowchart that enables worker verification of a recordation of accomplished and credited piecework by a worker, wherein the verification that is instantiated by the cellular telephone or the client system of  FIG. 2  via the network of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 14B  is a block diagram of an exemplary query message that may be applied to the database server of  FIGS. 2 and 12 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 15  is a software flowchart of an alternate processing by the database server of  FIGS. 2 and 12  of the exemplary query message of  FIG. 14B ; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 16  is a perspective illustration of a plurality of boxes inserted into and associated with a comprising box. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    A worker&#39;s faith in the integrity of piecework accounting can affect the worker&#39;s morale and productivity. Yet the prior art fails to optimally assure workers that their piecework is being properly counted and accurately recorded. The invented method addresses these concerns of piece workers by providing means for a worker to be immediately assured that a piece work has been counted and optionally provides a method for the worker to later access a recordation of piece work accounting. 
         [0046]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIGS. 1A and 1B ,  FIG. 1A  is a perspective illustration of a plurality of agricultural workers W.1 &amp; W.2 gathering produce 100 from plants  102  of original growth. As shown in  FIG. 1B , each worker W.1-W.N wears a lightweight badge  104 - 109  and alternatively or additionally a cellular phone  110 . Each badge  104 - 109  preferably weighs less than eight ounces. 
         [0047]    It is understood that cellular phone  110  may be adapted and configured to include any or all elements of one or more badges  104 - 109  and/or provide one or more functional aspects of one or more badges  104 - 109  as disclosed in the present disclosure. The cellular phone  110  may be a commercially available product that is a bundle of software and hardware, such as an IPHONE™ cellular phone as developed and marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, wherein the cellular phone  110  includes the hardware, e.g., a digital phone and/or an RFID signal receiver, and software, e.g., an operating system, a web browser, an email client, wireless telephony and radio frequency communications software, and/or bar code and QR code reading software. More particularly, the cellular telephone  110  may be or comprise (c.) an IPHONE™ cellular telephone as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.; (b.) an IPAD™ tablet computer as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.; (c.) an HTC TITAN II™ cellular telephone as marketed by AT&amp;T, Inc. of Dallas, Tex. and running a WINDOWS 7™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; (d.) a GALAXY NEXUS™ smart phone as marketed by Samsung Group of Seoul, Republic of Korea or and running an ANDROID™ software operating system as marketed by Google, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; (e.) a TOUGHPAD™ tablet computer as marketed by Panasonic Corporation of Kadoma, Osaka, Japan and running an ANDROID™ operating system as marketed by Google, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; or (f.) other suitable mobile electronic device, wireless communications device, computational system or electronic communications device known in the art. 
         [0048]    A supervisor  112  is equipped with a badge reader  114  and optionally a portable server  116 . It is understood that the badge reader  114  may be adapted to include any or all elements of the portable server  116  and/or provide one or more functional aspects of the portable server  116  as disclosed in the present disclosure. It is further understood that a wireless communications server  118  as shown in  FIG. 1B  may be optionally or additionally provided, wherein the wireless communications server  118  may be adapted to include any or all elements of the portable server  116  and/or provide one or more functional aspects of the portable server  116  as disclosed in the present disclosure. The portable server  116  preferably weighs less than five pounds and may comprise a cellular telephone  110 . 
         [0049]    The badge reader  114  is selected and adapted to acquire information from the badges  104 - 109  and/or cellular telephone  110  by pattern image recognition and/or wireless transmission, such as radio wave frequency or light wave energy transmission. It is preferable but not required that the badge reader  114  be capable of receiving information from the badges  104 - 109  &amp; cellular telephone  110  at any location within the field area  120 , as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
         [0050]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 1B ,  FIG. 1B  is a top view showing the plurality of workers W.1-W.4 and the supervisor  112  positioned within a field area  120 . The field area  120  may be designated by an arbitrary exemplary location identifier LOC.ID. The wireless communications server  118  and/or the portable server  116  are preferably, but not necessarily, within communications range of each badge  104 - 109  and the cellular telephone  110  while these devices  104 - 110  are present in the field area  120  at the same time as the wireless communications server  118  and/or the portable server  116 . 
         [0051]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a network diagram of an electronic communications network  2  (hereinafter, “network  2 ”) that comprises the internet  202  and a telephony network  204 . The internet  202  and the telephony network  204  are bi-directionally communicatively coupled, whereby the cellular telephone  110  may communicate with a remote database server  206  via the internet  202  and a telephony network  204 . A wireless transceiver  208  may bi-directionally communicatively coupled the cellular telephone  110  with the internet  202 , a telephony wireless transceiver  210  and/or a client system  212  may bi-directionally communicatively coupled the cellular telephone  110  with the telephony network  204 . 
         [0052]    The badge reader  114  may be bi-directionally communicatively coupled with the network  2  via the portable server  116  and/or the wireless communications server  118  and thereby bi-directionally communicate with the remote database server (hereinafter “DB server  206 ”). It is understood that while the first badge  104  might be adapted or configured to bi-directionally communicate with the badge reader  114 , the second badge  106 , the third badge  108  and/or the cellular telephone  110  might be adapted and configured to bi-directionally communicate with the badge reader  114  and/or numerous devices and servers, to include the wireless transceiver  208  and telephony wireless transceiver  210 . 
         [0053]    The cellular telephone  110  and the client system  212  may be used by a worker to access information stored at the DB server  206 . 
         [0054]    The portable server  116 , the wireless server  118 , the DB server  206 , the first wireless transceiver  208 , the second wireless transceiver  210  and/or the client system  212  may be or comprise a bundled hardware and software computer system product, such as (a.) a network-communications enabled THINKSTATION WORKSTATION™ notebook computer marketed by Lenovo, Inc. of Morrisville, N.C.; (b.) a NIVEUS 5200 computer workstation marketed by Penguin Computing of Fremont, Calif. and running a LINUX™ operating system or a UNIX™ operating system; (c.) a network-communications enabled personal computer configured for running WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7™ operating system marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; (d.) a MACBOOK PRO™ personal computer as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.; or (e.) other suitable mobile electronic device, wireless communications device, computational system or electronic communications device known in the art. 
         [0055]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the first badge  104  that includes a first protective housing  300  that comprises a case  301  coupled with a translucent first window section  302 , wherein the first window section  302  is sufficiently translucent to allow a display screen  304  of a display module  306  to be visually discernable to the workers W.1-W.4. The display screen  304  is preferably adapted to contemporaneously present at least three decimal digits and preferably eight or more decimal digits. 
         [0056]    The first protective housing  300  is sized, shaped and adapted to contain and protect the electrical and electronic components of the first badge  104  and the signal interconnections and signal pathways of the first badge  104 . More particularly, the first badge  104  further includes a first badge control logic  310 , a solid-state memory  310 , an antenna  312 , a wireless interface  314  and a battery  316 . A first power and communications bus  318  (hereinafter, “first bus  318 ”) bi-directionally communicatively couples the display module  306 , the first badge control logic  306 , the solid-state memory  310 , the antenna  312 , and the wireless interface  314 . The first bus  318  further distributes electrical power stored in the battery  316  to the display module  306 , the first badge control logic  308 , the solid-state memory  310 , the antenna  312 , and the wireless interface  314 . Additionally or alternatively, the antenna  312  may be adapted to receive electrical power by mean of radio wave transmission and provide the received electrical power to the battery  316  for subsequent distribution within the first badge  104 . The antenna  312  and/or the battery  316  may be adapted to deliver electrical power to the wireless interface  314  without passing through the first bus  318 . 
         [0057]    The first badge  104  may additionally, alternatively or optionally include an RFID module  320  that comprises the antenna  312 , the wireless interface  314  and/or the battery  316 , their interconnections and signal pathways to the first bus  318 . An exemplary first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 may be stored in the first badge control logic  308  and/or the memory  312 . The memory  312  may be adapted to not enable any modification of the exemplary first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 and the first badge control logic  308  may persistently, revocably or irrevocably store the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01. 
         [0058]    The first badge control logic  308  is adapted to direct the first badge  104  in accordance with the aspects of the invented method and to bi-directionally communicate with the badge reader  114 , to increment, decrement or reset a work unit count value COUNT, and direct the display module to display a visual representation of the work unit count value COUNT (hereinafter, “count value COUNT”) in the display screen  304 . 
         [0059]    The count value COUNT may be stored in the memory  310  or an optional or additional register  322 , wherein the memory  310  and/or the register  322  are adapted to increment, decrement or reset the count value COUNT as directed by the first badge control logic  308 . The antenna is preferably both (1.) receive and transfer electrical power received from the badge reader  114  to the battery  316  and/or the wireless interface  314 , and (2.) bi-directionally communicatively couple the first wireless interface  314  with the badge reader  114  and/or additional equipment  116 ,  118  &amp;  206 - 210  of the network  2 . 
         [0060]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the second badge  106 . The second badge  106  includes a second protective housing  400  that comprises a sufficiently translucent second window section  402  to allow a light emitting diode module  404  to be visually discernable to the workers W.1-W.4. The second window section  402  and a second case  403  in combination form the second housing  400  and substantially enclose and protect the electronic elements of the second badge  106 . 
         [0061]    The light emitting module diode module  404  (hereinafter, “LED  404 ”) is preferably adapted to present contemporaneously and visually at least three decimal digits and preferably eight or more decimal digits. The second protective housing  400  is sized, shaped and adapted to contain and protect the electrical and electronic components of the second badge  106  and the signal interconnections and signal pathways of the second badge  106 . 
         [0062]    A second badge memory  406  includes the count value COUNT, and optional values, to include a second badge identifier BADGE.ID.02, a server network DB.ADDR associated with the DB server  206 , a badge network address BADGE.ADDR, an exemplary worker identifier WORKER.ID and one or more temporary records TREC.01-TREC.N. The server network DB.ADDR may be used to address electronic messages to the DB server  206 , and the badge network address BADGE.ADDR may be used to identify the second badge  106  to the network  2  and to address electronic messages to the second badge  106 . The exemplary worker identifier WORKER.ID may persistently or temporarily associate a particular human identity with the second badge  106 . 
         [0063]    A second badge control logic  408  is adapted to direct the first badge to bi-directionally communicate with the badge reader  114 , to increment, decrement or reset a work unit count value COUNT, to direct the LED module  404  to display a visual representation of the count value COUNT, the second badge identifier BADGE.ID.02 and/or to instantiate or perform additional aspects of the invented method as disclosed in the present disclosure. More particularly, the second badge control logic  408  may be further adapted to modify the worker identifier WORKER.ID or other value stored in the second memory  406 . 
         [0064]    A second power and communications bus  410  (hereinafter, “second bus  410 ”) preferably bi-directionally communicatively couples the LED module  404 , the second badge control logic  408 , the RFID  320  and the second memory  406 . The second bus  410  further distributes electrical power stored in the battery  316  to the LED module  404 , the second badge control logic  408 , the solid-state second memory  406 , the antenna  312 , and the wireless interface  314 . Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the third badge  108 . The third badge  108  includes a third protective housing  500  that comprises the first window section  302  that allows the screen  304  to be visually discernable to the workers W.1-W.4. The third protective housing  500  is sized, shaped and adapted to contain and protect the electrical and electronic components of the third badge  108  and the signal interconnections and signal pathways of the third badge  108 . 
         [0065]    The third badge  108  further includes the display module  306 , the RFID module  320 , the second memory  406 , a global positioning system receiver  502  (hereinafter, “badge GPS  502 ”), a time date stamp data generator  504  (hereinafter, “badge TDS  504 ”), a third badge control logic  506  and a third power and communications bus  508  (hereinafter, “third bus  508 ”). The third badge control logic  506  is adapted to direct the first badge to bi-directionally communicate with the badge reader  114 , to increment, decrement or reset a work unit count value COUNT, to direct the LED module  404  to display a visual representation of the count value COUNT, the second badge identifier BADGE.ID.02, to generate temporary records TREC.01-TREC.N that may include geolocational data BGPS.01-BGPS.N generated by the badge GPS  502  and/or time-date data BTDS.01-BTDS.N optionally in association with count values COUNT and/or the worker identifier WORKER.ID, and/or to instantiate or perform additional aspects of the invented method as disclosed in the present disclosure. 
         [0066]    The third bus  508  preferably bi-directionally communicatively couples the GPS  502 , the TDS  504 , the display module  306 , the third badge control logic  506 , the RFID  320  and the second memory  406 . The third bus  508  further distributes electrical power stored in the battery  316  to the badge GPS  502 , the badge TDS  504 , the display module  306 , the third badge control logic  506 , the RFID  320  and the second memory  406 . 
         [0067]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 6A ,  FIG. 6A  is a front view of an exemplary fourth badge  109  that includes the display screen  304  and a fourth housing  600  having a first translucent window  302  and a protective case  602 . Preferably each housing  300 ,  400 ,  500  &amp;  600  substantially encompasses and protects an electronics module  604 . 
         [0068]    The electronics module  604  that comprises the display screen  304  is attached to or integrated with or within a substrate  606 . The electronics module  604  may comprise some or all of the elements  306 - 320  of the first badge  104 , elements  402 - 408  of the second badge  106 , and/or elements  502 - 506  of the third badge  108 . The substrate  606  is attached to the fourth housing  600  by an adhesive  608 , as presented in  FIG. 6B . 
         [0069]    The fourth housing  600  presents an exemplary badge serial number BADGE.ID encoded into a badge alphanumeric serial number  610 , a badge bar code pattern  612  and a badge QR code pattern  614  that are each preferably visible to the healthy human eye and detectable by a digital camera  615  of the badge reader  114 . The badge serial number  610 , the badge bar code  612  and the badge QR code  614  are also preferably detectable and readable by a digital camera of the cellular telephone  110 , wherein the cellular telephone may preferably comprises a software application that interprets and decodes bar codes and/or QR codes. For example, the cellular telephone  110  may be or comprise a bundled software and hardware smartphone, such as an iPhone 4S™ touch screen-based smartphone developed and marketed by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. and further comprising bar code and/or QR code pattern recognition software and a web browser software. 
         [0070]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 6B ,  FIG. 6B  is a cutaway side view of the fourth badge  109  and showing the electronics module  604  attached to the substrate  606  by the adhesive  608 . A spring-loaded clip  616  is attached to the fourth housing  600  by fasteners  618  and/or additional adhesive (not shown). 
         [0071]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 6C ,  FIG. 6C  is a front view of an exemplary identity badge  620  badge that includes an exemplary worker identifier WORKER.ID that is encoded into a worker ID bar code pattern  622 , a worker ID QR code pattern  624 , an alphanumeric worker serial number imprint  626 , and/or stored in a worker identity RFID device  628 , wherein each visible pattern  622 ,  624  &amp;  626  is preferably visible to the healthy human eye and detectable by the digital camera  702  of the badge reader  114  and the cellular telephone  110 . An identity card case  630  the optional worker identity RFID device  628  and an optional worker facial photograph  632 . 
         [0072]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIGS. 6D and 6E , of a fifth alternate version  634  of the invented device (hereinafter, “strapped device  634 ”), that comprises a strap assembly  636  mounted to a fifth housing  638  by fasteners  640  of the strap assembly  636 . The fifth housing  638  includes a strapped translucent window  642  and a protective case  644 . The electronics module  604  comprises the display screen  304  and is attached to or integrated with or within the substrate  606  (not shown). The display screen  304  and the strapped translucent window  642  are positioned so that the display screen  304  is externally visible to the healthy human eye when the electronics module  604  is positioned within the fifth housing  638 . The substrate  606  is attached to the fifth housing  638  by the adhesive  608  (not shown). The fifth housing  638  optionally presents an exemplary badge serial number BADGE.ID stored within the electronics module  604  and/or encoded into the badge alphanumeric serial number  610 , the badge bar code pattern  612  and/or the badge QR code pattern  614  that are each preferably visible to the healthy human eye and detectable by a digital camera  615  of the badge reader  114 . The badge serial number  610 , the badge bar code  612  and the badge QR code  614  are also preferably detectable and readable by a digital camera of the cellular telephone  110 . 
         [0073]    The strap assembly  636  includes the fasteners  640  and two separate straps  636 A &amp;  636 B. The first strap  636 A includes a first hook and fastener  642 A strip that detachably couples with a second hook and loop fastener strip  642 B of the second strap  636 B. The hook and loop fastener strips  642 A &amp;  642 B are selected and positioned to enable detachable coupling of the straps  636 A &amp;  636 B. The housing includes receivers (not shown) that accept the fasteners  640  to enable separate coupling of each strap  636 A &amp;  626 B. The straps  636 A &amp;  636 B may be sized and shaped to enable detachable coupling of the straps  636 A &amp;  636 B around a human limb, e.g., a wrist or arm. 
         [0074]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a block diagram of electrical and electronic components, interconnections and signal pathways of the badge reader  114 . The badge reader  114  preferably includes a reader central processing unit  700  (hereinafter, “RDR CPU  700 ”), a digital camera module  702  housing the digital camera  615 , a reader RFID interface  704  that is adapted to transit information and electrical energy to the RFID module  320 , a bi-directional radio wave communications interface  706  (hereinafter, “RF IF  706 ”), a reader global positioning receiver  708  (hereinafter, “RDR GPS  708 ”), a reader date-time data generator  710  (hereinafter, “RDR TDS  710 ”), an electrical energy battery  712 , an electrical power input module  714  that is adapted to receive electrical energy from an external source, a reader bi-directional wireless radio frequency communications interface  716  (hereinafter, “RDR RF IF  716 ”) and a reader memory  718 . The RDR RF IF  716  bi-directionally communicatively couples the badge reader  114  with the internet  1202 , the portable server  116  and/or the first wireless server  118 . 
         [0075]    It is understood that the badge reader  114  may be or comprise a commercial available RFID reader, such as a 70 Series Ultra-Rugged Mobile Computer™ RFID reader device marketed by the Intermec Corporation of Everett, Wash.; an IP30™ handheld RFID reader marketed by the Intermec Corporation of Everett, Wash.; a MC3190-Z™ handheld RFID reader as marketed by Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Schaumberg, Il; a MC9190-Z™ handheld RFID reader as marketed by Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Schaumberg, Il; a FX7400™ fixed RFID reader as marketed by Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Schaumberg, Il; a FX9500™ fixed RFID reader as marketed by Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Schaumberg, Il; a DS9808-R™ bar code scanner and RFID reader as marketed by Motorola Solutions, Inc. of Schaumberg, Il; and/or or more suitable RFID reader, bar code readers and/or QR code readers in singularity or in combination. 
         [0076]    A reader power and communications bus  720  (hereinafter, “RDR BUS  720 ”) of the badge reader  114  preferably bi-directionally communicatively couples the RDR CPU  700 , the digital camera module  702 , the reader RFID interface  706 , the RDR GPS  708 , the RDR TDS  710 , the electrical power input module  714 , the RDR RF IF  716  and the reader memory  718 . The digital camera  702  is adapted and configured to detect bar code images and QR images. The RF IF  706  is adapted and configured to preferably bi-directionally communicate with one or more badges  104 - 109  and/or the cellular telephone  110 . 
         [0077]    The reader memory  718  stores a reader operating system OP.SYS  720 , a reader system software SW.RDR  722 , a reader identifier RDR.ID  724 , a reader network address RDR.ADDR.01  726  and one or more of a plurality of session records SREC.01-SREC.N. The reader system software SW.RDR  722  directs the reader CPU  700  to perform or instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed in the present invention. 
         [0078]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  is a software flowchart of a first preferred embodiment of certain aspects of the present invention. The discussion of  FIG. 8  will refer to an exemplary interaction of the first badge  104  with the badge reader  114 , and it is understood that one or more aspects of the method of  FIG. 8  may be applied by various embodiments of additional embodiments of the invented badges  106 - 110 . 
         [0079]    In step  8 . 00  the first badge  104  powers up, possibly in response to a receipt of a query pulse 800.QPULSE transmitted from the badge reader  114  and optionally accompanied by or comprised within an energy transference pulse sent from the badge reader  114 . In step  8 . 02  the first badge  104  preferably transmits a first badge identifier message 802.IDMSG.01 by radio frequency transmission via the antenna  312  of the first badge  114 , wherein the first badge identifier message 802.IDMSG.01 contains the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01. 
         [0080]    The first badge  114  then determines in step  8 . 04  if a value count incrementing pulse message 804.IPULSE has been received, and if no pulse message receipt is detected proceeds on to step  8 . 06  to determine whether to cease receiving value count incrementing pulse messages 804.IPULSE or to return to await another execution of step  8 . 00 . It is understood that a wait step may be imposed (a.) between step  8 . 04  and step  8 . 06  and/or (b.) between step  8 . 06  and step  8 . 00 . 
         [0081]    When the first badge  104  detects an incrementing count value pulse 804.IPULSE in step  8 . 04 , the first badge  104  increments the count value COUNT stored in the first memory  310  and/or the register  322  in step  8 . 08 . It is understood that the detected incremental pulses (a.) received through the antenna  312  and/or the RFID module  320 , (b.) preferably emitted by the badge reader; and (c.) may be accompanied by or incorporated within an energy transference pulse sent from the badge reader  114 . 
         [0082]    The first badge  104  proceeds from step  8 . 08  to step  8 . 10  and visually renders the count value COUNT in the display screen  304  and optionally transmits an exemplary first badge increment report 802.IMSG message to the badge reader  114  and/or the network  2  via the antenna  312 . The first badge increment report message 802.IMSG includes at least the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 and the current count value COUNT. 
         [0083]    The badge  104  proceeds from step  8 . 12  to step  8 . 06  and to determine whether to proceed to step  8 . 00  to optional step  8 . 16  and therein to reset the count value COUNT to the null value. 
         [0084]    It is understood that the determination by the first badge  104  of step  8 . 06  may be directed by receipt by the first badge  114  of an exemplary badge end session message 806.EMSG transmitted from the badge reader  114 , whereby the badge reader  114  directs the first badge  114  to proceed from step  8 . 06  to step  8 . 16  or step  8 . 18 . It is further understood that the first badge control logic  308  is adapted, programmed and/or configured to enable the operations of the first badge  114  as disclosed in the present disclosure. 
         [0085]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 9A ,  FIG. 9A  is a software flowchart of a first preferred embodiment of certain aspects of the present invention as performed by the badge reader  114 . It is further understood that the reader RDR CPU  700  and/or the reader system software SW.RDR  722  are adapted, programmed and/or configured individually or in combination to enable the operations of the badge reader  114  as disclosed in the present disclosure. 
         [0086]    The badge reader  114  is powered on in step  9 . 00  and attempts to determine if a pattern comprising a badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.N is detected. The example of a detecting of the exemplary first badge identifier will be discussed regarding the process of steps  9 . 02  through  9 . 14 , but it is understood that the process of  FIG. 9  is preferably applicable to the other invented badges  106 - 109  and/or the cellular telephone  110 . 
         [0087]    In certain alternate preferred embodiments of the invented method, the badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N may be detected by the badge reader  114  from (a.) a radio transmission of a badge identifier message 802.IDMSG.01-802.IDMSG.N by a badge  104 - 109  sent in response to an RFID energy pulse message 800.QPULSE issued by the badge reader  114 ; and/or (b.) in an interpretation of the serial number  610 , bar code pattern image  612  and/or QR code pattern image  614  of the fourth badge  109 . The badge reader  114  determines in step  9 . 04  whether to send an incrementing pulse 804.IPULSE to the badge  104 - 109  detected in step  9 . 02 . It is understood that the incrementing pulse message 804.IPULSE may optionally include the badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N detected in step  9 . 02 . The decision of step  9 . 04  may be driven by a human operator of the badge reader  114  or may be accomplished in accordance with the programmed or configured instructions of the reader RDR CPU  700  and/or the reader system software SW.RDR  722 . The badge reader  114  increments an internal count value ICOUNT.01-ICOUNT.N of the badge reader  114  that is associated with the badge identifier BADGE.01-BADGE.N detected in step  9 . 02  and then transmits an incrementing pulse message 804.IPULSE in step  9 . 08  to the detected badge  104 - 109  or cellular telephone  110 , wherein the first internal count value ICOUNT.01 is preferably associated with the first badge  104  identified by the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 detected in step  9 . 02 . 
         [0088]    The badge reader  114  may optionally store a plurality of internal count values ICOUNT.01-ICOUNT.N that are each uniquely associated with a particular badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.N. 
         [0089]    The badge reader  114  may further optionally and additionally transmits an incrementing record message 900.IREC.01-900.IREC.N to the DB server  26  in step  9 . 08 . The incrementing record message 900.IREC.01-900.IREC.N preferably includes the badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N detected in step  9 . 02  and an associated internal count value ICOUNT.01-ICOUNT.N. 
         [0090]    The badge reader  114  determines in step  9 . 12  whether to return another execution of step  9 . 02  or to proceed on to step  9 . 14  and to issue and transmit (a.) one or more end session messages 806.EMSG to badges  104 - 110  and/or (b.) one or more end session records 902.SREC.01-902.SREC.N to the DB system  206 . The badge reader  114  proceeds from step  9 . 14  to step  9 . 16  and to perform alternate computational processes. 
         [0091]    Referring now to  FIG. 9B , an exemplary first incrementing pulse message 900.IREC.01 includes at least the DB server network address DB.ADDR as a destination address, a sender network address of the reader network address RDR.ADDR and/or a network address of the portable server  116  (not shown) or the first wireless sever  118  (not shown), the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01, and the first internal count value ICOUNT that is associated with the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 by the badge reader  114 . 
         [0092]    Referring now to  FIG. 9C , a first exemplary session message SMSG.01 comprises an exemplary first session record 902.SREC.01. The first session message SMSG.01 is preferably generated by the badge reader  114 , the portable system  116  server  116  and/or the first wireless server  118 . The first session report SREP.01 further includes at least the DB server network address DB.ADDR as a destination address, a sender network address of the reader network address RDR.ADDR and/or a network address of the portable server  116  (not shown) or the first wireless sever  118  (not shown), the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01, and the exemplary first session record 902.SREC.01 that is associated with the first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01 by the badge reader  114 . 
         [0093]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 10A ,  FIG. 10A  is a flowchart of advanced optional operations of the second badge  106 , the third badge  108  and/or the cellular telephone  110 . The following discussion of the aspects of the process of  FIG. 10A  will follow an illustrative example of the third badge  108  interacting with the badge reader  114  and optionally the network  2  and is not meant to be indicate any limitations of the applications or instantiations of optional capabilities or aspects of the other badges  104 - 109  and cellular telephone  110 . In step  10 . 02  the third badge  108  initializes both (a.) the count value COUNT of the third badge  108  to a null value; and (b.) the activity record ACT.REC to null values. The third badge  108  optionally receives and records a worker identifier WORKER.ID in step  10 . 04 , wherein the worker identifier WORKER.ID uniquely identifies a particular worker W.1-W.4. The worker identifier WORKER.ID may be input to the second memory  406  via the RFID  320  and/or the antenna  312 . 
         [0094]    The third badge  108  determines in step  10 . 06  whether a query pulse 804.QPULSE has been received from the badge reader  108 , and if so transmits the second badge identifier BADGE.ID.02 to the badge reader  114  in step  10 . 08 . The third badge  108  determines in step  10 . 10  whether an increment pulse 804.IPULSE has been received from the badge reader  108 , and if so increments the count value COUNT stored in the third badge  108  and visually renders and in step  10 . 14  displays the newly incremented count value COUNT in the display screen  304 , or optionally the LED  404  in the case of the second badge  106 . 
         [0095]    The third badge  108  proceeds from step  10 . 14  to step  10 . 16  and to transmit the activity record ACT.REC to the badge reader  114 , wherein the activity reader ACT.REC may present a plurality of badge GPS values BGPS.01-BGPS.N and badge time date values BTDS.01-BTDS.N. The determination of the third badge  108  to proceed from step  10 . 20  to step  10 . 22  may be affected by receipt by the third badge  108  of an exemplary badge end session message 806.EMSG transmitted from the badge reader  114 . 
         [0096]    The third badge  108  resets the activity record ACT.REC to null values in step  10 . 18  and then determines in step  10 . 20  whether to return to step  10 . 06  or to proceed to step  10 . 22 . The third badge  108  optionally reports an end of a work session to the badge reader  114  in step  10 . 22 . The badge reader  114  resets the count value COUNT of the third badge  108  to a null value and optionally the worker identifier WORKER.ID to a null value in step  10 . 24 . 
         [0097]    In an alternate pathway from step  10 . 06  to step  10 . 22 , the third badge  108  adds data in step  10 . 28  to the activity record ACT.REC an additional badge GPS data generated by the badge GPS  502  and an additional badge TDS data as contemporaneously generated by the badge TDS  504 , whereby positions and times of the third worker W.3 are periodically recorded and stored in the activity record ACT.REC. 
         [0098]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 10B ,  FIG. 10B  is a block representation of an activity record ACT.REC and the third badge record identifier BADGE.ID.03 that may be transmitted in combination from the third badge  108  to the badge reader  114  in step  10 . 16  of the process of  FIG. 10A . 
         [0099]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 10C ,  FIG. 10C  is a block representation of information that may be transmitted from the third badge BADGE.ID.03 to the badge reader  114  in step  10 . 22  of the process of  FIG. 10A . The information transmitted in step  10 . 22  may include data stored in the third badge  108 , to include the third badge identifier BADGE.ID.03, the worker identifier WORKER.ID, the current count value COUNT, a third badge network address B3.ADDR associated with the third badge  108  within the network  2 , and the database system network address DB.ADDR associated with the DB server  206 . 
         [0100]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly  FIG. 11A ,  FIG. 11A  is an illustration of additional and optional aspects of the invented method. When the badge reader  114  detects a badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N, either as transmitted by radio frequency transmission from a badge  104 - 109  or the cellular telephone  110  or by detection from a visual bar code pattern, QR code pattern or a serial number. In step  11 . 04  the badge reader  114  selects an existing session record SREC.01-SREC.N that relates to the badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N detected in step  11 . 02 , or initializes a new session record SREC.01-SREC.N. The badge reader then increments the internal value count ICOUNT.01-ICOUNT.N associated with the badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N detected in step  11 . 02 . The badge reader  114  transmits an increment pulse 804.IPULSE to the detected badge  114 - 109  or cellular telephone  110 , and optionally transmits the reader identifier RDR.ID. When the badge reader  114  determines in step  11 . 10  that a badge  104 - 109  or cellular telephone  110  has transmitted information, such as a badge identifier BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N, the badge reader  114  adds the received information to the session record SREC.01-SREC.N associated with a same badge  104 - 09  or cellular telephone  110 . It is understood that the data received in step  11 . 10  may include the activity record ACT.REC of the third badge  108 . The badge reader  114  may optionally add further data into the session record SREC.01-SREC.N, to include the location identifier LOC.ID, the worker identifier WORKER.ID, a GPS data generated by the RDR GPS  708 , a time data stamp generated by the RDR TDS  710 , a unit identifier UNIT.ID and/or a box identifier BOX.ID. The unit identifier UNIT.ID may be read as transmitted by radio frequency transmission from a unit badge  1100 A- 1100 N or by detection from a visual bar code pattern, QR code pattern or a serial number of a unit badge  1100 A- 1100 N. The box identifier BOX.ID may be read as transmitted by radio frequency transmission from a box badge  1102  or by detection from a visual bar code pattern, QR code pattern or a serial number of the box badge  1102 . The badge reader  114  proceeds from step  11 . 26  to either (a.) step  11 . 02 ; or (b.) step  11 . 28  and to transmit a session record SREC.01-SREC.N to the DB server  206  in step  11 . 28 . 
         [0101]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 11B , an exemplary first session record SREC.01 transmitted in step  11 . 28  to the database server network address DB.ADDR of the DB server  206 . The first session record SREC.01 includes a first session record identifier SREC.ID.01, the reader identifier RDR.ID, a worker identifier WORKER.ID, a time date datum TDS, a GPS datum GPS, one or more box identifiers BOX.ID, one or more unit identifiers UNIT.ID.01-UNIT.ID.N, the local identifier LOC.ID. And optionally a plurality of activity records ACT.REC as received from a same badge  104 - 109  or the cellular telephone  110 . 
         [0102]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 11C ,  FIG. 11C  is a block diagram of an exemplary second session message SMSG.02. The second session message SMSG.02 further includes at least the DB server network address DB.ADDR as a destination address, a sender network address of the reader network address RDR.ADDR and/or a network address of the portable server  116  (not shown) or the first wireless sever  118  (not shown) and the exemplary first session record SREC.01. 
         [0103]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 12 ,  FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of the DB server  206  and showing the DB server  206  includes a database central processing unit  1200 , a database communications interface  1202  and a database memory  1204  that are all preferably bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an internal database communications bus  1206 . A database system software DB.SYS.SW stored in the database memory  1204  enables the DB server  206  to instantiate or execute certain aspects of the invented method as disclosed herein. The database communications interface  1202  bi-directionally communicatively couples the DB server  206  with the internet  1202 . A database management system  1208  stored in the database memory  1204  maintains database records DB.REC.01-DB.REC.N in which information harvested from session messages SMSG.01-SMSG.N, session records SREC 0.01-SREC.N. 
         [0104]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 13 , an exemplary first database record DB.REC.01 stored in the DB server  206 . The first database record DB.REC.01 includes a first database record identifier DB.REC.ID.01, the reader identifier RDR.ID, the worker identifier WORKER.ID, an earliest time date datum TDS.01, a earliest recorded GPS datum GPS, a latest time date datum TDS.01, a latest recorded GPS datum GPS, one or more box identifiers BOX.ID, one or more unit identifiers UNIT.ID.01-UNIT.ID.N, the local identifier LOC.ID, optionally a plurality of activity records ACT.REC as received from a same badge  104 - 109  or the cellular telephone  110 , and a password PASS. 
         [0105]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 14A ,  FIG. 14A  is a flowchart that may be instantiated by the cellular telephone  110  or the client system  212  in querying the DB server  206 , whereby a worker W.1-W.4 may confirm a recordation of piece work tabulation, such as value counts COUNT recorded on various days at various work sites. In step  14 . 02  a query system, i.e., the cellular telephone  110  or the client system  212 , determines if a worker W.1-W.4 has directed the query system  110  &amp;  212  to generate a query message that will be applied in a database search query by the DB server  206 . When the query system  110  &amp;  212  determines in step  14 . 02  that a worker W.1-W.4 has not directed the query system  110  &amp;  212  to generate a message that will query the DB server  206 , the query system  110  &amp;  212  proceeds to step  14 . 04  and then determines whether to proceed of step  14 . 06  and perform alternate computational operations or to return to an additional execution of step  14 . 02 . 
         [0106]    When the query system  110  &amp;  212  determines that a worker W.1-W.4 has directed the query system  110  &amp;  212  to generate a message that will query the DB server  206 , the query system  110  &amp;  212  initializes and formats an exemplary work query W.QUERY in step  14 . 08 , adds a worker identifier WORKER.ID to the work query W.QUERY in step  14 . 10 , optionally adds search parameters a password PASS to the work query W.QUERY in step  14 . 12 . The search parameters might include date-time ranges, the location identifier LOC.ID, one or more badge identifiers BADGE.ID.01-BADGE.ID.N, one or more box identifiers BOX.ID, one or more unit identifiers UNIT.ID.01-UNIT.ID.N. 
         [0107]    The query system  110  &amp;  212  transmits the exemplary work query W.QUERY to the DB server  206  in step  14 . 14  and determines in step  14 . 16  if an exemplary search results message Q.MSG has been received. When no response search results message Q.MSG is detected in step  14 . 16 , the query system  110  &amp;  212  proceeds from to step  14 . 18  and prepares a report of the lack of receipt of a response search results message Q.MSG which is the rendered in step  14 . 20 . In the alternative, when receipt of a response search results message Q.MSG is detected in step  14 . 16 , the query system  110  &amp;  212  proceeds directly to step  14 . 20  and renders the received response search results message Q.MSG. The query system  110  &amp;  212  proceeds from step  14 . 20  to step  14 . 04   
         [0108]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 14B ,  FIG. 14B  is a block diagram of an exemplary first work query message W.QUERY.01 that is representative of the plurality of work query messages W.QUERY &amp; W.QUERY.01-W.QUERY.N received by the DB server  206 . The first work query message W.QUERY.01 includes the DB server network address DB.ADDR as a destination address, a telephone network address TEL.ADDR or a client network address CLIENT.ADDR of the client system  212  as a sender address. The exemplary first work query message W.QUERY.01 may include one of a number of database search parameters or filters, such as (a.) a worker identifier WORKER.ID, (b.) the password PASS, (c.) the exemplary first badge identifier BADGE.ID.01, (d.) the location identifier LOC.ID, (e.) the reader identifier RDR.ID, (f.) a time-date range, (g.) one or more box identifiers BOX.ID, (h.) one or more unit identifiers UNIT.ID; (i) one or more GPS data GPS.Q. 
         [0109]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 15 ,  FIG. 15  is a flowchart of a process of the DB server  206  in responding to a work query W.QUERY &amp; W.QUERY.01-W.QUERY.N. The DB server  206  searches the DBMS  1208  and applies the filter parameters of a work query message W.QUERY. When a query message receipt is detected in step  15 . 02 , the DB server  206  determines in step  15 . 04  if the received work query message W.QUERY includes the password PASS. When the DB server  206  detects the presence of the correct password PASS in the received work query message W.QUERY, the DB server  206  extracts the search filter parameters from the received work query message W.QUERY and performs a search of the database records in step  15 . 08 . The results of the database search are then performed in communicated to the sending address of the received work query message W.QUERY in step  15 . 10 . 
         [0110]    The DB server  206  determines in step  15 . 12  whether to return to step  15 . 02  and to proceed on to step  15 . 14  and cease accepting database query messages. 
         [0111]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 16  is a perspective illustration of a plurality of units  1600 - 1606  that are associated with and shipped within a box  1608 . A first unit  1600  has a first unit badge  1600 B and each unit  1600 - 1606  has a dedicated unit badge  1600 B- 1606 B, and the box  1608  has an attached box badge  1608 B. The box badge  1600 B and the unit badges  1600 B- 1606 B each have unique identifiers BOX.ID &amp; UNIT.ID.01-UNIT.ID.04 that may be stored in separate RFID modules  320  of each respective box badge  1608 B and unit badges  1600 B- 1606 B, and or presented in visible serial numbers, bar code patterns, and/or QR code patterns of their respective and dedicated badges  1600 B- 1608 B. 
         [0112]    While the present invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the techniques set forth in the present disclosure are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following appended claims.