A privacy-oriented, personally-controlled biometric timekeeping apparatus, method, and
system are disclosed. A conventional biometric time
clock enrolls users at a centralized device. In my invention,
biometric data never leaves the user's personal device that is carried by each employee. Upon hiring, workers are assigned hand-held, portable, mobile biometric devices to carry on their person. In daily use, the user performs biometric self-
authentication, after which the personally-carried handheld apparatus sends a “successful biometric
authentication”
signal to the timekeeping device which is usually a centrally-located timekeeping
system. The device is mobile, so workers can biometrically “punch-in” or “punch-out” via personal
laptop to the timekeeping
system; individually access timekeeping systems installed at worksites; or communicate from vehicles to the timekeeping system.Improved privacy is facilitated, despite the use of
biometrics. “Buddy-
punching” (timekeeping fraud, when workers punch-in absent “buddies”) is eliminated with biometric
authentication—even though the biometric never leaves the handheld device.