Background to the Invention One of the most common systems for monitoring the time at which a security guard visits a number of locations on a given site, involves the use of a swipe card usually carried by the guard from one site to the next and is configured to record the time and location of each swiping action so that the guard may download the historical information stored on the card after completing llis/her rounds. The information may then be stored for insurance purposes and for example internal and/or external control purposes.

A number of currently available systems permit the location in real time of mobile tags.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are now widely used to monitor the position of vehicles in real time in order to guide vehicles from one location to the next. There also exist portable global positioning tags which a user may transport and allows him/her to locate

his/her position in real time. However, global positioning systems do not currently permit the identification of positions within buildings.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a system which allows the monitoring of the time at which a user visits a number of locations in real time.

Another objective is to introduce a system which can be applied to indoor and outdoor monitoring conditions.

Another objective is to provide a system which allows direct control over the quality of the visits carried out by the user.

Another objective is to provide a system which may achieve a better record of information which could be useful to reduce liability and therefore insurance premiums for the surveillance company.

Another objective is to provide improved communication between the user and the operator of the system.

Summary of the Invention In a first broad aspect, the invention provides a computer-controlled system for monitoring the time at which a user visits a number of locations, comprising a portable transmitter, which in use, is transported by the user, means for triggering the transmission of a value indicative of the location of the user, and processing means for receiving remotely from the user a value indicative of location, updating substantially in real time a record of the locations visited, associating with said record of locations, a value of time at which the locations are visited to generate a record of locations and times of visits and means for comparing said record with a predetermined schedule of locations and times of visits.

This combination of features is particularly advantageous because it allows an operator to assess the location and time of a user (for example a guard) in real time. It also allows the

operator to assess whether the guards are meeting predetermined schedules for their visits.

It is also particularly beneficial because it uses a portable transmitter thus reducing or doing altogether away with the necessity of swiping cards in expensive hardware devices located at a number of locations around a surveillance site.

In a second broad aspect, the invention provides a computer-controlled system for monitoring the time at which a user visits a number of locations, comprising a portable transmitter, which in use, is transported by the user, at least one fixed location indicator per given location storing a value indicative of location, means for triggering the transmission of a value indicative of location, and processing means for receiving a value indicative of location located remotely from the user, updating substantially in real time a record of the locations visited, and associating with said record of locations, a value of time at which the locations are visited to generate a record of locations and times of visits.

This combination of features is particularly advantageous because similarly to the first broad aspect it allows real time monitoring of the locations and times of visits. This combination of features will render any tampering with the system more difficult and achieve more useful information gathering which could have the secondary effects of reducing insurance premiums for a system operator.

Advantageously, means may be provided to trigger a response if the real time record does not follow the prescribed limits of the schedule of locations and times of visits.

This would allow for example the operator to directly contact the guard in those circumstances to demand an explanation as to why the prescribed limits of the schedule have been contravened. The implementation of these means would generally have the effect of improving the accuracy with which a user would visit particular locations.

Advantageously, the means for triggering the transmission of a value indicative of the location of the user may be a portable wireless barcode scanner when used to scan over a barcode indicative of a particular location. This configuration would achieve an enhanced level of security and by using well lcnown barcode technology in combination with an

advanced portable wireless barcode scanner would lend itself to relatively straightforward integration to conventional systems.

Advantageously, the barcode indicative of a particular location may be covered by a sheet of material which allows the communication with the barcode scanner but does not allow the naked human eye to view the barcode. Generally, barcodes are allowed to be freely viewed for example as on common packaging in Supermarkets. This aspect marks a radical departure from this conventional thinking by providing means to cover the barcode. This would further improve the level of security of the system while simultaneously rendering the barcode inconspicuous.

Advantageously, the process means may operate in conjunction with a screen which displays a map of the locations and a number of visual objects are provided to appear on the map to communicate in real time the status of each location to an operator, tins particular configuration would allow an operator to monitor on screen in the form operators are accustomed to monitor sites.

Advantageously, the location indicator may employ a screen displaying a single number which changes through time and contains in encrypted form both a value of location and time, the number being transmittable through the keypad of the portable transmitter to the processing means. This configuration would be particularly straightforward to use and maybe for example implemented by a simple mobile phone to send a text message incorporating the single number. It is also particularly useful in terms of encryption and therefore raises the level of security of this kind of system.

Advantageously, the processing means includes a database of pictures which can be downloaded to the portable transmitter and means may be provided for the user to trigger the download of particular pictures by inputting an encrypted identifier.

This would allow the user to view a number of pictures when appropriate such as the picture of a particular individual or a map for assisting the user in his/her transit from one location to the next.

Advantageously, the processing means may be adapted to automatically send the user information after each location is visited. This may allow the operator to assist the user in his/her movement from one location to the next.

Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 shows an overview block diagram of a computer-controlled system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic of a screen in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 shows a schematic of a third embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Figures Figure 1 shows the interaction between a portable transmitter and a processing means.

The portable transmitter envisaged may be a standard mobile phone for transmitting a value indicative of the location of the user by any known technology as selected by the person skilled in the art.

The portable transmitter may be transported by a user such as a security guard from one location to the next. When arriving at a location, the guard may key in a location specific number and trigger the transmission of a value indicative of the location by pressing the mobile phone send button. An alternative portable transmitter may be constituted from a combination of a mobile phone with a barcode reader such as that supplied by Airclip (a trade mark). This combination of mobile phone and barcode scanner would be used when identification barcodes are used at each location. By scanning each barcode, the barcode would be transferred as a value indicative of the location of the user and sent to the operator's server which would be adapted to log the time at which the value indicative of location was received. In this manner the processing means would create a time and location record. Such a record may take a number of forms such as either a spreadsheet or any other forms as appropriately selected by the person skilled in the art.

It is also envisaged that the bar codes may be covered by a sheet of material selected by the person skilled in the art to allow communication with a bar code scanner but not to allow the naked human eye to view the bar code.

The processing means in question may be adapted to store a schedule record for the visits of a guard at different locations on a surveillance site. The processing means may be adapted to incorporate a comparator for comparing the schedule record versus the time and location record in order to issue an appropriate control response. The schedule may have a target time for each location with a window of time for visiting the location. This window of time may be selected as say 20 minutes in a common security surveillance application. Naturally, the window of time may be selected as appropriate by the operator of the system. It is therefore envisaged that means are provided for the operator to modify the window of time for particular applications.

If the window is not met, but met say 5 minutes after the window has closed, the processing means may simply mark the visit as late. This would allow the operator to closely monitor the quality of the visits by individual guards.

The system may also be adapted to allow the records to be modified under security conditions for occasional occurrences of for example either the phone not working or disruptions on the network between the portable transmitter and the processing means.

Part of the processing means would preferably be under me sole control of the operator which could allow monitoring of the time versus visits even when a connection in the network would not be possible.

An example of a particularly practical display form is shown in Figure 2. The operator may have access to a display of the kind shown in Figure 2 where two buildings 1 and 2 can be seen in plan view. A number of flags, such as that referenced 3, are provided at key locations. Two different types of flags have been used, one for each building defining the route for two separate guards. This visual display may be adapted for real time updating. The flags may for example be of a neutral colour such as yellow and turn

sequentially green when the guard in question visits the particular location or turns red if the guard fails to meet the time window set out in the schedule of the processing means.

Figure 3 shows an example of a fixed location indicator 4. This particular indicator comprises a liquid crystal display for displaying a security number which may be set to change through time whilst still containing in encrypted form both a value of time and location. The indicator needn't be connected to the grid and may simply be powered by a simple replaceable battery located in the location indicator housing.

The security number may simply be sent using a mobile phone 6 to the processing means for storing.

The portable transmitter may also be used to scan in the barcode or other identification number from an identification badge. The processing means would then be adapted to identify the type of identification number that may for example automatically send to the portable transmitter an image in response to the identification number from an individual stopped by the guard during his/her route. This would allow the guard to control individual's identification in real time. In these situations, the processing means may also send other types of information such as security questions for the guard to use with a particular individual which he/she wishes to control.

The processing means may also send automatically information to the guard with regard to for example how to go from one location to the next. This may talce the form of for example either a map or a sequence of instructions sent during transit.