System and method for providing automatic supervision of employees using virtual geographic zones

1. In a system comprising a network, a server connected to the network, a supervisor device connected to the network, and a user device connected to the network, the server programmed to store and execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the supervisor device, a first set of points;

defining, by the supervisor device, a zone from the first set of points;

receiving, by the supervisor device, a second set of points within the zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a sub-zone from the second set of points;

defining, by the supervisor device, a set of actions for the zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a predetermined time for the zone;

receiving, by the user device, a location of the user device;

comparing, by the server, the location of the user device to a location of the zone;

receiving, by the user device, a time for the location of the user device;

comparing, by the server, the time to the predetermined time for the zone;

executing, by the user device, the set of actions if the location of the user device engages the zone; and,

generating, by the server, a notification if the time is greater than the predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

comparing, by the user device, the location of the user device to a location of the sub-zone; and,

executing, by the user device, the set of actions if the location of the user device is within the sub-zone.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of defining a sub-zone by the supervisor device further comprises the steps of:

defining, by the supervisor device, an “exclusion” zone;

receiving, by the supervisor device, a subset of excluded actions from the set of actions; and,

associating, by the supervisor device, the subset of excluded actions with the exclusion zone.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of periodically monitoring, by the user device, the location of the user device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending, by the supervisor device, the notification to the user device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending, by the supervisor device, the notification to the supervisor device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of executing further comprising the step of receiving, by the server, a check-in notification for the user device.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the server, an end tour request for the user device;

comparing, by the server, the end tour request to the check-in notification; and,

sending, by the server, an end tour verification to the user device if the end tour request is equal to the check-in notification.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

defining, by the supervisor device, a set of zones from the first set of points;

defining, by the supervisor device, an order for the set of zones;

receiving, by the server, a set of check-in notifications;

comparing, by the server, the set of check-in notifications to the order; and,

generating, by the server, the notification if the set of check-in notifications is not equal to the order.

10. In a system comprising a network, a server connected to the network, a supervisor device connected to the network, and a user device connected to the network, the server programmed to store and execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the supervisor device, a first set of points;

defining, by the supervisor device, a zone from the first set of points;

receiving, by the supervisor device, a second set of points within the zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a sub-zone from the second set of points;

defining, by the supervisor device, a first set of actions for the zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a second set of actions for the sub-zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a first predetermined time for the zone;

defining, by the supervisor device, a second predetermined time for the sub-zone;

determining, by the user device, a location of the user device;

determining, by the user device, a time of the location of the user device;

comparing, by the server, the location of the user device to a location of the zone;

executing, by the user device, the first set of actions if the location of the user device is within the zone;

comparing, by the user device, the location of the user device to a location of the sub-zone;

executing, by the user device, the second set of actions if the location of the user device is within the sub-zone;

comparing, by the server, the time to a first predetermined time for the zone;

generating, by the server, a first notification if the time is greater than the first predetermined time;

comparing, by the server, the time to a second predetermined time for the sub-zone; and,

generating, by the server, a second notification if the time is greater than the second predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

defining, by the supervisor device, a subset of excluded actions from the first set of actions; and,

associating, by the supervisor device, the subset of excluded actions with the sub-zone.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of updating, by the supervisor device, the first set of actions.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of defining, by the supervisor device, a first set of actions for the zone further comprises the step of defining, by the supervisor device, a set of checkpoint notifications.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of receiving, by the supervisor device, a first set of points further comprises receiving, by the supervisor device, a set of location information.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of defining, by the supervisor device, a first set of actions for the zone further comprises the step of defining, by the supervisor device, a set of check-in actions.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

periodically monitoring, by the user device, the location of the user device; and,

periodically determining, by the user device, if the location of the user device is within the zone.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of defining a zone by the supervisor device further comprises the step of determining, by the supervisor device, a zone type selected from the group of an “exclusion” zone and an “inclusion” zone.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of defining a sub-zone by the supervisor device further comprises the step of determining, by the supervisor device, a sub-zone type selected from the group of an “exclusion” sub-zone and an “inclusion” sub-zone.

19. A system for interacting with a user, comprising:

a network;

a server, connected to the network,

a supervisor device connected to the network,

a user device, connected to the network,

the supervisor device programmed to carry out the steps of:

receiving a first set of points;

defining a set of zones from the first set of points;

receiving a second set of points within the zone;

defining a sub-zone from the second set of points;

receiving a set of actions related to the set of zones;

receiving a set of predetermined times for the set of zones;

the server programmed to carry out the steps of:

sending the set of zones and the set of predetermined times to the user device;

sending the set of actions to the user device;

comparing the location of the user device to locations of the set of zones;

comparing the time to the set of predetermined times;

the user device programmed to carry out the steps of:

determining a location of the user device;

executing the set of actions, if the location of the user device is engaged with the set of zones;

determining a time for the location of the user device;

generating a notification if the time is different than the set of predetermined times.

20. The system of claim 19 ,

wherein the supervisor device is programmed to carry out the steps of:

defining the set of actions; and,

defining the set of predetermined times.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the supervisor device is further programmed to carry out the steps of:

receiving a subset of excluded actions from the set of actions; and,

associating the subset of excluded actions with a zone of the set of zones.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the user device is further programmed to carry out the steps of:

monitoring the location of the user device at a predetermined frequency; and,

altering the predetermined frequency, based on a velocity of the user device.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the user device is further programmed to carry out the steps of:

determining a forward path for the user device;

identifying a subset of zones of the set of zones along the forward path; and,

displaying the subset of zones.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the supervisor device is further programmed to carry out the step of determining an “exclusion” zone.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the set of actions is a set of checkpoint notifications.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the server is further programmed to carry out the steps of:

collecting a set of present tour data for a present tour;

retrieving a set of historical tour data;

comparing the set of present tour data to the set of historical tour data; and,

executing a set of notifications if the present tour is on-time.

27. The system of claim 19 , wherein the step of generating further comprises the step of generating the notification if the time is greater than the set of predetermined times.

28. The system of claim 19 , wherein the step of generating further comprises the step of generating the notification if the time is less than the set of predetermined times.

29. A method of a user device connected to a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the user device and from a server associated with a zone, a first set of points, a second set of points, and a set of actions;

wherein a zone is defined from the first set of points by defining the first set of points as a set of vertices for the zone;

wherein a sub-zone is defined from the second set of points;

wherein a predetermined time interval is defined for the zone;

receiving, by the user device, a location of the user device;

comparing, by the user device, the location of the user device to a location of the zone;

executing, by the user device, the set of actions delivered from the server associated with the zone, if the location of the user device is within the zone;

wherein a time is received for the location of the user device;

wherein the time is compared to the predetermined time for the zone; and,

wherein a notification is generated if the time is greater than the predetermined time.

30. In a system comprising a network, a server connected to the network, a supervisor device connected to the network, and a user device connected to the network, the server programmed to store and execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the user device, a first set of points and a second set of points within a zone;

wherein the zone is defined from the first set of points;

wherein a sub-zone is defined from the second set of points;

wherein a first set of actions is defined for the zone;

wherein a second set of actions is defined for the sub-zone;

wherein a first predetermined time is defined for the zone;

wherein a second predetermined time is defined for the sub-zone;

determining, by the user device, a location of the user device;

wherein a time of the location of the user device is determined;

comparing, by the user device, the location of the user device to a location of the zone;

executing, by the user device, the first set of actions if the location of the user device is within the zone;

comparing, by the user device, the location of the user device to a location of the sub-zone;

executing, by the user device, the second set of actions if the location of the user device is within the sub-zone;

wherein the time is compared to a first predetermined time for the zone;

wherein a first notification is generated if the time is greater than the first predetermined time;

wherein the time is compared to a second predetermined time for the sub-zone; and,

wherein a second notification is generated if the time is greater than the second predetermined time.