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SMART DISPATCHER: AN ANDROID DOCUMENT TRACKING SYSTEM

Conference Paper · July 2019

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 SMART DISPATCHER: AN ANDROID DOCUMENT
TRACKING SYSTEM

H. C. Iyama1, C. E. Madubuike2, M. C.Okoronkwo3 and A. C. Onuora4

1
Computer Engineering Department,Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
2,4
Computer Science Department, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, Afikpo
3
Computer Science Department, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike1
2
cemadubuike@[Link], 3okmaduchris@[Link], 4holyaustin@[Link]

ABSTRACT
Documents, generally, has been identified as an important element in decision making as
well as customer service relations. Motivated by the need to secure these documents from
loss or theft while providing easy access to them, several technologies have been
proposed by previous authors to track of these documents as they move from one office
to another. Some of the proposed solutions include: barcodes, radio frequency
identification (RFID) and augmented reality. While most of these works have been either
web-based or desktop, none have been developed as a mobile application to allow users
work on both paper and electronic documents remotely. In this paper, we designed and
developed an android hybrid application for tracking of both paper and electronic
documents. Notifications on the current status of the document are forwarded in form of
both SMS and email. Our proposed system is designed using Object Oriented
Methodology; and was implemented with Java, XML, PHP and MySQL. After evaluation
with existing document management systems, our proposed system proved to allow for
users track and work on documents remotely; and capable of providing real-time updates
on the documents’ current location.

Keywords: Document tracking, electronic documents, paper documents, object oriented methodology

1. INTRODUCTION intended recipient. While in transit, there could

Document Tracking System (DTS) (also called be security challenges arising from theft,
File Tracking System (FTS) or File Tracking and misplacement or loss due to poor documentation.
Monitoring System (FTMS)) is a web-based These situations have often led to huge financial
application that manages all the files movement loss, man-hour-loss or even malicious disclosure
at any time from one desk/room to another one. of sensitive information. Against this backdrop,
It may include generation of receipts and files, several techniques and technologies have been
updating its status, opening of new files, tracking deployed in recent times to track both paper and
the movement of files, dispatching letters/files, electronic documents. These include the use of
recording their track, etc. Any desk/room can dispatch registers (Banday et at, 2015); web
receive and send request and decisions at any based applications (Edem & Onwuachu, 2014);
time. The system follows a procedure of file barcode systems (Perocho, 2012); radio
unique numbering and enables file management, frequency identification (RFID) systems
file status monitoring, file movement tracking, (Rahman, 2018; Ishayk, Othman, Talib & Ilyas
etc (Krasniqi, 2013; Banday, Sheikh & Rather, 2017); augmented reality systems (Sallam, 2016)
2015). and so on. While some of these systems have
been devoted to electronic office (paperless)
Generally, documents are major sources of environment allowing users to store and monitor
communication in most cooperate organizations. changes to electronic documents with no
These documents in most cases have to move consideration to paper documents, others are
from one office to another until it gets to the purely intended for papers documents for
tracking their movements between various
offices in an organization. Yet these two types of application; and was used for tracking of
documents (paper and electronic) have continued students’ paper work in the university. As an
to co-exist for cooperate operations. Even with enhancement, SPARTRASE could store tracking
the proliferation of Internet connectivity and its information in Google Doc; thereby giving room
abundant digital contents, the continual use of for remote tracking using the client mobile
papers, have been attributed to the level of application. However, the system did not provide
process and volume of work involved; the cost a user interface to rename paper work details;
and convenience attached to using it; and other and so, users were forced to use the pre-defined
cooperate preferences (Sallam, 2016; Banday et information stored in the tags to identify their
at, 2015). Hence, in other to accommodate these documents.
contemporary use of both papers and electronic Beyond tracking of paper documents, Prinz and
documents in cooperate settings viz-a-viz their Javeel (2004) developed a virtual desktop
security, monitoring and easy access, there is application for tracking the specific location of
need to for a system that captures both the paper documents on an office desk; as well as
storing and monitoring of changes to electronic linking these paper documents on the desk with
documents; and the tracking of paper documents their electronic version. This was done using
between offices easily - from remote locations. unique labels printed on the paper documents,
digital cameras and augmented reality. The
This paper aims at designing and developing an printed labels provided the unique identification
android document tracking system that captures for each paper on the desk. The cameras took
both the storing and monitoring of changes to different pictures of the document on the desk;
electronic documents; and the tracking of paper and using augmented reality, the system could
documents between offices easily from remote simulate what the resultant pictures to identify
locations. Our system’s performance will be and represent the location digitally. Whatever the
measured on its ability to: create and monitor user does to the paper (printed) document will be
changes to electronic documents; to dispatch and mirrored to the electronic copy. These include
track movements of paper documents; provide annotations and change of paper locations. Their
notifications in both SMS and email on current system also uses WLAN, bluetooth and RFID
status and location of documents; and allow users setup. In addition, this virtual desktop was also
to work on electronic documents from remote run on PDAs and mobile devices to enable more
locations. cooperative processes and sharing of documents.
Prinz et al system was tested using eight (8)
2. RELATED WORK RFID readers and twenty (20) tagged objects.
Perocho (2012) designed a document Though this system proved more useful to
management system for a medical centre using remember folder that were covered under a pile
waterfall model. This automated system used of other documents; but, it was equally found to
barcode technology. Like every barcode project, be less useful for finding documents. Sallam
this system was susceptible to physical damage (2016) developed a similar system known
and scan error; in addition, Perocho’s system PaperSpace. PaperSpace could link paper and
was expensive for small and medium enterprise digital documents; and as well simulate the
to implement. Similarly, Rahman (2018) location and organization of paper documents.
demonstrated how radio frequency identification However, it suffered the challenges of inability
(RFID) technology could be integrated with a to detect paper which is pulled out of the pile; its
computer application to track paper documents. inability to detect the removal of a pile; and
Rahman’s tracking system could automatically delays in processing each frames (Sallam, 2016).
track the location and status of patient’s medical Nguyen (2014) evaluated and implemented a
files on real time. This real-time tracking of cloud-based supply chain management (SCM)
patient’s file was made possible with the aid of system for tracking and tracing the safety and on-
RFID tags attached to the file; and the RFID time arrival of shipments. Electronic document
scanner placed in each units of the hospital. interface (EDI) and enterprise resource planning
Using the same Near Field Communication (ERP) were interconnected to achieve this.
(NFC) technology (RFID tags), Ishayk, Othman, Nguyen presented a SCM system that could
Talib and Ilyas (2017) developed a tracking support global deliveries instead of a single
system known as SPATRASE. With transportation like FedEx or DHL. Nguyen’s
SPATRASE, the tracking was run as a mobile system implemented several tracking
technologies which include forwarder tracking, office (paperless) environment allowing users to
automatic identification system (AIS) tracking, store and monitor changes to electronic
amazon web services (AWS) tracking, and global documents with no consideration to paper
positioning system (GPS) tacking to track the documents, others were purely intended for
shipments on the go and at different stations. papers documents for tracking their movements
Using Nguyen SCM system, tracking details between various offices in an organization; and
were uploaded to the cloud to enable users and none was devoted to handle the duo – paper and
managers obtain the location and the status of digital documents. Yet these two types of
shipments. documents have continued to co-exist in
Edem and Onwuachu (2014) developed a cooperate environments. Again, the notifications
document monitoring system and implemented it provided by these systems were mostly in emails
in Java and Microsoft SQL server. Their paper forcing the stakeholders to connect to the Internet
argued that the complexity of generating whenever they chose to monitor their documents.
barcodes for document tracking has made it Hence, there is need to for a system that captures
difficult for users and thus resulted to its low both the storing and monitoring of changes to
acceptance. Hence, the need for a graphic user electronic documents; and as well, the tracking
interfaces (GUI) that is easy to use for both of paper documents between offices easily; and
novice and experts. Their web-based system from remote locations.
tracks documents by simply clicking a button in
the system. However, this system is proprietary 3. SYSTEM DESIGN
in nature; platform dependent; and did not have To achieve our intended design for a mobile
mobile version. University of Winscosin (2011) application, we used Universal Modelling
also, developed a web-based routing and tracking Language (UML) to model the tracking of paper
system called WISPER. As a web-based system, and electronic document for an academic
WISPER was specifically designed for tracking institution. UML is the commonest tool used for
documents in the university community. Apart object oriented analysis and design methodology.
from tracking, WISPER allows for routing, The following UML diagrams were employed in
approval, and negotiations of applications and our design: use case diagrams, activity diagram
agreements. The paper neither discussed the and entity-relationship (ER) diagram.
method of design nor the implementation tools 3.1 Use Case Diagram
used. For the design of the proposed system, we
Omoregbe, Azeta, Adewumi & Edeh (2014) and identified two primary actors (the user and the
Kransniqi (2013) designed a file tracking system administrator) and a secondary actor (the owner)
(FTS) for tertiary institutions. Their design was (see Fig. 1). The document owner is expected to
made to be web-based using objected oriented receive SMS and email notifications upon
analysis and designed (OOAD). Omoregbe et al change of document’s location and status; while
(2014) compared their proposed system with other actors are expected to login into the system
existing systems like information and data to interact with the system and log out when they
exchange advanced system (IDEAS), centralized are through with the system. The user of the
file movement and tracking information system system can either act as a document sender or a
(CeFMaTIS) and infotronic systems. Both recipient depending on the state of the document.
Omoregbe et al (2014) and and Kransniqi (2013) The user can create an electronic document;
systems were adjudged to track both physical and review an electronic documents; register a paper
electronic documents, platform independent, document; dispatch a document to another user
inexpensive to implement and could send (the recipient); and track the location and status
notifications. However, both systems can only of a document. Notifications are sent as both
run on desktop system and were not used for SMS and e-mail alerts. The system administrator
arranging files even though they could search manages both users and department.
files. Also, while a Kransniqi (2013) system was
designed to use RFID to track its paper
documents, Omoregbe et al (2014) did not
provide how their system tracked paper
documents.
From our review, we can deduce that most of the
existing solutions were devoted to electronic
 Create

Login Review

Registaer
Register
Manage
Documents Dispatc
Users h
Track Owner

SMS
Notification
email
Reciever Sender
Log out
Edit

Create
Manage Depts

Delete

Administrator
Manage Create
Users

Modify

Fig.1: Use case diagram of our proposed system Delete

Log on as
User
/incorrect password and
username ?
Alert

/correct password and

username

Create New Document Select Existing Documents

Track Dispatch
Documents Documents
Display movement history Save location
details

Fig.2: Activity diagram of document

management
3.2 Activity Diagram in both SMS and email. Within Smart Tracker,
As illustrated in Fig. 2, a registered user logs in the system user is assumed to be a staff of the
successfully after his credentials have been organization who is expected to log into the
authenticated. The user proceeds to either work system using his name and password in other to
with existing document or create a new interact with the system. This user can: register
document depending on the task at hand. When new documents; dispatch existing documents to
the user chooses to work with existing another user; and view the current location and
documents, he can either track the movement status of the document. The document owner
history of the document or dispatch an existing could either be a staff of the organization or any
document to another user. Upon dispatch, the external person who does not have login access
detail of the document’s new location is saved to the system. This document owner receives
while notifications are sent to the owner and the update on real-time condition and location of the
receiver of the document. document.

4. SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

USER’S DEVICE
The Front-End (GUI)
INTERNET
Document
Manager The Back-End
Document Notification
Access Control Tracker Generator

Document
Views Databas
e
Control
commands

Notifications
Fig.2: High level model of the proposed System

Our proposed system, Smart Tracker, is built for

Andriod platform. Smart Tracker consists of four 4.1 Implementation Tools
main software modules namely: the document Since our proposed system is intended to be
manager to enable the user access the system and platform independent and mobile based, we
manage his/her document, the document tracker chose some development tools that will make
to store the history of the document for every this idea implementable. These tools include:
change of status and location, the notification  Java is a full object-oriented
generator to provide notifications to the programming language and the most
document owner and the document recipient, and common programming language for
the database for storing document information developing mobile applications. It is
and user activity. The document manager is
hosted on the users device as the front-end supported by most mobile devices and
application; while the remaining are hosted at the web browsers.
cloud as back-end application. The document  XML is an enterprise standard for
manager is implemented using Java and XML. exchanging data on the Internet. It also
MySQL server was used for the database while used for designing the user interface of
php was used to implement the document tracker mobile applications. XML is supported
and notification generator. Notifications are sent by most browsers.
  PHP is an open source programming Table 1: Summary of our system evaluation and
language used for handling back-end comparison with existing systems
processing. It is support by Apache, the Tracking Smart Web PaperS SPATRASE
most popular web server. System Tracke FTS pace
 MySQL is an open source database r
management software for housing of Quality
database in the web server. MySQL is Collaborati √ √ X X
supported by both Apache and PHP. on/
workflow
4.2 System Requirements Tracking √ √ √ √
The proposed system, which operates in a client- File √ √ X X
server mode, requires both hardware and manageme
software to run. The hardware requirement for nt
this system can either be a personal computer or Mobility √ X X X
an android device. For the personal computer: Cost Less Less High High
1. An Ethernet port or and external Linking X X √ X
MODEM; physical
2. RAM size: 512MB or above and
3. Disk size: 20MB or above electronic
4. Processor speed: 1GHZ or above documents
For the android device: The hardware Search √ √ √ √
requirement in which the new system will capability
operate and function is an android phone. These Organizati X X √ x
android phones include the following: Tecno Y3, on of
Y6, Gionee P3, P5w, Itel 1701 etc. documents
The software requirement for this system is Notificatio Pull Pull Pull Pull
window XP or higher version for the personal n mode &Push
computer and android 4.0 or higher for the
android device.
6. CONCLUSION
5. EVALUATION In this work, we reviewed the need to track both
Our proposed document tracking system was physical documents and digital documents
tested using Andriod Emulator and Itel P12 remotely since the duo are the modus operandi
device (See APPENDIX1). After evaluation with for most cooperate entities. Furthermore, we also
existing document tracking systems, it was reviewed existing document tracking systems to
shown that Smart Tracker provides collaboration, buttress their strengths and weaknesses. Finally,
tracking, and managing files; in addition to being we also proposed, designed and developed a
less expensive to implement, user mobility; and mobile application to effectively track documents
its ability to forward notification in both pull and irrespective of type. In future, our system could
push mode. However, our proposed system can be enhanced to accommodate the use of digital
neither link printed paper documents with their signatures to enforce better file security and
counterpart electronic copies nor help users in encryption; to allow organizations to run it as an
organizing their documents as is obtainable with Intranet-cloud application using WIFI thereby
content and virtual desktop systems like eliminating the extra cost arising from Internet
PaperSpace (Table 1). charges.

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