Portable system for institutional telephone service provision

• US 10,051,101 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Orr, Charles David, Reynolds, Jason Adam, Thomasson, Todd Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Antim G
• Application Number:
  US14/480,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 379 3201, 379 3204, 379 3205, 379 35, 379188, 379189, 379196, 370401, 370352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment provides a device comprising: a connection panel configured to accept a removable connection to a telephone of a controlled access residential institution; a network router connected to the connection panel and configured to connect to a remote network; and an access and security module connected to the network router and configured to control access by the telephone to telephone services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network. The connection panel, the network router, and access and security module can be at least partially enclosed within a portable enclosure. The device may further comprise a power distribution unit within the enclosure and connected to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a connection module configured to connect to multiple telephones or tablets in a controlled access residential institution;

a network router connected to the connection module prior to installation at the controlled access residential institution and configured to connect to a remote network;

an access and security module connected to the network router prior to installation at the controlled access residential institution and configured to control access by the telephone or tablets to telephone services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the access and security module is configured to establish and control a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the call processing center;

a portable enclosure enclosing the connection module, the network router, and the access and security module as a single unit for installation at the controlled access residential institution without mounting, wherein the portable enclosure is pre-wired prior to installation at the controlled access residential institution for installation without hard-wiring, wherein pre-wired connections establish information or power channels between the connection module, the network router, and the access and security module prior to installation; and

a power distribution unit within the portable enclosure and connected to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module, wherein the pre-wired connections establish the power channels between the connection module, the network router, the access and security module, and the power distribution unit.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the power distribution unit comprises a power cord for connecting to and receiving power from a power outlet at the controlled access residential institution.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the portable enclosure comprises wheels for rolling the enclosure on underlying floor surfaces.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the portable enclosure encloses the connection module, the network router, and access and security module within a space of equal to or less than 24 cubic feet.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect to the remote network via a wired connection available at the controlled access residential institution.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network and configured to connect to the remote network via a wired connection, wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network if the wired connection is not available or fails.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) gateway within the portable enclosure for converting analog signals received from the telephone of the controlled access residential institution, wherein the pre-wired connections establish the information channels between the connection module, the network router, the access and security module, and the VOIP gateway.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless local area network component within the portable enclosure for wirelessly connecting to a wireless communication device at the controlled access residential institution to allow the wireless communication device to access resources on the wireless local area network subject to control by the remote call processing center, wherein the pre-wired connections establish the information channels between the connection module, the network router, the access and security module, and the wireless local area network component.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the telephone services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network comprise connecting and monitoring a call between the telephone at the controlled access residential institution and a telephone at a remote location.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the telephone services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network comprise authenticating a called party before or during a call between the telephone at the controlled access residential institution and a telephone at a remote location.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the access and security module is a firewall.

13. A method comprising:

preconfiguring a portable device at a location remote from a controlled access residential institution, wherein the preconfigured portable device comprises;

a connection module configured to connect to multiple telephones or tablets via a wireless connection;

a network router prewired to the connection module and configured to connect to a remote network;

an access and security module prewired to the network router and configured to control access by the multiple telephones or tablets to services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the access and security module is configured to establish and control a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the call processing center; and

a portable enclosure enclosing the connection module, the network router, and the access and security module as a single unit for installation at the controlled access residential institution without mounting, wherein the portable enclosure is pre-wired prior to installation at the controlled access residential institution for installation without hard-wiring, wherein pre-wired connections establish information or power channels between the connection module, the network router, and the access and security module prior to installation, wherein a power distribution unit within the portable enclosure is connected to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module, wherein the pre-wired connections establish the power channels between the connection module, the network router, the access and security module, and the power distribution unit; and

installing the portable device at the controlled access residential institution to allow the multiple telephones or tablets at the controlled access residential institution to access the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the portable device is installed without mounting.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein installing the portable device at the controlled access residential institution comprises connecting the portable device to a power outlet at the controlled access residential institution.