Inbound calls to intelligent controlled-environment facility resident media and/or communications devices

• US 10,063,700 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Keiser, Luke, Passe, Scott, Balantrapu, Krishna, Noland, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh Kien
• Application Number:
  US15/701,657
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 37920101, 37920102, 37920103, 37920107, 37920112, 37926501, 379 3201, 379 9302, 37910005, 37914205, 726 2, 726 4, 726 6
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

In systems and methods for inbound phone or video calling to intelligent controlled-environment facility resident media and/or communications devices utilizing inbound calling subscriptions, each inbound calling account associates a non-resident with an address identifier of a controlled-environment facility resident media and/or communications device. An authenticating server, or the like validates, and re-validates identification of the non-resident associated with each inbound calling account at a predetermined time interval for each inbound calling account.

Claims

1. An inbound call system for handling inbound phone or video calls to inmate media and/or communications devices, the system comprising:

an inbound inmate call server configured to;

host access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications; and

host inbound calling accounts established by non-inmates, each inbound calling account associating a non-inmate with an address identifier of a controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device; and

an authenticating server configured to;

validate, at a predetermined time intervals for each inbound calling account, identification of a non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein hosting access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications comprises the inbound inmate call server hosting an inbound inmate communications website for access by inbound calling parties.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inbound calling accounts provide the non-inmate a predetermined number of inbound calls, and/or a predetermined amount of inbound call time, to the controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inbound calling accounts each comprise a subscription by a non-inmate, renewable at the predetermined time intervals.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the authenticating server is further configured to renew the inbound calling accounts, at the predetermined time intervals for each inbound calling account, by validating identification of the non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the inbound inmate call server is further configured to receive an inbound call from a non-inmate and to route the inbound call to the authenticating server;

the authenticating server is further configured to determine whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device, and to confirm, in response to a determination that the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device; and

the inbound inmate call server is further configured to connect, in response to confirmation by the authenticating server that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the inbound inmate call server is further configured to receive an inbound call from a non-inmate and route the inbound call to the authenticating server;

the authenticating server is further configured to determine whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device;

the inbound inmate call server is further configured to offer renewal of an expired subscription, in response to a determination that the non-inmate has an expired subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device;

the authenticating server is further configured to re-validate, in response to acceptance of the offer to renew the expired subscription, identification of the non-inmate, and to confirm, in response to re-validation of the identification of the non-inmate, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device; and

the inbound inmate call server is further configured to connect, in response to confirming that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.

8. A method for inbound phone or video calling to intelligent controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications devices, the method comprising:

hosting, by an inbound inmate call server, access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications;

hosting, by the inbound inmate call server, inbound calling accounts established by non-inmates, each inbound calling account associating a non-inmate with an address identifier of a controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device; and

validating, by an authenticating server, at a predetermined time interval for each inbound calling account, identification of the non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein hosting access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications comprises hosting, by the inbound inmate call server, an inbound inmate communications website for access by inbound calling parties.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein hosting inbound calling accounts established by non-inmates further comprises providing the non-inmate a predetermined number of inbound calls, and/or a predetermined amount of inbound call time, to the controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein hosting inbound calling accounts comprises providing a subscription to non-inmates, renewable at the predetermined time intervals, to prompt the validating of identification of the non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising

receiving, by the inbound inmate call server, an inbound call from a non-inmate;

routing, by the inbound inmate call server, the inbound call to the authenticating server;

determining, by the authenticating server, whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device;

confirming, by the authenticating server, in response to determining the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device; and

connecting, by the inbound inmate call server, in response to confirming that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising

receiving, by the inbound inmate call server, an inbound call from a non-inmate;

routing the inbound call to the authenticating server;

determining, by the authenticating server, whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device;

offering, by the inbound call server, renewal of an expired subscription, in response to determining the non-inmate has an expired subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device;

re-validating, by the authenticating server, in response to acceptance of the offer to renew the expired subscription, identification of the non-inmate;

confirming, by the authenticating server, in response to revalidation of the identification of the non-inmate, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device; and

connecting, by the inbound inmate call server, in response to confirming that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more controlled-environment facility communications systems, cause the one or more communications systems to:

host access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications;

host inbound calling accounts established by non-inmates, each inbound calling account associating a non-inmate with an address identifier of a controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device; and

validate, at a predetermined time intervals for each inbound calling account, identification of a non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein hosting access by non-inmates to inbound inmate communications comprises hosting an inbound inmate communications website for access by inbound calling parties.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the inbound calling accounts provide the non-inmate a predetermined number of inbound calls, and/or a predetermined amount of inbound call time, to the controlled-environment facility inmate media and/or communications device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the inbound calling accounts each comprise a subscription by a non-inmate, renewable at the predetermined time intervals.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the program instructions stored thereon cause the one or more communications systems to renew the inbound calling accounts, at the predetermined time intervals for each inbound calling account, by validating identification of the non-inmate associated with each inbound calling account.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the program instructions stored thereon cause the one or more communications systems to:

receive an inbound call from a non-inmate;

determine whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device;

confirm, in response to a determination that the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device;

connect, in response to confirmation that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the program instructions stored thereon cause the one or more communications systems to:

receive an inbound call from a non-inmate;

determine whether the non-inmate has a current subscription to make inbound calls to a called inmate media and/or communications device;

offer renewal of an expired subscription, in response to a determination that the non-inmate has an expired subscription to make inbound calls to the called inmate media and/or communications device;

re-validate, in response to acceptance of the offer to renew the expired subscription, identification of the non-inmate, and to confirm, in response to revalidation of the identification of the non-inmate, that the non-inmate is associated with an address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device; and

connect, in response to confirming that the non-inmate is associated with the address identifier of the called inmate media and/or communications device, the non-inmate inbound call with the called inmate media and/or communications device.