Presence-based communications in a controlled environment

• US 10,333,870 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Dennison, Jerry B
• Application Number:
  US15/642,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20190014062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing presence-based communications in a controlled environment. In an embodiment, a presence management system monitors communication status information related to communication devices within a controlled facility as well as communication device external to the controlled facility. Communication statuses indicate the availability of users to receive certain types of communications, such as, for example, video conferencing, audio calls, and/or textual messages. In an embodiment, an inmate of the controlled environment can view communication statuses of external individuals. The presence management system informs the inmate of the availability of the external individuals and facilitates communications between the inmates and external individuals.

Claims

1. A presence management system, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors and/or circuits coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive a command from a first communication device indicating one or more acceptable communication types for a first user account accessing the first communication device;

compare the one or more acceptable communication types to a restricted communication type corresponding to the first user account;

determine that the one or more acceptable communication types differ from the restricted communication type;

in response to the determining, transmit graphical user interface data to a second communication device for a second user account, the graphical user interface data including a communication status of the first communication device, wherein the communication status includes the one or more acceptable communication types for the first communication device;

receive a communication request from the second user account accessing the second communication device and attempting to establish a communication of a first communication type with the first communication device;

compare the first communication type with the one or more acceptable communication types for the first user account;

in response to the comparing, determine that the first communication type does not match any of the one or more acceptable communication types; and

reject the communication request in response to the determining.

2. The presence management system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

transmit a message to the second communication device indicating that the first communication type does not match any of the one or more acceptable communication types.

3. The presence management system of claim 1, wherein to receive the communication request, the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

receive the communication request via a user selection from a list of communication types displayed on a graphical user interface generated using the graphical interface data.

4. The presence management system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

receive a second communication request from the second communication device attempting to establish a communication of a second communication type with the first communication device;

determine that the second communication type matches a communication type of the one or more acceptable communication types; and

in response to determining that the second communication type matches a communication type of the one or more acceptable communication types, establish a channel for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device according to the second communication type.

5. The presence management system of claim 4, wherein the second communication type is a video conference and to establish the channel for communication, the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

receive a first video stream from the first communication device;

receive a second video stream from the second communication device;

monitor the first video stream and the second video stream to detect unauthorized content;

transmit the first video stream to the second communication device; and

transmit the second video stream to the first communication device.

6. The presence management system of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

terminate the channel in response to detecting unauthorized content in the first video stream or the second video stream.

7. The presence management system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

receive a second command from the first communication device, wherein the second command indicates a second one or more acceptable communication types acceptable by the first user account; and

transmit an alert to the second communication device indicating receipt of the second command.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a command from a first communication device indicating an acceptable communication type for a first user account accessing the first communication device;

comparing the acceptable communication type to a restricted communication type corresponding to the first user account;

determining that the acceptable communication type differs from the restricted communication type;

in response to the determining, transmitting graphical user interface data to a second communication device for a second user account, the graphical user interface data including the acceptable communication type for the first communication device;

receiving a communication request from the second user account accessing the second communication device and attempting to establish a communication of a first communication type with the first communication device;

comparing the first communication type with the acceptable communication type for the first user account;

in response to the comparing, determining that the first communication type matches the acceptable communication type; and

transmitting the communication request to the first communication device in response to the determining.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the acceptable communication type is text messaging and transmitting the communication request further comprises:

delivering a text message from the second communication device to the first communication device;

in response to the delivering, detecting that the first communication device has received a number of text messages exceeding a text message threshold; and

in response to the detecting, terminating the communication request.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the command further comprises receiving a command from the first communication device from within a secure facility network and wherein receiving the communication request further comprises receiving the communication request from a network external to the secure facility network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the acceptable communication type is a video conference, the method further comprising:

establishing a channel for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device; and

monitoring a video conference between the first communication device and the second communication to detect unauthorized content.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the first communication device indicating that the first communication type of the communication request matches the acceptable communication type.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a second command from the first communication device, wherein the second command indicates a second one or more acceptable communication types acceptable by the first user account; and

transmitting an alert to the second communication device indicating the receipt of the second command.

14. A method, comprising:

transmitting first graphical user interface data to a first communication device for a first user account, the first graphical user interface data listing a plurality of communication types;

receiving a selection of a first communication type from the plurality of communication types from the first communication device;

comparing the first communication type to a restricted communication type corresponding to the first user account;

determining that the first communication type differs from the restricted communication type;

in response to the determining, updating data associated with the first user account to designate the first communication type as a designation of an acceptable communication type for the first communication device;

transmitting second graphical user interface data to a second communication device for a second user account, the second graphical user interface data including the acceptable communication type for the first communication device;

receiving a communication request from the second user account accessing the second communication device and attempting to establish a communication of a second communication type with the first communication device;

comparing the second communication type with the acceptable communication type for the first user account;

in response to the comparing, determining that the second communication type matches the acceptable communication type; and

transmitting the communication request to the first communication device in response to the determining.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the first graphical user interface indicating that the first communication type of the communication request matches the acceptable communication type.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the communication request further comprises:

receiving a video stream via the second graphical user interface; and

displaying the video stream on the first graphical user interface.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the acceptable communication type is a video conference, the method further comprising:

establishing a channel for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

receiving a first video stream from the first communication device;

receiving a second video stream from the second communication device;

monitoring the first video stream and the second video stream to detect unauthorized content;

transmitting the first video stream to the second communication device; and

transmitting the second video stream to the first communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

terminating the channel in response to detecting unauthorized content in the first video stream or the second video stream.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second selection from the first communication device, wherein the second selection indicates change of the acceptable communication type from the first communication type to a second communication type; and

transmitting an alert to the second communication device indicating the receipt of the second selection.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second selection from the first communication device, wherein the second selection indicates a designation of a second acceptable communication type; and

transmitting an alert to the second communication device indicating the receipt of the second selection.