Multifunction wireless device

• US 10,341,484 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen, Johnson, Garth, McNitt, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar N
• Application Number:
  US15/889,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20180159972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8235 Access based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2033 Call handling or answering restrictions, e.g. specified by the calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• 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 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42025 : Calling or Called party identification service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 : based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 : Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication device and system are disclosed for providing communication and data services to residents of a controlled facility. The device can be restricted to communicating only using an internet protocol so as to restrict the device communication to an internal intranet. Wireless access points may be disposed throughout the environment to route calls and data between the device and a central processing center. By converting a protocol of the communications received from the device to a protocol used by the central processing center, minimal modifications to the central processing center are needed to support a wireless communication infrastructure. Many restrictions and safeguards may be implemented within the phone and system in order to prevent improper use.

Claims

1. A controlled environment communications system for providing communication services to a plurality of users within a controlled environment facility, the controlled environment communications system comprising:

an Internet server configured to operate a virtual Internet that is an abridged version of the Internet and that is constructed from Internet data, the Internet server having a device interface configured to receive an Internet request from a user device, and to provide Internet data to the user device in response to the Internet request, the user device being associated with a specific user from among the plurality of users;

a network interface configured to access the Internet to obtain the Internet data; and

one or more processors and/or circuits configured to filter the Internet data based on at least one of a first filter that is globally applied to all users and a second filter that is applicable to the specific user associated with the user device.

2. The controlled environment communications system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to filter the Internet data based on both the first filter and the second filter.

3. The controlled environment communications system of claim 1, further comprising a database that stores a user profile for each of the plurality of users, wherein each of the user profiles contain Internet browsing restrictions associated with a corresponding user.

4. The controlled environment communications system of claim 3, wherein the device interface receives a device identifier from the user device.

5. The controlled environment communications system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are configured to retrieve the Internet browsing restrictions based on the device identifier.

6. The controlled environment communications system of claim 3, wherein each of the user profiles contains call restrictions, authentication information, payment account information, and communication log data relating to a corresponding user.

7. The controlled environment communications system of claim 1, wherein the Internet server is further configured to receive the Internet data from the network interface, and to create the virtual Internet based on the filtered Internet data for browsing by the specific user.

8. A method for providing communication services to a plurality of users within a controlled environment facility, the method comprising:

downloading Internet data from the Internet onto an Internet server;

generating a virtual Internet that is an abridged version of the Internet on the Internet server;

receiving an Internet request from a user device, the user device being associated with a specific user from among the plurality of users;

accessing the Internet;

retrieving Internet data from the Internet based on the Internet request; and

filtering the Internet data using at least one of a first filter applicable to the specific user, and a second filter applicable to the plurality of users;

updating the virtual Internet with the retrieved Internet data; and

providing a response to the user device with filtered Internet content from the virtual Internet.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the filtering uses both the first filter and the second filter.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing in a database a user profile for each of the plurality of users, wherein each of the user profiles contains Internet browsing restrictions associated with a corresponding user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a device identifier from the user device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving the Internet browsing restrictions from the database based on the device identifier.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the user profiles further includes call restrictions, authentication information, payment account information, and communication log data relating to a corresponding user.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating the virtual Internet on a local server based on the filtered Internet data for browsing by the specific user.