Controlled environment facility visitation system using personal devices

• US 10,417,846 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Smith, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brian E
• Application Number:
  US15/807,072
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder

Abstract

A visitation system provides visitation sessions between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and a nonresident, where the nonresident utilizes a personal wireless devices that connects to a wireless access point that may be accessible from a designated visitation area of the facility. A connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident is evaluated to determine the personal wireless device is authorized to interface with the visitation system, and whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident. If authorized, a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident is initiated with the nonresident participating via the personal wireless device. The visitation system may respond to a visitation session request from a registered personal wireless device by sending an access code to the personal wireless device. By confirming the access code, the nonresident may initiate the requested visitation session that terminates upon expiration of the access code.

Claims

1. A visitation system for providing visitation services to a resident of a controlled-environment facility, the system comprising:

an external wireless local area network access point configured to receive a connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident, wherein the external wireless local area network access point is accessible from a designated visitation area of the controlled-environment facility;

an authorization server configured to evaluate the connection request, wherein the evaluation determines whether the personal wireless device of the nonresident is authorized to interface with the visitation system, and wherein the evaluation determines whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident; and

a visitation server configured to establish a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident, wherein the nonresident participates via the personal wireless device, via the external wireless local area network access point.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the nonresident participates in the visitation session via a visitation system software program installed on the personal wireless device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein visitation system software program is operable by the nonresident only while the personal wireless device is connected to the external local area network wireless access point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identity of the nonresident is confirmed in order for the nonresident to be admitted to the designated visitation area, and wherein the confirmed identity of the nonresident is provided to the visitation system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the visitation server is configured to identify a scheduled visitation session based on the admittance of the nonresident to the designated visitation area.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein determining whether the personal wireless device of the nonresident is authorized to interface with the visitation system comprises determining whether a unique identifier associated with the personal wireless device indicates the personal wireless device has been previously registered by the visitation system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the authentication server sends an access code to a phone number previously registered as being associated with the personal wireless device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication server authorizes the visitation session upon receiving the access code from the nonresident via a user interface on the personal wireless device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the visitation session is terminated upon expiration of the access code.

10. A method for providing visitation services to a resident of a controlled-environment facility, the method comprising:

receiving, at an external wireless local area network access point, a connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident, wherein the external wireless local area network access point is accessible from a designated visitation area of the controlled-environment facility;

evaluating, by an authorization server, the connection request, wherein the evaluation determines whether the personal wireless device of the nonresident is authorized to access the visitation services, and wherein the evaluation determines whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident; and

establishing, by a visitation server, a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident, wherein the nonresident participates via the personal wireless device, via the external wireless local area network access point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the connection request comprises a request for the visitation session between the nonresident and the resident.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identity of the nonresident is confirmed in order for the nonresident to be admitted to the designated visitation area.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the confirmed identity of the nonresident is provided to the visitation system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying, by the visitation server, a scheduled visitation session based on the admittance of the nonresident to the designated visitation area.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the personal wireless device of the nonresident is authorized to access the visitation services comprises determining whether a unique identifier associated with the personal wireless device indicates the personal wireless device has been previously registered.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending a text message including an access code to a phone number previously registered as being associated with the personal wireless device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

authorizing, by the authentication server, the visitation session upon receiving the access code from the nonresident via a user interface on the personal wireless device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

terminating the visitation session upon expiration of the access code.

19. A computer-readable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for providing visitation services to a resident of a controlled-environment facility, upon execution by a one or more processors, the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:

receive a connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident, via an external wireless local area network access point, wherein the external local area network wireless access point is accessible from a designated visitation area of the controlled-environment facility;

evaluate the connection request, wherein the evaluation determines whether the personal wireless device of the nonresident is authorized to access the visitation services, and wherein the evaluation determines whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident; and

establish a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident, wherein the nonresident participates via the personal wireless device, via the external wireless local area network access point.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the connection request comprises a request for the visitation session between the nonresident and the resident.