Inbound calls to controlled-environment facility resident telephone numbers

• US 10,484,648 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2019
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Sturges, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US16/361,171
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/887 limit per user or user related number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods enabling inbound calls to controlled-environment facility resident telephone numbers employ resident-associated communications devices deployed in the facilities. An inbound and outbound calling platform assigns a telephone number to each resident and associates a routable (IP) address of each resident communications device with such telephone number. This calling platform also presents an online directory to accessing inbound callers that lists residents the caller is allowed to call, the telephone number(s) of such resident(s), and whether such residents and their communications devices are ready to receive a call. The calling platform reconfirms such information upon an inbound call being placed to a telephone number assigned to a resident and signals the resident communications device associated with the resident assigned that telephone number. A controlled-environment facility communication processing system routes the call to the resident communications device associated with the resident called and connects the call.

Claims

1. An inbound voice and video call system enabling calls to inmate telephone numbers, the system comprising:

a plurality of inmate communications devices deployed in at least one correctional facility, each associated with a correctional facility inmate;

a controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform configured to;

assign a telephone number to each correctional facility inmate;

associate a routable address of each resident communications device with the telephone number assigned to a correctional facility inmate associated with the inmate communications device;

present an online directory to accessing inbound callers, the online directory listing;

inmates that an accessing inbound caller is allowed to call;

at least one telephone number of at least one inmate the inbound caller is allowed to call; and

whether the inmate communications devices and the inmates the inbound caller is allowed to call are ready to receive a call;

identify the inbound caller upon an inbound call being placed to a telephone number assigned to a correctional facility inmate;

determine the inbound caller is eligible to call the inmate assigned the called telephone number;

determine the inmate the called telephone number is assigned to and the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number are ready to receive the call; and

signal the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number, following identifying the inbound caller, determining the inbound caller is eligible to call the inmate assigned the called telephone number and determining the inmate and an inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number are ready to receive the call; and

a correctional facility communication processing system configured to;

route the call to the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number;

receive the inbound call from the inbound calling platform; and

connect the call to the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform is further configured to determine funds are available in an account of the inbound caller for the inbound call.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform is further configured to present, via the online directory, whether funds are available in an account of the accessing inbound caller to call inmates listed in the online directory.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the inmate communications devices further comprises a presence application executing on the respective inmate communications device, the presence application transmitting a presence event package from the respective inmate communications device ready to receive being operated by an inmate ready to receive;

the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform comprises a presence server configured to receive the presence event package; and

the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform, further configured to list, in the online directory, the inmate as an inmate ready to receive calls.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform comprises a session initiation protocol application server configured to translate the called telephone number to an internet protocol address of the inmate communications device assigned to the inmate to whom the called telephone number is assigned to.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform is disposed in a correctional facility communications service provider call processing center serving a plurality of correctional facilities.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a consolidated correctional facility administration and management system associated with the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the consolidated correctional facility administration and management system is configured to create and maintain uniform personal identification numbers and a list thereof, each uniform personal identification number assigned to an inmate reachable by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform, regardless of in which correctional facility of the plurality of correctional facilities severed by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform the inmate resides.

9. A method for inbound calling to an inmate telephone number, comprising:

assigning a telephone number to each inmate of a correctional facility;

associating a routable address of each resident communications device deployed within the correctional facility with the telephone number assigned to a correctional facility inmate associated with the inmate communications device;

presenting, via an online directory;

a name of each of one or more inmates that an inbound caller accessing the online directory is allowed to call;

the telephone number assigned to each of the one or more inmates the inbound caller is allowed to call; and

whether an inmate communications devices associated with each of the one or more inmates the inbound caller is allowed to call, and each of the one or more inmates the inbound caller is allowed to call, are ready to receive a call;

routing a call made to one of the telephone numbers to a controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform;

determining, by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform;

identification of the inbound caller;

the inbound caller is eligible to call an inmate assigned the one telephone number; and

the inmate assigned the one telephone number, and an inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the one telephone number, are ready to receive the call;

signaling the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the one telephone number, following determining identification of the inbound caller, determining the inbound caller is eligible to call the inmate assigned the one telephone number and determining the inmate assigned the one telephone number and the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the one telephone number are ready to receive the call; and

connecting the call to the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the one telephone number.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining funds are available in an account of the inbound caller for the call.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting, via the online directory, whether funds are available in an account of the inbound caller accessing the online directory to call inmates listed in the online directory.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

executing a presence application on inmate communications devices;

transmitting a presence event package from inmate communications devices ready to receive being operated by an inmate ready to receive; and

presenting, via the online directory, the inmate as an inmate ready to receive calls.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising translating the one called telephone number to an internet protocol address of the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the one telephone number.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising creating and maintaining uniform personal identification numbers and a list thereof, by a consolidated correctional facility administration and management system associated with the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform, each uniform personal identification number assigned to an inmate reachable by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform, regardless of in what correctional facility of a plurality of correctional facilities severed by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform the inmate resides.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that:

upon execution by each of a plurality of inmate communications devices deployed in at least one correctional facility cause each inmate communications device to transmit a presence event package from the respective inmate communications device ready to receive being operated by an inmate ready to receive;

upon execution by a controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform cause the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform to;

present an online directory to accessing inbound callers listing;

a name of each of one or more inmates that an accessing inbound caller is allowed to call;

a telephone number assigned to each of one or more inmates that the accessing inbound caller is allowed to call; and

whether each of one or more inmates that the accessing inbound caller is allowed to call, and an inmate communications device associated with each of one or more inmates that the accessing inbound caller is allowed to call, are ready to receive a call;

identify the inbound caller;

determine the inbound caller is eligible to call an inmate assigned a telephone number called by the inbound caller;

determine the inmate the called telephone number is assigned to, and the inmate communications device associated with inmate the called telephone number is assigned to, are ready to receive the call; and

signal the inmate communications device the inmate the called telephone number is assigned to, following identifying the inbound caller, determining the inbound caller is eligible to call an inmate assigned the called telephone number and determining the inmate assigned the called telephone number and the inmate communications device associated with inmate the called telephone number is assigned to is ready to receive the call; and

upon execution by the correctional facility communication processing system;

route the call to the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number;

receive the inbound call from the inbound calling platform; and

connect the call to the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, where execution of the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform to determine funds are available in an account of the inbound caller for the call.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 where execution of the program instructions cause the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform to present, via the online directory, whether funds are available in an account of the accessing inbound caller to call inmates listed in the online directory.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform comprises a presence server and execution of the program instructions by the presence server cause the presence server to receive the presence event package.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform comprises a session initiation protocol application server, and execution of the program instructions by the session initiation protocol application server cause the session initiation protocol application server to translate the called telephone number to an internet protocol address of the inmate communications device associated with the inmate assigned the called telephone number.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform is associated with a consolidated correctional facility administration and management system, and execution of the program instructions by the consolidated correctional facility administration and management system cause the consolidated correctional facility administration and management system to create and maintain uniform personal identification numbers and a list thereof, each uniform personal identification number assigned to an inmate reachable by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform, regardless of in what correctional facility of a plurality of correctional facilities severed by the controlled-environment facility inbound and outbound calling platform the inmate resides.