System and method for visitation management in a controlled-access environment
First Claim
1. A method of managing visitation in a controlled-access environment, the method comprising:
- accessing a visitation control system, the visitation control system comprising;
a visitation session scheduling interface;
a plurality of communications devices;
a switching interface; and
at least one authentication interface;
defining a set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment;
requesting a visitation session using the visitation session scheduling interface of the visitation control system;
assessing whether the visitation session complies with the set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment;
scheduling the visitation session if the visitation session complies with the set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment;
using the at least one authentication interface to authenticate a first party to the visitation session;
using the at least one authentication interface to authenticate a second party to the visitation session;
establishing communication between the first party to the visitation session and the second party to the visitation session after authenticating both the first party and the second party to the visitation session; and
storing a record of the visitation session in a visitation session database, the record of the visitation including at least information regarding identities of the first party and the second party.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of managing visitation includes accessing a visitation control system including a visitation session scheduling interface, communications devices, a switching interface, and at least one authentication interface, defining rules governing visitation, requesting a visitation session using the scheduling interface, assessing whether the visitation session complies with the rules governing visitation, scheduling the visitation session if the visitation session complies with the rules, using the at least one authentication interface to authenticate a first party and a second party, establishing communication between the first party and the second party after authenticating both parties, and storing a record of the visitation session in a database. The record preferably includes at least information regarding identities of the first party and the second party. The visitation session may also be monitored (e.g., in real time, near real time, or by recording).
165 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of managing visitation in a controlled-access environment, the method comprising:
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accessing a visitation control system, the visitation control system comprising; a visitation session scheduling interface; a plurality of communications devices; a switching interface; and at least one authentication interface; defining a set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment; requesting a visitation session using the visitation session scheduling interface of the visitation control system; assessing whether the visitation session complies with the set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment; scheduling the visitation session if the visitation session complies with the set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment; using the at least one authentication interface to authenticate a first party to the visitation session; using the at least one authentication interface to authenticate a second party to the visitation session; establishing communication between the first party to the visitation session and the second party to the visitation session after authenticating both the first party and the second party to the visitation session; and storing a record of the visitation session in a visitation session database, the record of the visitation including at least information regarding identities of the first party and the second party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for managing visitation in a controlled-access environment, the system comprising:
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a visitation controller including a switching interface and a central processing unit to run a plurality of software programs, the plurality of software programs including; at least one software program controlling the switching interface; at least one software program to schedule a visitation session; and at least one software program monitoring compliance with a set of rules governing visitation in the controlled-access environment; a first communications device coupled to the visitation controller; a second communications device coupled to the visitation controller; a first authentication interface coupled to the visitation controller to authenticate a first party to a visitation session; a second authentication interface coupled to the visitation controller to authenticate a second party to a visitation session; at least one monitoring device coupled to the visitation controller to enable monitoring of the visitation session; and a database coupled to the visitation controller to store a record of the visitation session, the record including at least information regarding identities of the first party to the visitation session and the second party to the visitation session. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification