TELECOMMUNICATION CALL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEM WITH VOICEPRINT VERIFICATION

• US 20170374193A1
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: HODGE, Stephen Lee
• Granted Patent: US 10,230,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/083 Recognition networks G10L15/142, G10L15/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/305 Wireless codes, e.g. Bluetooth or RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/12 Language recognition, selection or translation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• 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 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 : Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A secure telephone call management system is provided for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. Authentication of the users of the telephone call management system is accomplished by using a personal identification number, biometric means, and/or radio frequency means. The secure telephone call management system includes accounting software capable of limiting access to the system based on funds in a user'"'"'s account, and includes management software capable of implementing widespread or local changes to the system. The system monitors a conversation in the telephone call to detect a presence of a first characteristic in audio of the conversation, and terminates the telephone call if the first characteristic does not match a second characteristic of biometric information of a user or a called party.

Claims

1. A call management system for controlling access to a public telephone network, the system comprising:

a telephone terminal;

a voice biometric sensor;

a central site server including a memory that stores a plurality of inmate data records, each inmate data record containing a corresponding first identifier and a corresponding voice biometric baseline sample of a corresponding inmate;

the central site server configured to, during each attempt to access the public telephone network by a user;

prompt the user to input a second identifier using the telephone terminal;

select an inmate data record from among the plurality of inmate data records whose first identifier matches the second identifier;

prompt the user to provide a voice biometric sample using the voice biometric sensor;

compare vocal characteristics of the biometric sample only to vocal characteristics of the biometric baseline sample of the selected inmate data record;

determine that the biometric sample matches the biometric baseline sample with a predetermined degree of similarity based on the comparison; and

grant the user access to the public telephone network to attempt to place a telephone call based on the determining.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice biometric sensor is a microphone located within a telephone receiver of the telephone terminal, and

wherein the biometric baseline sample and the biometric sample are voiceprints.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone terminal includes an input device, and

wherein the second identifier is input via the input device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central site server further includes a call recorder, and

wherein the call recorder is configured to, during each access attempt, record prompts provided by the central site server to the user, responses to the prompts provided by the user, and a conversation between the user and an outside party.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an RF (radio frequency) receiver,

wherein the second identifier is input via the RF receiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inmate data records are indexed in the memory according to their respective first identifiers.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central site server is configured to select the selected inmate data record using the second identifier as a key to the indexed plurality of inmate data records.

8. A call management system for controlling access to a public telephone network, the system comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of inmate data records, each of the plurality of inmate data records containing a corresponding first identifier and a corresponding voice biometric baseline sample, and indexed according to their respective first identifier; and

a central site server configured to, during each attempt to access the public telephone network by a user;

receive a second identifier from the user;

select, using the second identifier as a key to the indexed plurality of inmate data records, a selected inmate data record from among the indexed plurality of inmate data records whose first identifier matches the second identifier;

receive a voice biometric sample from the user;

compare vocal characteristics of the voice biometric sample only to vocal characteristics of the voice biometric baseline sample of the selected inmate data record; and

grant or deny the user access to the public telephone network to attempt to place a telephone call based on the comparison.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to obtain the voice biometric sample from the user.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a telephone terminal configured to communicate with the central site server via a communication line,

wherein the voice biometric sensor is coupled to the telephone terminal, and

wherein the biometric sensor transmits the voice biometric sample to the central site server using the communication line.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor is integrated into the telephone terminal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the vocal characteristics of the voice biometric sample include at least one of duration, loudness, mixed-frequencies, and timbre.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the central site server includes a voice recognition processor configured to analyze speech to identify words and individuals.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein after the user has been granted access to the public telephone network for a call, the voice recognition processor is configured to perform voice recognition so as to identify parties to the call, and to detect whether an unauthorized participant is on the call.

15. A method for controlling access to a public telephone network, the method comprising:

storing a personal data record for a registered individual in a database, the personal data record containing a first numerical identifier and a biometric identifier associated with the registered individual;

during each attempt to access the public telephone network by a user;

first prompting the user to input a second numerical identifier;

selecting the personal data record based on a comparison between the first numerical identifier and the second numerical identifier;

second prompting the user to input a voice biometric sample;

comparing vocal characteristics of the voice biometric sample only to vocal characteristics of the biometric identifier of the selected personal data record;

granting or denying the user access to the public telephone network to attempt to place a telephone call based on the comparing,

wherein the first prompting, the selecting, the second prompting, the comparing and the granting or denying are performed by a central site server.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a plurality of personal data records that includes the personal data record for the registered individual, each personal data record of the plurality of personal data records corresponding to a different registered individual and including a corresponding first numerical identifier and a corresponding biometric identifier,

wherein the plurality of personal data records are indexed in the database according to their respective first numerical identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting selects the personal data record using the second numerical identifier as a key to the indexed plurality of personal data records.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising, after the user has been granted access to the public telephone network:

analyzing speech of participants to a call; and

obtaining, based on the analyzing, a speech sample for each of the participants to the call.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing a first speech sample from among the obtained speech samples to the plurality of personal data records until a match is found to within a predetermined similarity or until no match to within the predetermined similarity is found; and

repeating the comparing for each remaining obtained speech sample.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determine an identity of each of the participants to the call whose speech sample matches one of the plurality of personal data records; and

determine as unauthorized each of the participants to the call whose speech sample does not match any of the plurality of personal data records.

21. A call management system for controlling access to a public communication network, the system comprising:

a telephone terminal;

a biometric sensor coupled to the telephone terminal;

a central site server including a memory that stores a plurality of inmate data records, each inmate data record containing a corresponding first identifier and a corresponding biometric baseline sample of a corresponding inmate;

an electronic switchboard device configured to interface the telephone terminal with the public communication network and to interface the telephone terminal with the central site server via a first communication port,

the central site server configured to, during each attempt to access the public communication network by a user;

first prompt the user to input a second identifier using the telephone terminal;

select an inmate data record from among the plurality of inmate data records whose first identifier matches the second identifier;

second prompt the user to provide a biometric sample using the biometric sensor;

compare vocal characteristics of the biometric sample only to vocal characteristics of the biometric baseline sample of the selected inmate data record;

determine that the biometric sample matches the biometric baseline sample with a predetermined degree of similarity; and

grant the user access to the public communication network to attempt to place a telephone call based on the determining,

wherein the vocal characteristics of the biometric sample include at least one of duration, loudness, mixed-frequencies, and timbre.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first communication port is a serial communication port.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first communication port is an RS-232 serial port.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic switchboard device is further configured to test outgoing trunk lines after the user has been granted access to the public communication network.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the electronic switchboard device is further configured to manage availability of the outgoing trunk lines based on the test.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic switchboard device is driven by firmware.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic switchboard device includes a plurality of switchboard devices.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a system concentrator card (SCC) that interfaces communications between the plurality of switchboard devices,

wherein the SCC is integrated to one of the plurality of switchboard devices.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the central site server is configured to perform the first prompt and the second prompt via the electronic switchboard device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the electronic switchboard device includes a plurality of call processing cards (CPCs) configured to provide the first prompt and the second prompt using voice prompts to the user.