Computer-based method and apparatus for controlling, monitoring, recording and reporting telephone access

• US 5,926,533 A
• Filed: 10/04/1996
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Opus Telecom, LLC, Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Opus Telecom, Inc.
• Inventors: Gainsboro, Jay L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Application Number:
  US08/726,217
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/188, 379/189, 379/194, 379/200, 379/386, 379/114, 379/35, 379/67.1, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 379/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/02 providing ringing current or supervisory tones, e.g. dialling tone or busy tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• 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 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• 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 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A telephone station interface is provided with apparatus for detecting when a called party has or is attempting to patch or bridge one telephone call with another telephone call. The detecting of such bridging or conferencing is accomplished through the detection of tones which are commonly associated with such activities, such as a ring signal, a busy signal, special information tones (SIT tones), dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones or so-called Touch Tones, call progress tones, or other tones that occur when calls are placed. The present invention does not have the capability of sensing clicks, pops, or other audio signals associated with the conferencing of multiple communications circuits. The method and apparatus herein are for managing institutional telephone activity, and utilize a computer control unit to control a trunk management unit, which connects institutional telephones to outside telephone lines.

Claims

1. A method of managing telephone activity in an institution, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first communication connection between an institutional caller and an outside recipient;

(2) sensing dial tones present along said first communication connection; and

(3) comparing said dial tones with a set of predetermined tones to determine whether said outside recipient is attempting to bridge said first communication connection with a second communication connection.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cadence of said dial tones is detected.

3. A method of managing telephone activity in an institution, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first communication connection between an institutional caller and an outside recipient;

(2) sensing ring tones present along said first communication connection; and

(3) comparing said ring tones with a set of predetermined tones to determine whether said outside recipient is attempting to bridge said first communication connection with a second communication connection.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the cadence of said ring tones is detected.

5. A method of managing telephone activity in an institution, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first communication connection between an institutional caller and an outside recipient;

(2) sensing busy tones present along said first communication connection; and

(3) comparing said busy tones with a set of predetermined tones to determine whether said outside recipient is attempting to bridge said first communication connection with a second communication connection.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the cadence of said busy tones is detected.

7. A method of managing telephone activity in an institution, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first communication connection between an institutional caller and an outside recipient;

(2) sensing SIT tones present along said first communication connection; and

(3) comparing said SIT tones with a set of predetermined tones to determine whether said outside recipient is attempting to bridge said first communication connection with a second communication connection.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the cadence of said SIT tones is detected.

9. A method of managing telephone activity in an institution, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first communication connection between an institutional caller and an outside recipient;

(2) sensing call progress tones present along said first communication connection; and

(3) comparing said call progress tones with a set of predetermined tones to determine whether said outside recipient is attempting to bridge said first communication connection with a second communication connection.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the cadence of said call progress tones is detected.

11. An apparatus for managing telephone comprising:

(1) a first communication connection between a caller and a called party;

(2) a tone monitor for monitoring said first communication connection, wherein said monitor is responsive to the occurrence of dial tones, and wherein said dial tones correspond to attempts by said called party to connect said first communication connection with a second communication connection; and

(3) a call handler activated by said tone monitor for preventing said first and said second communication connections from being connected.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cadence of said dial tones is detected.

13. An apparatus for managing telephone comprising:

(1) a first communication connection between a caller and a called party;

(2) a tone monitor for monitoring said first communication connection, wherein said monitor is responsive to the occurrence of ring tones, and wherein said ring tones correspond to attempts by said called party to connect said first communication connection with a second communication connection; and

(3) a call handler activated by said tone monitor for preventing said first and said second communication connections from being connected.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the cadence of said ring tones is detected.

15. An apparatus for managing telephone comprising:

(1) a first communication connection between a caller and a called party;

(2) a tone monitor for monitoring said first communication connection, wherein said monitor is responsive to the occurrence of busy tones, and wherein said busy tones correspond to attempts by said called party to connect said first communication connection with a second communication connection; and

(3) a call handler activated by said tone monitor for preventing said first and said second communication connections from being connected.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the cadence of said busy tones is detected.

17. An apparatus for managing telephone comprising:

(1) a first communication connection between a caller and a called party;

(2) a tone monitor for monitoring said first communication connection, wherein said monitor is responsive to the occurrence of SIT tones, and wherein said SIT tones correspond to attempts by said called party to connect said first communication connection with a second communication connection; and

(3) a call handler activated by said tone monitor for preventing said first and said second communication connections from being connected.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the cadence of said SIT tones is detected.

19. An apparatus for managing telephone comprising:

(1) a first communication connection between a caller and a called party;

(2) a tone monitor for monitoring said first communication connection, wherein said monitor is responsive to the occurrence of call progress tones, and wherein said call progress tones corresponds to attempts by said called party to connect said first communication connection with a second communication connection; and

(3) a call handler activated by said tone monitor for preventing said first and said second communication connections from being connected.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the cadence of said call progress tones is detected.