Inmate messaging system and method

• US 6,665,380 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: T-Netix, Inc. (Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: McFarlen, John D., Cree, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/229,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.04, 379/88.04, 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/76, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/265.01, 379/265.03, 379/265.13
• US Class Current: 379/88.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

An inmate messaging system and method for notifying an inmate in a prison facility of messages received from a caller outside the prison facility. The caller dials into the inmate messaging system using, for example, a conventional “touch tone” telephone. The caller is prompted by the system for identifying information, which is verified against known information in a database. Identifying information can include a PIN for verifying the caller'"'"'s account. During a set-up session, the system prompts the caller to record her name. The name recording is used to verify the account when the caller leaves a message for the inmate, and is also used to identify the account when the inmate retrieves the message from within the prison. The caller can specify a time with the message for returning the telephone call, or have the call placed immediately. The inmate accesses the inmate messaging system via a prison telephone. If messages are pending for inmates residing in the vicinity of the phone, the inmate is provided with an option to retrieve a list of such pending messages. To hear specific messages, the inmate enters identifying information, such as a PIN. If the PIN is successfully verified, the system informs the inmate that a return call can be made to the caller anytime, or at a time specified by the caller.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of notifying an inmate in a prison facility of messages received from an external caller outside the prison facility, comprising:

storing a plurality of caller accounts, each caller account associated with an external caller and with a list of inmates allowed to receive a message from the external caller, wherein the external caller initiates generation of the caller account;

receiving account information from an external caller in response to a request for account information;

comparing the account information with information stored in the caller account to determine whether the caller account is valid;

receiving inmate information from the external caller in response to requests for inmate information;

comparing the inmate information with known information stored in the caller account to determine whether the inmate is on the list of inmates allowed to receive messages from the external caller;

recording a message from the external caller in response to a request from the external caller to leave a message; and

storing the message in a file associated with the account information for future retrieval by the inmate.

2. The method of claim of 1, further comprising:

prompting the external caller to state his name;

recording the voice of the external caller as the external caller states his name;

digitizing the recording; and

storing the recording in a file associated with the account information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

playing the recording for the external caller;

prompting the external caller to confirm the recording; and

receiving a response from the external caller indicating that the external caller confirms the recording.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

preventing the external caller from making more than a predetermined number of attempts to record the voice of the external caller.

5. The method of claim of 1, further comprising:

prompting the external caller to enter a personal identification number; and

receiving the personal identification number entered by the external caller.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

preventing the external caller from making more than a predetermined number of attempts to enter the personal identification number.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the external caller to enter a call back time for the inmate to call back the external caller;

receiving a call back time entered by the external caller; and

storing the call back time in a file associated with the account information for future retrieval by the inmate or the external caller.

8. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing a plurality of caller accounts, each caller account associated with an external caller and with a list of inmates allowed to receive a message from the external caller, wherein the external caller initiates generation of the caller account;

receiving account information from the external caller in response to a request for account information;

comparing the account information with information stored in the caller account to determine whether the caller account is valid;

receiving inmate information from the external caller in response to requests for inmate information;

comparing the inmate information with known information stored in the caller account to determine whether the inmate is on the list of inmates allowed to receive messages from the external caller;

recording a message from the external caller in response to a request from the external caller to leave a message; and

storing the message in a file associated with the account information for future retrieval by the inmate.

9. A computer-implemented method of notifying a called inmate in a prison facility of messages received from a caller outside the prison facility, comprising:

receiving a message from the caller for the called inmate after determining that the called inmate is included in a list of inmates allowed to receive messages from the caller, wherein the called inmate is prevented from generating the list;

checking a database for at least one message belonging to the called inmate in the prison facility;

detecting the received message;

announcing the received message to the called inmate;

providing a plurality of options to the called inmate, at least one option for playing the received message for the called inmate; and

playing the received message for the called inmate in response to the called inmate selecting the option for playing the message.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

prompting the called inmate to enter a personal identification number; and

receiving the personal identification number entered by the called inmate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

preventing the called inmate from making more than a predetermined number of attempts to enter the personal identification number.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the announcing step further comprises:

announcing only those messages that have been previously announced fewer than a predetermined number of times.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

allowing the called inmate to select an option from the group of options consisting of returning the call and refusing the call.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

recording the option selected by the called inmate for future retrieval by the called inmate.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

informing the called inmate that the caller has specified a call back time for returning the call.

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a message from the caller for an inmate after determining that the inmate is included in a list of inmates allowed to receive messages from the caller, wherein the inmate is prevented from generating the list;

checking a database for at least one message belonging to an inmate housed within the prison facility;

detecting the received message;

announcing the received message to the inmate;

providing a plurality of options to the inmate, at least one option for playing the received message for the inmate; and

playing the received message for the inmate in response to the inmate selecting the option for playing the message.

17. An inmate messaging system for notifying an inmate in a prison facility of telephone messages received from a caller outside the prison facility, comprising:

line control devices configured to interface the inmate messaging system with a telephone network;

a processor coupled to the line control devices configured to process telephone signals received from the telephone network;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising;

a remote caller module configured to cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

storing a plurality of caller accounts, each caller account associated with a caller and with a list of inmates allowed to receive a message from the caller, wherein inmates are prevented from generating the caller account;

receiving account information from a caller in response to a request for account information;

comparing the account information with information stored in the caller account to determine whether the caller account is valid;

receiving inmate information from the caller in response to requests for inmate information;

comparing the inmate information with known information stored in the caller account to determine whether the inmate is on the list of inmates allowed to receive messages from the caller;

recording a message from the caller in response to a request from the caller to leave a message; and

storing the message in a file associated with the account information for future retrieval by the inmate;

an inmate caller module configured to cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

checking a database for at least one message belonging to an inmate housed within the prison facility;

announcing the message to the inmate;

providing a plurality of options to the inmate, at least one option for playing the message for the inmate; and

playing the message for the inmate in response to the inmate selecting the option for playing the message.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a speech digitizer configured to record digitally the voice of the caller in response to a prompt from the system asking the caller to state the caller'"'"'s name; and

a storage device configured to store the digital recording for future retrieval by the inmate or the caller.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a telephone interface coupled to the processor configured to interface the inmate messaging system with a computer network, the computer network configured to permit an operator to monitor and control the inmate messaging system from a remote location.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory further comprises:

a call detail record having a plurality of data fields configured to store information from at least one information category from a group of information categories consisting of account information, message information, and inmate information.

21. A computer-implemented method of notifying an inmate in a prison facility of messages received from a caller outside the prison facility, comprising:

storing a plurality of caller accounts, each caller account associated with a caller, with an account identifier, and with a list of inmates allowed to receive a message from the caller, wherein the inmates are prevented from generating the caller account;

receiving an account identifier from a caller in response to a request for an account identifier;

determining whether the account identifier is associated with a valid account;

receiving an inmate identifier from the caller in response to requests for inmate information;

determining whether the inmate is on the list of inmates associated with the caller account;

recording a message from the caller in response to a request from the caller to leave a message; and

storing the message in a file associated with the inmate for future retrieval by the inmate.

22. A method of receiving a message from a party external to an institution, intended for a party inside the institution, comprising:

storing a plurality of accounts, each account associated with an external party, with an account identifier, and with a list of internal parties allowed to receive a message from the external party, wherein the internal party is prevented from requesting preparation of the account;

receiving an account identifier from an external party in response to a request for an account identifier;

determining whether the account identifier is associated with a valid account;

receiving an identifier associated with an internal party from the caller in response to requests for an internal party identifier;

determining whether the internal party is on the list of parties associated with the account;

recording a message from the external party in response to a request from the external party to leave a message; and

storing the message in a file associated with the internal party for future retrieval by the internal party.