Computer-based method and apparatus for controlling, monitoring, recording and reporting telephone access
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for controlling institutional communications, comprising:
- recording a conversation on telephone connection between a regulated calling party and a called party, the regulated calling party residing in an institution;
detecting tones arising during the telephone connection;
comparing the tones to a predetermined call-bridging tone set to identify an attempt to bridge the telephone connection between the regulated calling party and the called party to include a third party, wherein the call-bridging tone set includes at least one of dial tones, busy signal tones, ring signal tones, dual tone multi-frequency (“
DTMF”
) tones, and special instruction tones (“
SIT”
); and
executing call-bridging prevention instructions in response to an identified call-bridging attempt based upon comparing the tones to the predetermined call bridging tone set.
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Accused Products
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.
136 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for controlling institutional communications, comprising:
-
recording a conversation on telephone connection between a regulated calling party and a called party, the regulated calling party residing in an institution; detecting tones arising during the telephone connection; comparing the tones to a predetermined call-bridging tone set to identify an attempt to bridge the telephone connection between the regulated calling party and the called party to include a third party, wherein the call-bridging tone set includes at least one of dial tones, busy signal tones, ring signal tones, dual tone multi-frequency (“
DTMF”
) tones, and special instruction tones (“
SIT”
); andexecuting call-bridging prevention instructions in response to an identified call-bridging attempt based upon comparing the tones to the predetermined call bridging tone set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A call management system, comprising:
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a management unit arranged to record a conversation on a telephone connection between a regulated calling party residing in an institution and a called party, wherein the management unit is further arranged to detect tones arising during the telephone connection; and a computer control unit arranged to compare the tones to a predetermined call-bridging tone set to identify an attempt to bridge the telephone connection between the regulated calling party and the called party to include a third party, wherein the call-bridging tone set includes at least one of dial tones, busy signal tones, ring signal tones, dual tone multi-frequency (“
DTMF”
) tones, and special instruction tones (“
SIT”
), and wherein the computer control unit is arranged to execute call-bridging prevention instructions in response to an identified call-bridging attempt based upon the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification