Information dissemination systems and methods for use in a controlled environment facility
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, at a notification controller, notification of a pending message for a resident of a controlled-environment facility;
associating a separate transmitter with each of a plurality of different residents of the controlled environment facility, wherein each transmitter is operable to transmit wireless communication that identifies the respective resident with whom the transmitter is associated;
receiving wireless communication from the transmitter associated with the resident, the wireless communication received at a receiver associated with one or more of a plurality of different communication devices;
determining the one of the plurality of different communication devices that is nearest the resident based at least in part on the received wireless communication;
determining, by the notification controller, an appropriate one of a plurality of different communication devices to use for notifying the resident of the pending message; and
directing, by the notification controller, notification of the pending message to the determined appropriate communication device.
33 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments are provided for managing notification of residents of a controlled-environment facility of pending messages awaiting retrieval by such residents. In one embodiment, a messaging system is provided in which a party external to the controlled-environment facility may record a message intended for a resident of the controlled-environment facility. A notification controller receives notification of the pending message for the resident and determines an appropriate communication device to use for notifying the resident of the pending message. In certain embodiments, a wireless location tracking system, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, is employed to determine a communication device that is in the vicinity of the resident, wherein the notification controller directs notification of the pending message to the determined communication device.
30 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a notification controller, notification of a pending message for a resident of a controlled-environment facility; associating a separate transmitter with each of a plurality of different residents of the controlled environment facility, wherein each transmitter is operable to transmit wireless communication that identifies the respective resident with whom the transmitter is associated; receiving wireless communication from the transmitter associated with the resident, the wireless communication received at a receiver associated with one or more of a plurality of different communication devices; determining the one of the plurality of different communication devices that is nearest the resident based at least in part on the received wireless communication; determining, by the notification controller, an appropriate one of a plurality of different communication devices to use for notifying the resident of the pending message; and directing, by the notification controller, notification of the pending message to the determined appropriate communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a notification controller, notification of a pending message for a resident of a controlled-environment facility; determining, by the notification controller, an appropriate one of a plurality of different communication devices to use for notifying the resident of the pending message based at least in part on determining that the resident is using the appropriate one of the plurality of different communication devices; and directing, by the notification controller, notification of the pending message to the determined appropriate communication device. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a notification controller, notification of a pending message for a resident of a controlled-environment facility; determining, by the notification controller, an appropriate one of a plurality of different communication devices to use for notifying the resident of the pending message; directing, by the notification controller, notification of the pending message to the determined appropriate communication device; receiving a return message from the resident for a party whom the pending message is from; and directing notification of the return message to the party. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method comprising:
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associating a wireless transmitter with a resident of a controlled-environment facility, wherein said wireless transmitter transmits information identifying the resident, wherein associating the wireless transmitter with the resident comprises at least one of;
the resident wearing a bracelet that includes the transmitter, the resident wearing a badge that includes the transmitter, and physically coupling the transmitters to the resident;associating with each of a plurality of communication devices a respective wireless receiver that is operable to receive transmitted information from the wireless transmitter when the wireless transmitter is in vicinity thereof; receiving, into a messaging system, a message for the resident; receiving, at a notification controller, notification of the message; determining, based at least in part on the wireless receivers, one of the plurality of communication devices that is in vicinity of the resident; and directing, by said notification controller, notification of the message to the determined one of the plurality of communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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associating a wireless transmitter with a resident of a controlled-environment facility, wherein said wireless transmitter transmits information identifying the resident; associating with each of a plurality of communication devices a respective wireless receiver that is operable to receive transmitted information from the wireless transmitter when the wireless transmitter is in vicinity thereof; receiving, into a messaging system, a message for the resident; receiving, at a notification controller, notification of the message; determining, based at least in part on the wireless receivers, one of the plurality of communication devices that is in vicinity of the resident; directing, by said notification controller, notification of the message to the determined one of the plurality of communication devices; receiving, into the messaging system, a return message from the resident for a party whom the message for the resident is from; and directing notification of the return message to the party. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A system comprising:
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a plurality of communication devices within a controlled-environment facility, each of the plurality of communication devices having a respective wireless receiver associated therewith; a wireless transmitter associated with a resident of the controlled-environment facility, the wireless transmitter operable to transmit identification of the resident with whom it is associated, wherein the wireless transmitter is associated with the resident by at least one of the following;
the resident wearing a bracelet that includes the transmitter, the resident wearing a badge that includes the transmitter, and physically coupling the transmitters to the resident;a messaging system operable to receive a message for the resident; and a notification controller operable to determine that the message for the resident is received by the messaging system, determine, based at least in part on the wireless receivers, one of the plurality of communication devices that the resident is nearest, and direct notification of the message for the resident to the determined one of the plurality of communication devices that the resident is nearest. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system comprising:
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a message board that is operable to output textual messages to residents of a controlled-environment facility; a messaging system operable to receive a message for a resident of the controlled-environment facility; and a notification controller operable to determine that the message for the resident is received by the messaging system, and direct notification of the message for the resident to the message board. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system comprising:
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a plurality of communication devices within a controlled-environment facility; a messaging system operable to; a) receive a message from a party outside the controlled-environment facility for a resident of the controlled-environment facility, and b) receive a message from the resident of the controlled-environment facility for the party outside the controlled-environment facility; and an information dissemination manager operable to; a) manage notification of the resident of a pending message for the resident in the messaging system, including selecting one of the plurality of communication devices to which to direct notification of the pending message for the resident, and b) manage notification of the party outside the controlled-environment facility of a pending message for the party in the messaging system.
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Specification