Off-site detention monitoring system

• US 7,542,906 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: T-Netix, Inc. (Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: Webb, Carol E., Duke, Michael D., Rothacker, Rainer J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Opsasnick; Michael N
• Application Number:
  US10/945,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 340/304
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention provides an Internet based system and method for monitoring the location of a subject at any time via telephone voice verification. The system and method enables an agency officer to enroll a subject'"'"'s profile into a computerized system. The subject then responds to a series of verbally answered questions, the responses to which are utilized to establish a voice signature for the subject. Subsequently, the system and method automatically and periodically contacts the subject at pre-determined locations at pre-determined times to verify the subject'"'"'s actual presence at the locations via voice verification software. The present invention also enables the agency officer to monitor and review compliance efforts implemented by the Internet based system while also providing notifications of non-compliance by the subject to the agency officer under criteria previously established by the officer.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring compliance with a restriction program using a voice verification system, comprising:

initiating a telephone call from the voice verification system to a remote telecommunications device that is associated with a called party who is subject to the restriction program;

recording the telephone call to the called party in a memory of the voice verification system;

prompting the called party to provide a first password that is selected at random by the voice verification system from a plurality of passwords uniquely associated with the called party, the plurality of passwords stored in the memory of the voice verification system;

verifying a first response from the called party to determine if the first response is an acceptable match to the first password;

transmitting a unique message to the called party when the first response has been verified, wherein a user other than the called party has recorded the unique message specifically for the called party;

providing the user with real-time data indicating the results of the verifying step; and

providing the user with access to previous telephone calls to the called party, the previous telephone calls stored in the memory of the voice verification system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time data and the access to previous telephone calls are provided to the user via an Internet connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of timing options to the user, the timing options including initiating the telephone calls at random times, initiating the telephone calls at preselected times, and initiating the telephone calls upon demand by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the called party to provide a second password that is selected at random from the plurality of passwords when the first response is not an acceptable match to the first password; and

verifying a second response from the called party to determine if the second response is an acceptable match to the second password.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a parole officer and wherein the called party is a paroled individual.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a probation officer and wherein the called party is an individual on probation.

7. A method for monitoring compliance with a restriction program using a voice verification system, comprising:

initiating a telephone call from the voice verification system to a remote telecommunications device that is associated with a called party who is subject to the restriction program;

recording the telephone call to the called party in a memory of the voice verification system;

prompting the called party to provide a first password that is selected at random by the voice verification system from a plurality of passwords uniquely associated with the called party, the plurality of passwords stored in the memory of the voice verification system;

verifying a first response from the called party to determine if the first response is an acceptable match to the first password;

prompting the called party to provide a second password that is selected at random from the plurality of passwords when the first response is not an acceptable match to the first password; and

verifying a second response from the called party to determine if the second response is an acceptable match to the second password; and

establishing a telephone call to a user after a second or subsequent failed response from the called party, wherein the user is not in communication with the voice verification system during the verifying steps.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

playing the recorded telephone call to the user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

connecting the user on the second telephone call to the called party via the voice verification system.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

contacting a law enforcement agent after the second or a subsequent failed response from the called party, wherein the law enforcement agent is contacted using a method other than a telephone call.