Systems and methods for transaction and information management

• US 7,640,190 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evercom Systems Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Falcone, Richard, Johnson, Lee R., Sullivan, Robert E., Viola, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNHAM, JASON B
• Application Number:
  US10/602,233
• Time in Patent Office: 2,380 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 379/114, 379/189
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods which utilize information communication systems for transaction and information management. According to embodiments, an automated information management engine is provided enabling and facilitating the purchase of goods and services through various payment options resulting in increased profitability and visibility safely, securely and conveniently. Embodiments utilize a telephony system, and/or other information communication system, having access terminals disposed within a controlled environment facility for use by residents thereof to conduct transactions or other desirable exchanges of information, goods, services, etcetera. Embodiments provide integration across various aspects of transaction and information management, such as prepaid account management, collect calling services, and commissary services, to thereby facilitate seamless user interaction for account deposit, account status inquiry, commissary ordering, and collect calling. Interactive systems of embodiments operate intelligently to facilitate and/or optimize use thereof, such as to identify low account status and implement interaction to solicit deposit of funds.

Claims

1. A method for managing information with respect to a prison facility, said method comprising:

providing an information management system integrating goods acquisition functionality and telephone calling functionality;

establishing accounts associated with inmates of said prison facility;

establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprising designating a responsible party, other than said particular inmate, to be contact for increasing said funds level when determined to be too low;

using said information management system to conduct transactions associated with inmates of said prison facility, said transactions including at least goods acquisition and telephone calling services, wherein payment for said acquisition of said goods and said telephone calling services of ones of said transactions is provided using appropriate ones of said accounts;

presenting a menu of available services to an inmate, the available services including initiating a telephone call, ordering physical goods from a commissary within the prison facility, and ordering selected physical goods for delivery to a person outside the prison facility;

receiving a selection from the inmate indicating ordering of the selected physical goods for delivery to a person outside the prison facility;

charging an appropriate one of said accounts associated with the inmate for the selected physical goods;

determining when a funds level of a particular one of said accounts associated with a particular goods acquisition transaction is too low;

detecting when the particular inmate places a call to said responsible party using said information management system;

interrupting the call between the particular inmate and said responsible party to play a message soliciting additional funds from the responsible party; and

delivering the selected physical goods to the person outside the prison facility, the person designed by the inmate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate is accomplished by a person outside of said prison facility.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprises:

establishing one or more purposes for which said account is to be used.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprises:

establishing limits with respect to the extent to which said account may be used in conducting one or more types of transactions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said call is placed contemporaneously with the inmate ordering of the selected physical goods for delivery to a person outside the prison facility.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a flag with respect to said responsible party when said funds level is determined to be too low, said interacting with said responsible party being accomplished through reference to said flag a next time a call is placed to said responsible party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said using said information management system engine to conduct transactions comprises:

using interactive voice response to interface with users of said information management system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said interactive voice response includes voice command recognition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said using said information management system to conduct transactions comprises:

using biometric user identification technology.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said biometric user identification technology is selected from the group consisting of:

voice print technology;

finger print technology;

iris print technology; and

retinal print technology.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

delivering items to an inmate of said prison facility as ordered by said inmate.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering items to an inmate of said prison facility as ordered by a person outside of said prison facility.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein delivery of the selected physical goods to the person outside the prison facility is performed by a business service provider located outside of the prison facility.

14. A computer program product have a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for use in managing information with respect to a prison facility, said computer program product comprising:

code for providing an information management services integrating goods acquisition functionality and telephone calling functionality;

code for establishing accounts associated with inmates of said prison facility;

code for establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprising designating a responsible party, other than said particular inmate, to be contact for increasing said funds level when determined to be too low;

code for using said information management services to conduct transactions associated with inmates of said prison facility, said transactions including at least goods acquisition and telephone calling services, wherein payment for said transactions is provided using appropriate ones of said accounts;

code for presenting a menu of available services to an inmate, the available services including initiating a telephone call, ordering physical goods from a commissary within the prison facility, and ordering selected physical goods for delivery to a person outside the prison facility;

code for receiving a selection from the inmate indicating ordering of the selected physical goods for delivery to a person outside the prison facility;

code for charging an appropriate one of said accounts associated with the inmate for the selected physical goods;

code for determining when a funds level of a particular one of said accounts associated with a particular goods acquisition transaction is too low;

code for detecting when the particular inmate places a call to said responsible party using said information management system;

code for interrupting the call between the particular inmate and said responsible party to play a message soliciting additional funds from the responsible party; and

code for delivering the selected physical goods to the person outside the prison facility, the person designed by the inmate.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said code for establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprises:

code for establishing one or more purposes for which said account is to be used.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said code for establishing an account for the benefit of a particular inmate comprises:

code for establishing limits with respect to the extent to which said account may be used in conducting one more types of transactions.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

code for setting a flag with respect to said responsible party when said funds level is determined to be too low, said interacting with said responsible party being accomplished through reference to said flag a next time a call is placed to said responsible party.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein delivery of the selected physical goods to the person outside the prison facility is performed by a business service provider located outside of the prison facility.