Computer-based method and apparatus for controlling, monitoring, recording and reporting telephone access

• US 7,889,847 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Holdings, Inc. (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Gainsboro, Jay L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/435,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/38, 379/88.02, 379/88.01, 379/200, 340/573.4, 704/273
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/02 providing ringing current or supervisory tones, e.g. dialling tone or busy tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing institutional telephone activity utilizing a computer-based telephony management unit to connect institutional telephones with outside telephone lines. The unit provides institutional users with fully automated, direct dial and collect calling privileges for local, long distance, and international calls. The unit contains a database for storing the calling privileges and restrictions of institutional users, for recording calling transactions made by the users, and for managing user monetary accounts. The unit can record up to 400 hours of conversation in a digital format. The unit provides various administrative capabilities, including user account management, audit trails, transaction reports, centralized management and report capabilities, and detection of fraudulent calling.

Claims

1. A method of managing telephone activity between an institutional calling party and a non-institutional called party, the method comprising:

storing a voice print of the calling party;

receiving a request by the calling party to establish a telephone connection with the called party, the request including a spoken phrase;

sampling the spoken phrase;

comparing the sampled spoken phrase of the calling party with the stored voice print to verify an identity of the calling party;

establishing the telephone connection in response to at least in part positive verification of the identity of the calling party;

periodically sampling speech of the calling party while the telephone connection is established;

comparing the periodically sampled speech with the stored voice print; and

taking an action in response to a negative comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the action taken in response to the negative comparison comprises terminating the telephone connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoken phrase is a personal identification number (PIN).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sampling speech of the called party; and

comparing the sampled speech of the called party with the stored voice print to verify an identity of the called party.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing the telephone connection in response to at least in part information in an account associated with the calling party.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether the account is active; and

denying the request if the account is not active.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the sampled spoken phrase of the calling party; and

verifying at least one of a date of the telephone connection, a time of the telephone connection, and participation of the calling party in the telephone connection based on the stored sampled speech.

8. A system for managing telephone activity between an institutional calling party and a non-institutional called party, the system comprising:

a digital conversion component configured to receive, digitize, and store a voice print of the calling party;

an interface component configured arranged to receive a request from the calling party to establish a telephone connection with the called party, the request including a spoken phrase; and

a management component configured to sample the spoken phrase, compare the sampled spoken phrase with the stored voice print to verify an identity of the calling party, establish the telephone connection in response to at least in part positive verification of the identity of the calling party, periodically sample speech of the calling party while the telephone connection is established, sample speech of the called party, compare the sampled speech of the called party with the stored voice print to verify an identity of the called party, and take an action responsive to a negative comparison.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the management component is further configured to determine if an account associated with the calling party is active.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management component is further configured to deny the request if the account is not active.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the management component is further configured to store the sampled spoken phrase.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the action taken comprises terminating the telephone connection.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the management component is further configured to sample speech of the called party, and wherein the management component is further configured to compare the sampled speech of the called party with the stored voice print to verify an identity of the called party.