Systems and methods for call treatment using a third party database

• US 8,098,804 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Rae, Robert L., Viola, John J., Falcone, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramahrishnaiah, Melur
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US11/562,800
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 379/29.09, 379/114.23, 379/121.04, 379/142.06, 379/201.1, 379/88.02, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.03, 379/207.13, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 705/1, 370/278, 370/282, 370/395.2
• US Class Current: 379/142.05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• 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 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier

Abstract

Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may be made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing, via one or more computer systems,

receiving an indication of a telephone call initiated by a resident of a controlled environment facility to a non-resident of the controlled environment facility;

receiving, from a third party database, information related to the non-resident, wherein said third party database is not configured for identifying undesired call activity;

identifying, based at least in part upon the obtained information, a security risk that the resident represents to the non-resident, the security risk including a security risk score;

receiving a telephone billing name associated with the non-resident from a Line Information Database (LIDB);

comparing the telephone billing name with a name of the non-resident as stored in the third party database;

adjusting the security risk score based, at least in part, upon the comparison; and

determining whether to allow the telephone call based, at least in part, upon the security risk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said third party database comprises a victim notification database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said information comprises a victim'"'"'s telephone number.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said information comprises victim identification information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the security risk includes calculating a security risk score based, at least in part, upon past call activity involving at least one of the resident or the non-resident.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the security risk includes calculating a security risk score based, at least in part, upon a temporal proximity between the telephone call and another event concerning at least one of the resident or the non-resident.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the security risk includes calculating a security risk score, and wherein determining whether to allow the telephone call includes comparing the security risk score to a threshold value.

8. A method comprising:

performing, via one or more computer systems,

receiving an indication of an initiation of a telephone call by an inmate within a controlled environment facility to an individual outside of the controlled environment facility;

receiving information associated with the individual from a victim notification database, the information “

comprising a name of a victim”

;

calculating a security risk score based, at least in part, upon the received information, the security risk score related to a security risk that the inmate represents to the individual; and

making a call treatment decision with respect to said telephone call based, at least in part, upon the security risk score.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said telephone call includes a three-way telephone call.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said information associated with the individual comprises a telephone number.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said information associated with the individual comprises identification of a victim.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said information associated with the individual comprises identification of a legal representative.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said information associated with the individual comprises identification of a judge.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said information associated with the individual comprises a geographic region.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the information from the victim notification database includes accessing said victim notification database at a point of call validation or caller verification.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein making said call treatment decision comprises causing said telephone call to be blocked.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein making said call treatment decision comprises causing said telephone call to be allowed.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein making said call treatment decision comprises issuing a notification with respect to said initiation of said telephone call.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the security risk score further comprises:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

comparing at least one portion of the information received from the victim notification database with other information received from a line information database; and

increasing the security risk score in response to a match between the at least one portion of the information and the other information.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the security risk score further comprises:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

comparing at least a portion of the information received from the victim notification database with at least one of a telephone billing name or number information received from another database; and

increasing the security risk score in response to a match between the at least one portion of the information and at least one of the telephone billing name or number information.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the security risk score further comprises:

increasing the security risk score based, at least in part, upon a determination that another inmate within the controlled environment facility is accused or convicted of a crime associated with the individual.

22. The method of claim 8, wherein said security risk score is graduated.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said making said treatment decision further comprises:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

determining if said security risk score is above or below a predetermined threshold.

24. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

calculating the security risk score based, at least in part, upon the inmate'"'"'s past calling activity.

25. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

calculating the security risk score based, at least in part, upon a crime the inmate is accused or convicted of.

26. The method of claim 8, wherein said security risk further comprising:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

calculating the security risk score based, at least in part, upon a temporal proximity between the telephone call and an event associated with at least one of the inmate or the individual, the event selected from the group consisting of;

an arraignment, a hearing, and a sentencing.

27. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, via the one or more computer systems,

adjusting the security risk score based, at least in part, upon an identification of the controlled environment facility.

28. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and to a plurality of user terminals located within a controlled environment facility, the processor operable to;

receive information from a database, the information corresponding to a party to a communication initiated via a given one of the plurality of user terminals operated by a resident of the controlled environment facility, the party being a non-resident of the controlled environment facility the party comprising a victim of a crime identified based, at least in part, upon said information from said database;

calculate a graduated score based, at least in part, upon the received information, the graduated score indicating a security risk to the party; and

control an aspect of the communication based, at least in part, upon the graduated score.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said party comprises a legal representative identified based, at least in part, upon said information from said database.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said party comprises a judge identified based, at least in part, upon as a function of said information from said database.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein database comprises a victim notification database.