Telecommunication call management and monitoring system with voiceprint verification

• US 8,509,736 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US12/951,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 455/565, 455/405, 455/410, 455/411, 455/415, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/563, 455/569, 379/114, 379/118, 379/191, 379/93.02, 379/142.05, 379/88.26, 379/88.02, 379/200, 379/188, 704/244, 704/270, 704/207, 704/208, 704/246
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/083 Recognition networks G10L15/142, G10L15/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/305 Wireless codes, e.g. Bluetooth or RFID
• 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 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/12 Language recognition, selection or translation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• 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 3/38 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 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 : Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A secure telephone call management system is provided for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. Authentication of the users of the telephone call management system is accomplished by using a personal identification number, biometric means, and/or radio frequency means. The secure telephone call management system includes accounting software capable of limiting access to the system based on funds in a user'"'"'s account, and includes management software capable of implementing widespread or local changes to the system. The system monitors a conversation in the telephone call to detect a presence of a first characteristic in audio of the conversation, and terminates the telephone call if the first characteristic does not match a second characteristic of biometric information of a user or a called party.

Claims

1. A call management system for detecting an unauthorized party, comprising:

a control platform configured to;

store a first voiceprint of a local user and a second voiceprint of a remote user;

monitor audio information of a telephone conversation between said local user and said remote user to detect a presence of a first characteristic;

compare said first characteristic with each of a second characteristic in said first voiceprint and a third characteristic in said second voiceprint; and

take a control action related to said telephone conversation based on a result of the comparison of said first characteristic with said second and third characteristics,

wherein said audio information is analyzed to detect said presence of said first characteristic, and

wherein each of the first, second, and third characteristics is at least one of a pitch, loudness, frequency or timbre.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said audio information is sampled to detect said presence of said first characteristic.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control platform is, further configured to:

store a first identification number of said local user and a second identification number of said remote user,

authenticate said local user by determining whether said first identification number matches a third identification number received from the local user, and

authenticate said remote user by determining whether said second identification number matches a fourth identification number received from the remote user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said first and said second identification numbers is selected from the group consisting of a personal identification number, a biometric information, and a radio frequency identification information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said third and said fourth identification numbers is received from a dual tone multi-frequency keypad.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and said second voiceprints are obtained from said conversation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control platform authenticates said local user by determining whether said first voiceprint matches a third voiceprint received from the local user and authenticates the remote user by determining whether said second voiceprint matches a fourth voiceprint received from the remote user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said control platform is further configured to monitor said telephone conversation for a hook flash, wherein said hook-flash is indicative of three-way calling.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said control platform is further configured to maintain information regarding costs of conversations by said local user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said control action comprises terminating said telephone conversation.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said control action comprises issuing an alert.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring said telephone conversation for a hook flash, wherein said hook-flash is indicative of three-way calling.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining information regarding costs of conversations by said local user.

12. A method for detecting an unauthorized party in a telephone call, comprising:

storing a first voiceprint of a local user and a second voiceprint of a remote user;

monitoring audio information of a telephone conversation between said local user and said remote user to detect a presence of a first characteristic,

comparing said first characteristic with each of a second characteristic in said first voiceprint and a third characteristic in said second voiceprint,

taking a control action related to said telephone conversation based on a result of the comparing said first characteristic with said second and third characteristics,

wherein said audio information is analyzed to detect said presence of said first characteristic, and

wherein each of the first, second, and third characteristics is at least one of a pitch, loudness, frequency or timbre.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said audio information is sampled to detect said presence of said first characteristic.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a first identification number of said location user and a second identification number of said remote user;

authenticating said local user by determining whether said first identification number matches a third identification number received from the local user, and

authenticating said remote user by determining whether said second identification number matches a fourth identification number received from the local user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said third and said fourth identification numbers is received from a dual tone multi-frequency keypad.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said first and said second identification numbers is selected from the group consisting of a personal identification number, a biometric information, and a radio frequency identification information.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said first and said second voiceprints are obtained from said conversation.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising authenticating said local user by determining whether said first voiceprint matches a third voiceprint received from the local user and authenticating the remote user by determining whether said second voiceprint matches a fourth voiceprint received from the remote user.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein said control action comprises terminating said telephone conversation.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said control action comprises issuing an alert.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which by a processor cause the processor to perform operations for detecting an unauthorized party, the operations comprising:

storing a first voiceprint of a local user and a second voiceprint of a remote user;

monitoring audio information of a telephone conversation between said local user and said remote user to detect a presence of a first characteristic,

comparing said first characteristic with each of a second characteristic in said first voiceprint and a third characteristic in said second voiceprint,

taking a control action related to said telephone conversation based on a result of the comparing said first characteristic with said second and third characteristics,

wherein said audio information is analyzed to detect said presence of said first characteristic, and

wherein each of the first, second, and third characteristics is at least one of a pitch, loudness, frequency or timbre.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein said audio information is sampled to detect said presence of said first characteristic.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising:

storing a first identification number of said local user and a second identification number of said remote user;

authenticating said local user by determining whether said first identification number matches a third identification number received from the local user, and

authenticating said remote user by whether said second identification number matches a fourth identification number received from the local user.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein each of said first and said second identification numbers is selected from the group consisting of a personal identification number, a biometric information, and a radio frequency identification information.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein said third and said fourth identification numbers are received from a dual tone multi-frequency keypad.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein said first and said second voiceprints are obtained from said conversation.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising authenticating said local user by determining whether said first voiceprint matches a third voiceprint received from the local user and authenticating the remote user by determining whether said second voiceprint matches a fourth voiceprint received from the remote user.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising monitoring said telephone call for a hook flash, wherein said hook-flash is indicative of three-way calling.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising maintaining information regarding costs of conversations by said local user.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein said control action comprises terminating said telephone conversation.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein said control action comprises issuing an alert.