Centralized call processing

• US 8,577,003 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Rae, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, ANTIM G
• Application Number:
  US13/009,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20110110276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/189, 379/32.01, 379/35, 379/207.01, 370/260, 370/261, 370/401, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and/or as POTS trunking Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and/or analysis across multiple facilities served.

Claims

1. A centralized call processing system, comprising:

a networking device connected to a plurality of call processing gateways of a plurality of prison facilities located remotely from the centralized call processing system via a wide area network (WAN), the networking device configured to;

receive outgoing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) data packets from prison facilities; and

send incoming VoIP data packets to the prison facilities;

an unauthorized call activity detection system connected to the networking device for detecting three-way call activity associated with the outgoing VoIP data packets or the incoming VoIP data packets via a local area network (LAN);

a call application management system connected via the LAN to the networking device for processing the outgoing VoIP data packets for transmission to a telephone carrier network, the call application management system processing signals from the first telephone carrier network into the incoming VoIP data packets; and

a validation system connected via the LAN to the call application management system and configured to allow or disallow completion or continuing of a particular call of the plurality of prison facilities through the telephone carrier network based on the outgoing VoIP data packets or the incoming VoIP data packets.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a billing system connected to the LAN and configured to manage billing associated with the calls made through the system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a call recording system connected to the LAN and configured to record at least part of the calls made through the system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the call application management system is configured to select calls to be recorded by the call recording system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a justice application management system connected to the LAN and configured to manage information about inmates at the prison facilities.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a commerce system connected to the LAN and configured to manage commissary orders placed by inmates at the prison facilities.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a call treatment system connected to the LAN and configured to communicate with a signaling network of the telephone carrier network to determine whether a call forwarding feature is activated for call numbers associated with the calls made through the system.

8. A method comprising:

receiving outgoing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) data packets from a plurality of prison facilities by a networking device via a wide area network (WAN);

sending incoming VoIP data packets to the prison facilities via the WAN by the networking device;

routing the outgoing VoIP data packets or the incoming VoIP data packets in a local area network (LAN) in a centralized call processing system to detect three-way call activity associated with the outgoing VoIP data packets or the incoming VoIP data packets;

routing the outgoing VoIP data packets via the LAN to process the outgoing VoIP data packets for transmission to a telephone carrier network;

processing signals from the telephone carrier network into the incoming VoIP data;

routing the incoming VoIP data packets via the LAN for transmission to the plurality of prison facilities via the WAN; and

allowing or disallowing completion or continuation of a particular call of the plurality of prison facilities through the telephone carrier network based on the outgoing VoIP data packets or the incoming VoIP data packets by communicating data over the LAN.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising managing billing associated with the calls made through the networking device by communicating data over the LAN.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising recording at least part of the calls made through the networking device by communicating data over the LAN.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting calls to be recorded by communicating data over the LAN.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising managing information about inmates at the prison facilities by communicating data over the LAN.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising managing commissary orders placed by inmates at the prison facilities by communicating data over the LAN.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating with a signaling network of the telephone carrier network to determine whether a call forwarding feature is activated for call numbers associated with the calls made through the networking device.