Portable system for institutional telephone service provision

• US 8,903,066 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Orr, Charles David, Reynolds, Jason Adam, Thomasson, Todd Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, ANTIM G
• Application Number:
  US13/735,280
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/32.04, 379/35, 379/188, 379/189, 379/32.05, 379/196, 370/352, 370/401
• US Class Current: 379/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/667 Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set H04M1/677 takes precedence
• 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 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• 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 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment provides a device comprising: a connection panel configured to accept a removable connection to a telephone of a controlled access residential institution; a network router connected to the connection panel and configured to connect to a remote network; and an access and security module connected to the network router and configured to control access by the telephone to telephone services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network. The connection panel, the network router, and access and security module can be at least partially enclosed within a portable enclosure. The device may further comprise a power distribution unit within the enclosure and connected to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a connection panel configured to accept a removable connection to multiple telephones of a controlled access residential institution;

a network router connected to the connection panel and configured to connect to a remote network; and

an access and security module connected to the network router and configured to control access by the telephone to telephone services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the access and security module is configured to establish and control a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the call processing center; and

wherein the connection panel, the network router, and access and security module are at least partially enclosed within a portable enclosure, wherein the device is configured to be installed and connected without hard wiring and without mounting and to be relocated as a single unit,

wherein the device is configured for;

providing access by one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network while a non-portable device is installed to provide access by the one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network; and

removal from the controlled access residential Institution after Installation of the non-portable device.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a power distribution unit within the enclosure and connected to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the power distribution unit comprises a power cord for connecting to and receiving power from a power outlet at the controlled access residential institution.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the portable enclosure comprises wheels for rolling the enclosure on underlying floor surfaces.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the portable enclosure encloses the connection panel, the network router, and access and security module within a space of equal to or less than 24 cubic feet.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect to the remote network via a wired connection available at the controlled access residential institution.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network and configured to connect to the remote network via a wired connection available at the controlled access residential institution.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) gateway for converting analog signals received from the telephone of the controlled access residential institution.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless local area network component for wirelessly connecting to a wireless communication device at the controlled access residential institution to allow the wireless communication device to access resources on the network subject to control by the remote call processing center.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the telephone services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network comprise connecting and monitoring a call between the telephone at the controlled access residential institution and a telephone at a remote location.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the telephone services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network comprise authenticating a called party before or during a call between the telephone at the controlled access residential institution and a telephone at a remote location.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the access and security module is a firewall.

14. A method comprising:

preconfiguring a portable device at a location remote from a controlled access residential institution, wherein the preconfigured portable device comprises;

a connection module configured to connect to an electronic communication device via a wireless or wired connection;

a network router prewired to the connection module and configured to connect to a remote network; and

an access and security module prewired to the network router and configured to control access by the electronic communication device to services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the access and security module is configured to establish and control a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the call processing center;

installing the portable device at the controlled access residential institution to allow the electronic communication device at the controlled access residential institution to access the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the device is installed and connected without hard wiring and without mounting, the device capable of being relocated as a single unit; and

while the portable device is providing access by one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network, installing a non-portable device configured to provide access by the one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network; and

removing the portable device from the controlled access residential institution after installing the non-portable device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein installing the portable device at the controlled access residential institution comprises connecting the portable device to a power outlet at the controlled access residential institution.

16. A device comprising:

a connection module configured to connect to an electronic communication device via a wireless or wired connection;

a network router prewired to the connection module and configured to connect to a remote network;

an access and security module prewired to the network router and configured to control access by the electronic communication device to services provided by accessing a remote call processing center via the remote network, wherein the access and security module is configured to establish and control a virtual private network (VPN) connection with the call processing center; and

a power distribution unit prewired to provide power to the network router and to the access and security module;

wherein the connection panel, the network router, access and security module, and power distribution unit are at least partially enclosed within a portable enclosure, wherein the device is configured to be installed and connected without hard wiring and without mounting and to be relocated as a single unit; and

wherein the device is configured for;

providing access by one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network while a non-portable device is installed to provide access by the one or more electronic communication devices at the controlled access residential institution to the services provided by accessing the remote call processing center via the remote network; and

removal from the controlled access residential institution after installation of the non-portable device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the power distribution unit comprises a power cord for connecting to and receiving power from a power outlet at the controlled access residential institution.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the portable enclosure comprises wheels for rolling the enclosure on underlying floor surfaces.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the network router is configured to connect wirelessly to the remote network.