Inmate communications

• US 9,020,115 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hank Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Hank Technology LLC
• Inventors: Hangsleben, Dave W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/273,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20140334610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/188, 379/200, 348/14.01, 348/14.08
• US Class Current: 379/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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

Abstract

Inmate communications can include establishing a communication, between an inmate device and a registered device, and storing information associated with the communication in a local data store.

Claims

1. A system for inmate communications, comprising:

an inmate device including a graphical user interface (GUI) that initiates a communication request; and

a local server coupled to the inmate device, wherein the local server, responsive to the communication request, establishes a communication between the inmate device and a registered device associated with a registered telephone number using a verified communication capability of the registered device, and wherein the local server stores a recording of the communication and information associated with the communication in a local data store.

2. The system of claim 1, including a monitoring device having a GUI that displays the information associated with the communication, wherein the displayed information includes a unique address of the inmate device that is associated with a recording of the communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein system includes a central server, located at a location that is separate and distinct from the inmate device, which maintains billing information related to the communication.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inmate device initiates a communication request to utilize the verified capability of the registered device, and wherein verification of the verified communication capability of the registered device is performed by an entity other than an incarceration facility.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inmate device comprises an electronic tablet device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the local server establishes an audio communication between the inmate device and the registered device in response to a video communication being unavailable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication is an audio communication established by the local server via a public switched telephone network.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing resource to:

provide a communication request including identifying information to a local server, wherein the identifying information includes a unique address of an inmate device and information identifying a registered device;

receive, from the local server, an authorization to permit a communication between the inmate device and the registered device associated with a registered telephone number;

establish the communication between the inmate device and the registered device using a verified communication capability of the registered device;

record the communication;

store the recorded communication and information associated with the communication in the local server; and

cause a display of the information associated with the recorded communication including the unique address associated with the inmate device.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions to display include instructions to simultaneously display information associated with a plurality of communications including display of the information associated with the recorded communication.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein a communication of the plurality of communications is from a first location associated with the inmate device, wherein another communication of the plurality of communications is from another location associated with another inmate device, and wherein the first location and the another location are separate and distinct.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions include instructions to replay the recorded communication upon receipt of an input.

12. A method for inmate communications, comprising:

verifying a communication capability of a registered device;

causing a display of a prompt via an inmate device to an inmate;

receiving a selection of information displayed in the prompt, wherein the selected information includes a communication request to initiate a type of communication using the verified communication capability;

transmitting the selected information to a local server;

establishing, via the local server, a communication between the inmate device and the registered device associated with a registered telephone number, using the verified communication capability, when a cost associated with the type of communication is satisfied;

recording the communication;

storing the recorded communication and information associated with the communication in the local server; and

replaying the locally stored recorded communication.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication type is a video communication, and wherein a video communication capability of the registered device is verified prior to establishing a video communication between the inmate device and the registered device using a verified video communication capability.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method includes replaying the video communication and displaying the information associated with the communication simultaneously via a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the information associated with the communication includes a stored photograph of the inmate.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting includes transmitting, via the local server, the selected information to a central server, and wherein the method includes providing a balance of an account from the central server to the local server to determine whether the cost associated with the type of communication is satisfied based on the balance.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein storing the communication includes storing the entire communication only in a local server.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein establishing a communication includes establishing a video communication when a balance of a registered account satisfies a cost associated with the video communication.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the prompt includes display of an audio communication type without display of a video communication type when a balance with a registered account associated with a customer is insufficient to satisfy a video communication type.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the inmate device is included in a plurality of inmate devices, wherein the method includes displaying a respective status of each of the plurality of inmate devices via a graphical user interface (GUI).

20. The method of claim 12, wherein causing the display includes causing a display of the verified communication capability of the registered device.