Method and apparatus for providing both audio/video visitation and VOIP telephonic visitation originated either by an inmate or by an outside visitor directly between inmates of a prison and an outside visitor without need of intervention by prison personnel

• US 9,124,763 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Homewav Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: HomeWAV, LLC
• Inventors: Humphries, Gary James
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US13/771,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.2, 379/114.21, 379/114.23, 348/14.01, 348/14.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• 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 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• 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: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons wherein audio/video and VoIP visitation may be originated by either an inmate or an outside visitor. An inmate uses an individual portable electronic device in his/her possession to communicate exclusively with the visitation system. Through the visitation system video messages, video visitations, and VoIP telecommunications may be exchanged between the inmate and a registered visitor having an Internet-enabled device. Communication requires no endpoint control by prison personnel. All communications may be subject to intervention, recordation, and monitoring by prison personnel. Payment for services is prepaid by visitors using an on-line payment service eliminating involvement of prison personnel. All non-privileged calls are recorded. All calls may be monitored. A fee-per-minute is charged. Time is tracked for each call. The call duration and time remaining for a call may be displayed for both the visitor and the inmate.

Claims

1. An Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons wherein audio/video and VoIP visitation may be originated by either an inmate or an outside visitor (visitation system), comprising:

a) at least one portable electronic communications device (device) in exclusive possession of an inmate for sole use thereby, said device being connectable only to a visitation system, said portable electronic communications device comprising;

a screen including a keypad, a video camera, a processor, an earphone jack, and a communications interface all operatively connected one to another, said communications interface being selectively operatively connected to said visitation system;

b) an Internet-connected visitor station comprising a video display, a processor, a camera, a microphone, a speaker, and a network interface all operatively connected to said processor and software comprising computer instructions for managing an audio/video or VoIP telephonic visit by a preauthorized visitor with an inmate through said visitation system;

c) an Internet-based administrative facility operatively connected to and communicative with the Internet for managing audio/video and VoIP telephonic interconnections of said portable electronic communications device in possession of said inmate and said Internet-connected visitor station, said Internet-based administrative facility comprising;

i) means for receiving funds exclusively from said preauthorized visitor through an Internet based payment service operatively connected to said Internet-based administrative facility, said funds used exclusively for visitation with said inmate;

ii) means for storing in a database information related to said inmate using said portable electronic communications device in possession of said inmate, said device, and said preauthorized visitor using said Internet-connected visitor station;

iii) means for creating an interconnection between said portable electronic communications device in possession of said inmate and said Internet-connected visitor station depending upon said information related to said inmate, said portable electronic communications device in possession of said inmate and said visitor, said interconnection forming one selected from the group;

an audio/video visit, and a VoIP telephonic visit, said interconnection being established at the mutual convenience of said inmate and said registered visitor without prior scheduling and with no intervention required by prison personnel; and

iv) means for timing said interconnection based on at least one selected from the group;

an allowable maximum time for a visit, and a dollar amount of funds available to support said visit.

2. The Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 1, wherein said device comprises one selected from the group:

a smart phone, a tablet computer, and other portable electronic device.

3. The Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a front-facing camera disposed to capture at least an image of said inmate while using said portable electronic communication device.

4. A method of using an Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons wherein audio/video and VoIP visitation may be originated by either an inmate or preauthorized outside visitor, the steps comprising:

a) providing an Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system (visitation system) for prisons wherein audio/video and VoIP visitation may be originated by either an inmate or an outside visitor, said visitation system comprising at least one portable electronic communications device in exclusive possession of an inmate for sole use thereby, said portable electronic communications device comprising a communications interface selectively being connectable only to said visitation system, and a visitor station connected to and communicative with the Internet;

b) using said visitation system to register at least one inmate incarcerated in a prison and recording information uniquely identifying said device in his or her exclusive possession, thereafter said inmate being a registered inmate;

c) registering at least one visitor authorized to visit with said at least one inmate using said visitation system, thereafter said visitor being a registered visitor;

d) using said visitation system to allow at least one of the group;

said registered inmate and said registered visitor to perform one of the operations selected from the group;

view a received video message from a non-selected one of said registered inmate and said registered visitor, record and send a video message to a non-selected one of said registered inmate and said registered visitor, initiate a video visitation with a non-selected one of said registered inmate and said registered visitor, and institute a VoIP telecommunication with a non-selected one of said registered inmate and said registered visitor, all without intervention by prison personnel.

5. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 4 the steps further comprising:

e) providing an audio/video recording facility forming part of and operatively connected to said Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system; and

f) using said audio/video recording facility to record at least a portion of one selected from the group;

a video message, an audio/video visitation, and a VoIP telecommunication between said registered inmate and said registered visitor.

6. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 5, the steps further comprising:

g) prior to said recording step (f), determining if said registered visitor is exempt from having his/her communication recorded selected from the group;

a video message, an audio/video visitation, and a VoIP telecommunication recorded; and

j) when said registered visitor is exempt from having his/her communication recorded, suppressing execution of said recording step (f).

7. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 4, the steps further comprising:

e) automatically timing a duration one selected from the group;

an audio/video visitation, and a VoIP telecommunication between said registered inmate and said registered visitor to provide an accumulated call time using said visitation system;

f) automatically comparing said accumulated call time to a predetermined maximum call time; and

g) automatically terminating said one selected from the group;

an audio/video visitation, and a VoIP telecommunication when said accumulated call time exceeds said predetermined maximum call time.

8. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 7, the steps further comprising:

h) displaying at least one selected from the group;

said accumulated time, and remaining time available on at least one selected from the group;

said device in possession of said registered inmate, and a video monitor forming a part of said visitor station.

9. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 4, the steps further comprising:

e) said at least one registered visitor making a payment to said visitation system, said payment being associated with a single one of said at least one registered inmates; and

f) recording a value of said payment in a database associated with said visitor.

10. The method of using the Internet-based audio/video and VoIP telephone visitation system for prisons as recited in claim 9, wherein said making a payment step (e) comprises the sub-step of using an on-line payment system to make said payment.