Telecommunications technology
First Claim
1. A system for providing telecommunications between a resident inside a secure facility and at least one person outside the secure facility, and for management of such telecommunications by an administrator of the secure facility, comprising:
- a phone server adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider;
a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server an account manager server communicatively connected to the phone server, and a plurality of telecommunications devices disposed at the secure facility for use by the resident and being communicatively connected to the phone server, and software means to receive and connect a direct, real-time incoming voice call to a resident from the at least one person outside the secure facility, the software means first determining the location of the inmate within the secure facility, second determining a set of telecommunication devices of the plurality of telecommunication devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility, and third dialing the set of telecommunications devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility to establish real-time, incoming voice call directly between the outside caller and the inmate.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telecommunications system for use in a secure facility such as a jail, prison or the like. The systems, devices and methods disclosed provide telecommunications, email, other messaging, financial services, vending, and commissary or canteen services for inmates of a secure facility with respect to family, friends and others. The system includes a phone server adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider; a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server; an account manager server communicatively connected to the phone server, and at least one telecommunications device disposed at the secure facility for use by the inmate and which is communicatively connected to the phone server. A method of telecommunicating, including receiving incomming calls at the secure facility, via the system is also disclosed.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for providing telecommunications between a resident inside a secure facility and at least one person outside the secure facility, and for management of such telecommunications by an administrator of the secure facility, comprising:
- a phone server adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider;
a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server an account manager server communicatively connected to the phone server, and a plurality of telecommunications devices disposed at the secure facility for use by the resident and being communicatively connected to the phone server, and software means to receive and connect a direct, real-time incoming voice call to a resident from the at least one person outside the secure facility, the software means first determining the location of the inmate within the secure facility, second determining a set of telecommunication devices of the plurality of telecommunication devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility, and third dialing the set of telecommunications devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility to establish real-time, incoming voice call directly between the outside caller and the inmate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23)
- a phone server adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider;
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3. The system of clam 1, wherein telecommunications between the resident of the secure facility and the at least one person outside the secure facility is selected from the group of communications consisting of voice, SMS text, IM, email, and audio-visual;
- and wherein management of telecommunications is selected from the group of activities consisting of monitoring, recording, controlling and documenting communications and transactions of the resident.
- View Dependent Claims (4)
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19. A system for providing telecommunications, vending and commissary services between an intnate inside a correctional facility, the facility being of the type having a public lobby, visitor center, or booking area in addition to secure inmate resident section, and at least one non-inmate family member, friend or attorney, and for management of such telecommunications, vending and commissary services by an administrator of the secure correctional facility, comprising:
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a. a phone adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider; b. a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server, c. an account manager server communicatively connected to the phone server, d. at least one public telecommunications kiosk disposed in the public lobby, visitor center or booking area at the secure facility for use by the at least one non-inmate family member, friend or attorney, the at least one public telecommunications kiosk being communicatively connected to the phone server; e. a plurality of land line based, telecommunications kiosks and traditional inmate telephones disposed in the secure inmate residence section of the correctional facility at predetermined fixed locations, the inmate telecommunications kiosks and telephones being communicatively connected to the phone server; f. software means to receive and connect a real-time incoming voice call to a resident from the at least one person outside the secure facility;
including;i. receiving a call request from the person outside, ii. prompting the person outside for a resident extension, iii. locating the resident within the secure facility, iv. determining a set of kiosks and telephones, within the plurality of kiosks and telephones in the secure facility, that are near the inmate; v. verifying that a call is authorized, vi. creating a call record, and vii. dialing the resident at the kiosks and telephones of the set of kiosks and telephones that are determined in step (iv) to establish a direct, real-time, incoming voice call between the outside caller and the inmate; g. wherein the telecommunications between the inmate and the at least one non-inmate family member, friend or attorney is a real-time voice communication; and
wherein management of the real-time voice call is selected from the group of activities consisting of monitoring, recording, controlling and documenting communications and transactions of the inmate; andh. wherein the inmate does not have a portable wireless transmitter.
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20. A method for telecommunicating between a resident inside a secure facility and at least one person outside the secure facility, and for management of such telecommunication by an administrator of the secure facility, comprising the steps of (a) providing a system comprising a phone server adapted to be communicatively connected to an external service provider;
- a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server;
an account manager server communicatively connected to the phone server, and a plurality of telecommunications devices disposed at the secure facility for use by the resident and being communicatively connected to the phone server, and software means to receive and connect a real-time incoming voice call to a resident from the at least one person outside the secure facility, the software means first determining the location of the inmate within the secure facility, second determining a set of telecommunication devices of the plurality of telecommunication devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility, and third dialing the set of telecommunications devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility, and (b) making an incoming voice call from at least one person outside the secure facility to the resident inside the secure facility, wherein the step of making an incoming call comprises the steps of receiving a call request from the person outside, prompting the person outside for a resident extension, locating the resident, determining the set of telecommunications devices of the plurality of telecommunications devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility, verifying that a call is authorized, creating a call record, and dialing the resident at the set of telecommunications devices that are near the location of the inmate in the secure facility to establish a real-time, voice call directly between the outside caller and the inmate. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
- a monitoring station communicatively connected to the phone server;
Specification