Telecommunication call management and monitoring system with voiceprint verification

• US 9,699,303 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US15/154,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20160255189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 455565, 455405, 455410, 455411, 455415, 455418, 455419, 455420, 455563, 455569, 455 56, 455 3, 379114, 379118, 379191, 379 9302, 37914205, 379 8826, 379 8802, 379200, 379188, 704244, 704270, 704207, 704208, 704246
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/083 Recognition networks G10L15/142, G10L15/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• 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 17/305 Wireless codes, e.g. Bluetooth or RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/12 Language recognition, selection or translation arrangements
• 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 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 : Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A secure telephone call management system is provided for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. Authentication of the users of the telephone call management system is accomplished by using a personal identification number, biometric means, and/or radio frequency means. The secure telephone call management system includes accounting software capable of limiting access to the system based on funds in a user'"'"'s account, and includes management software capable of implementing widespread or local changes to the system. The system monitors a conversation in the telephone call to detect a presence of a first characteristic in audio of the conversation, and terminates the telephone call if the first characteristic does not match a second characteristic of biometric information of a user or a called party.

Claims

1. A method for restricting access to a public communications network using a telephone call management system, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique first identification number to a potential caller;

recording a first voice print of the potential caller;

storing the first voice print in association with the first identification number in a database;

during an attempt to access the public communications network by the potential caller;

prompting the potential caller to input a second identification number;

first comparing the second identification number to the first identification number;

first determining that the first identification number and second identification number match based on the first comparing;

in response to the first determining;

recording a second voice print of the potential caller;

retrieving the first voice print from the database based on the association between the first voice print and the first identification number in the database;

second comparing the second voice print with the first voice print;

second determining that the first voice print matches the second voice print based on the second comparing; and

in response to the second determining, granting the potential caller access to the public communications network;

establishing a telephone call between the potential caller and a remotely located party;

monitoring the telephone call to detect a presence of a three-way call attempt;

third determining whether recording of the telephone call is permissible;

recording, or not recording, the telephone call based on the third determining; and

detecting a presence of predetermined keywords in audio of the telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first identification number and second identification number is a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the potential caller inputs the Personal Identification Number (PIN) using a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keypad.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

during the access attempt to the public communications network by the potential caller;

receiving a dialed telephone number from the potential caller; and

receiving a list of telephone numbers the potential caller is allowed to dial.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

during the access attempt to the public communications network by the potential caller;

fourth determining that the dialed telephone number is on the list of telephone numbers the potential caller is allowed to dial;

wherein the establishing the telephone call between the potential caller and the remotely located party is performed in response to the fourth determining.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring the telephone call for a hook flash.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sampling voice data from the telephone call;

fourth determining that an unauthorized third party is speaking based on the sampled voice data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the public communications network is a public telephone network.

9. A method for restricting access to a public communications network using a telephone call management system, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique first identification number to a potential caller;

recording a first voice print of the potential caller;

storing the first voice print in association with the first identification number in a database;

during an attempt to access the public communications network by the potential caller;

prompting the potential caller to input a second identification number;

first comparing the second identification number to the first identification number;

first determining that the first identification number and second identification number match based on the first comparing;

in response to the first determining;

recording a second voice print of the potential caller;

retrieving the first voice print from the database based on the association between the first voice print and the first identification number in the database;

second comparing the second voice print with the first voice print;

second determining that the first voice print matches the second voice print based on the second comparing; and

in response to the second determining, granting the potential caller access to the public communications network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a telephone call between the potential caller and a remotely located party;

during the access attempt to the public communications network by the potential caller;

receiving a dialed telephone number from the potential caller;

receiving a list of telephone numbers the potential caller is allowed to dial; and

third determining that the dialed number is on the list;

wherein the establishing a telephone call between the potential caller and the remotely located party is performed in response to the third determining.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

during the access attempt to the public communications network by the potential caller;

receiving a dialed telephone number from the potential caller;

receiving a list of telephone numbers the potential caller is allowed to dial;

third determining that the dialed number is not on the list; and

disallowing any telephone calls between the potential caller and a remotely located party in response to the third determining.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

fourth determining that recording the telephone call is permissible;

recording the telephone call in response to the fourth determining.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a presence of predetermined keywords in audio of the telephone call.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the telephone call for an indication of a three-way call attempt;

fourth determining that a three-way call has been attempted based on the monitoring.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication of the three-way call attempt is a hook flash.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the public communications network is a public telephone network.

17. A method for restricting access to a public communications network using a telephone call management system, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique first identification number to a potential caller;

recording a first voice print of the potential caller;

storing the first voice print in association with the first identification number in a database;

during an attempt to access the public communications network by the potential caller;

recording a second voice print of the potential caller;

first comparing the second voice print with the first voice print;

first determining that the second voice print matches the first voice print based on the first comparing;

in response to the first determining;

prompting the potential caller to input a second identification number;

receiving the second identification number from the potential caller;

second comparing the second identification number to the first identification number;

second determining that the first identification number and second identification number match based on the second comparing; and

in response to the second determining, granting the potential caller access to the public communications network in response to the second determining.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a telephone call between the potential caller and a remotely located party.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the telephone call to detect a presence of a three-way call attempt.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

third determining that recording the telephone call is permissible; and

recording, or not recording, the telephone call based on the third determining.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a presence of predetermined keywords in audio of the telephone call.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

sampling voice data from the telephone call;

third determining that an unauthorized third party is speaking based on the sampled voice data.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the public communications network is a public telephone network.