Digital telecommunications call management and monitoring system

• US 9,876,900 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US14/831,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8802, 37911414, 455565
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/304 intercepting circuit switched data communications lawful interception of wireless network communications H04W12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• 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 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• 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 3/385 using speech signals
• 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

The present invention discloses a centralized, digital, computer-based telephone call management system for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. The system includes the capacity to allow an institution to control, record, monitor, and bill and report usage and access to a telephone network. The telephone call management system further includes both accounting and management software for use in controlling, monitoring, billing, recording, and reporting usage and access. Also, it can operate over both a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) infrastructure.

Claims

1. An inmate telecommunication call processing system, comprising:

a telephone terminal configured to allow a user to attempt to place a telephone call to a call recipient; and

a central platform configured to process the call attempt, the processing including;

prompting the user;

receiving non-biometric information of the user that uniquely identifies an individual;

selecting a stored biometric record of the individual associated with the non-biometric information;

receiving biometric information of the user;

comparing the received biometric information only to biometric information included in the selected stored biometric record; and

determining, based on the comparison, whether to allow or deny the call attempt,

wherein the non-biometric information and the biometric information are extracted from a single response to a single prompt.

2. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 1, wherein the telephone terminal is located within a facility, and

wherein the central platform is located at a remote location.

3. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 1, wherein the prompting prompts the user to enter the biometric information.

4. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 3, wherein the prompting includes requesting that the user speak a predetermined word or phrase, and

wherein the biometric information is voice information.

5. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 1, wherein the central platform is configured to extract voice biometric information of the user from the single response.

6. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 5, wherein the voice biometric information is extracted from the user'"'"'s vocal responses to other call setup prompts.

7. The inmate telecommunication call processing system of claim 6, wherein the voice biometric information is extracted from the user'"'"'s response to a prompt to state a PIN belonging to the user.

8. A method of authentication within an inmate telephone system, the method comprising:

prompting a user;

receiving a call attempt, including call recipient information, from the user;

receiving non-biometric information of the user that uniquely identifies an individual;

selecting a stored biometric record containing biometric information corresponding to the individual associated with the non-biometric information;

receiving biometric information of the user;

comparing the received biometric information only to the biometric information of the stored biometric record;

in response to determining that the received biometric information is a statistical match to the stored biometric information, retrieving call restrictions of the user;

connecting the call attempt to a call recipient in response to determining, based on the retrieved call restrictions, that the user is permitted to contact the call recipient,

wherein the non-biometric information and the biometric information are extracted from a single response to a single prompt.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the non-biometric identifying information from the user;

selecting, as the stored biometric record, a single biometric information object corresponding to an identity associated with the non-biometric information,

wherein the comparing compares the received biometric information only to the selected single biometric information object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the non-biometric identifying information is a PIN, and

wherein the biometric information is voice biometric information.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, based on the retrieved call restrictions and the call recipient information, whether recording the call is permitted; and

recording the call based on the determination.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving authentication information of the call recipient;

comparing the authentication information to stored authentication information; and

allowing the call in response to determining that the authentication information is a statistical match to the stored authentication information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored authentication information is selected according to the call recipient information received with the call attempt.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

during the call, periodically extracting biometric information from participants to the allowed call;

comparing the extracted biometric information to biometric information associated with the user and the call recipient; and

terminating the call in response to determining that the extracted biometric information does not match the biometric information of the user or the call recipient.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after connecting the call, periodically extracting biometric information from a participant to the allowed call;

comparing the extracted biometric information to biometric information associated with the user; and

terminating the call in response to determining that the extracted biometric information does not match the biometric information of the user.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after connecting the call, periodically extracting biometric information from a participant to the allowed call;

comparing the extracted biometric information to biometric information associated with the call recipient; and

terminating the call in response to determining that the extracted biometric information does not match the biometric information of the user.

15. A call processing system, comprising:

a central call processing platform in having one or more circuits and/or processors configured to;

receive a call attempt, including call recipient information, from a user;

prompt the user;

receive non-biometric information of the user, the non-biometric information being uniquely associated with an individual;

select a stored biometric record corresponding to the individual associated with the received non-biometric information;

receive biometric information of the user;

compare the received biometric information only to biometric information included in the selected biometric record;

in response to determining that the received biometric information is a statistical match to the biometric information included in the selected biometric record, retrieve call restrictions of the user;

connect the call attempt to a call recipient in response to determining, based on the retrieved call restrictions, that the user is permitted to contact the call recipient,

wherein the non-biometric information and the biometric information are extracted from a single response to a single prompt.

18. The call processing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

select, as the stored biometric record, a single biometric information object corresponding to an identity associated with the non-biometric identifying information,

wherein the comparing compares the received biometric information only to the selected single biometric information object,

wherein the non-biometric identifying information is a PIN, and

wherein the biometric information is voice biometric information.

19. The call processing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

determine, based on the retrieved call restrictions and the call recipient, whether recording the call is permitted; and

record the call based on the determination.

20. The call processing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

receive authentication information of the call recipient;

compare the authentication information to stored authentication information; and

allow the call in response to determining that the authentication information is a statistical match to the stored authentication information.

21. The call processing system of claim 18, wherein the stored authentication information is selected according to the call recipient information received with the call attempt.

22. The call processing system of claim 19, wherein the one or more circuits and/or processors are further configured to:

periodically extract biometric information from participants to the allowed call;

compare the extracted biometric information to biometric information associated with the user and the call recipient; and

terminate the call in response to determining that the extracted biometric information does not match the biometric information of the user or the call recipient.