Call processing system for modifying inmate communication limits

• US 9,912,821 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh K
• Application Number:
  US15/639,798
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 379 3201, 379 3202, 379 9203, 379 9302, 379 9303, 379 9311, 379 9317, 379 9321, 379 9322, 379 9324, 379111, 37911201, 37911206, 37911209, 37911401, 379133, 37920713, 37920714, 37920715, 37920101, 37920102, 37920103, 37920112
• 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 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/725 by the operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/853 Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/882 for continuing the call beyond the limit using an alternative, e.g. alternative account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/883 linked escalation limits, i.e. establish, first or second limit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/887 limit per user or user related number
• 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 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier

Abstract

A system for customizing time limits for inmate communications in a correctional facility is disclosed. The system includes a profile subsystem that stores an inmate profile of the inmate and a communication processing subsystem comprising one or more processors configured to receive data of an inmate communication of an inmate, identify a type of communication device of the inmate and a call recipient of the inmate communication based on the data of the inmate communication, retrieve the inmate profile of the inmate form the profile subsystem, identify a plurality of behaviors of the inmate based on the inmate profile, determine a time limit based on at least one of the type of communication device, the call recipient of the inmate communication, and the plurality of behaviors of the inmate, and assign the time limit to the inmate communication of the inmate.

Claims

1. A system for customizing time limits for inmate communications in a correctional facility, the system comprising:

a profile subsystem that stores an inmate profile of an inmate; and

a communication processing subsystem comprising one or more processors configured to;

receive data of an inmate communication of the inmate;

identify a type of communication device of the inmate and a call recipient of the inmate communication based on the data of the inmate communication;

retrieve the inmate profile of the inmate from the profile subsystem;

identify a plurality of behaviors of the inmate based on the inmate profile;

determine a time limit based on at least one of the type of communication device, the call recipient of the inmate communication, and the plurality of behaviors of the inmate; and

apply the time limit to the inmate communication of the inmate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the type of communication device is at least one of a mobile device, a payphone, a landline phone, or a tablet computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying the plurality of behaviors of the inmate comprises:

parsing data of the inmate profile to obtain values of ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors at the correctional facility; and

identifying whether a value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is above or below a predefined threshold.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to:

determine a first time limit in response to identifying that the value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is above the predefined threshold; and

determine a second time limit in response to identifying that the value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is below the predefined threshold, wherein the first time limit is greater than the second time limit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to:

determine a first time limit in response to identifying that the type of communication device is a payphone and the inmate communication is a voice call; and

determine a second time limit in response to identifying that the type of communication device is a tablet computer and the inmate communication is a video call, wherein the second time limit is greater than the first time limit.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication database, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to;

access the communication database to identify a list of approved contacts for the inmate;

match the call recipient of the inmate communication with an entry in the list of approved contacts;

identify a time limit value permitted for the inmate communication with the call recipient based on the entry in the list of approved contacts; and

apply the time limit value to the inmate communication of the inmate with the call recipient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the applying the time limit to the inmate communication further comprises:

suspending the inmate communication after a duration of the inmate communication has reached the time limit.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an inmate communication device, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to;

transmit an alert to the inmate communication device, wherein the alert indicates the time limit assigned to the inmate communication.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an inmate communication device, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to;

transmit an alert to the inmate communication device, wherein the alert indicates a remaining length of time in the inmate communication.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to:

receive, from the inmate communication device, a request to extend the time limit of the inmate communication in response to the alert.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors of the communication processing subsystem are further configured to:

extend the time limit of the inmate communication by a predetermined length of time in response to the request.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the inmate communication is a voice call, an audio communication, or a video communication between the inmate and the call recipient.

13. A method implemented by an inmate communication processing system for customizing time limits for inmate communications in a correctional facility, the method comprising:

receiving, by an inmate call processing server in the inmate communication processing system, communication data of an inmate communication for an inmate from a communication center;

identifying, by at least one processor of the inmate call processing server, a type of communication device of the inmate and a call recipient of the inmate communication based on the communication data;

retrieving an inmate profile of the inmate from a profile subsystem of the inmate call processing server;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a plurality of behaviors of the inmate based on the inmate profile;

determining, by the at least one processor, a time limit based on at least one of the type of communication device, the call recipient of the inmate communication, and the plurality of behaviors of the inmate; and

applying, by the at least one processor, the time limit to the inmate communication of the inmate occurring at an inmate communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the plurality of behaviors of the inmate comprises:

parsing, by the at least one processor, data of the inmate profile to obtain values of ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors at the correctional facility; and

identifying, by the at least one processor, whether a value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is above or below a predefined threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one processor, a first time limit in response to identifying that the value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is above the predefined threshold; and

determining, by the at least one processor, a second time limit in response to identifying that the value of the ratings of the inmate'"'"'s behaviors is below the predefined threshold, wherein the first time limit is greater than the second time limit.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one processor, a first time limit in response to identifying that the type of communication device is a payphone and the inmate communication is a voice call; and

determining, by the at least one processor, a second time limit in response to identifying that the type of communication device is a tablet computer and the inmate communication is a video call, wherein the second time limit is greater than the first time limit.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

accessing a database to identify a list of approved contacts for the inmate;

matching, by the at least one processor, the call recipient of the inmate communication with an entry in the list of approved contacts;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a time limit value permitted for inmate communication with the call recipient based on the entry in the list of approved contacts; and

applying, by the at least one processor, the time limit value to the inmate communication of the inmate with the call recipient.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein applying the time limit to the inmate communication further comprises:

suspending, by the at least one processor, the inmate communication after a duration of the inmate communication has reached the time limit.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting, by the at least one processor, an alert to the inmate communication device, wherein the alert indicates the time limit assigned to the inmate communication and a remaining length of time in the inmate communication;

receiving, by the inmate call processing server and from the inmate communication device, a request to extend the time limit of the inmate communication in response to the alert; and

extending, by the at least one processor, the time limit of the inmate communication by a predetermined length of time in response to the request.

20. A communication processing server for customizing time limits of inmate communications in a correctional facility, the communication processing server comprising:

a database configured to store an inmate profile of an inmate;

a network interface device configured to communicate with the database and an inmate communication device; and

at least one processor configured to;

receive data of an inmate communication of the inmate;

identify a type of communication device of the inmate and a call recipient of the inmate communication based on the data of the inmate communication;

retrieve the inmate profile of the inmate from the database;

identify a plurality of behaviors of the inmate based on the inmate profile;

determine a time limit based on at least one of the type of communication device, the call recipient of the inmate communication, and the plurality of behaviors of the inmate; and

apply the time limit to the inmate communication of the inmate.