Video communications in detention environments

• US 9,948,886 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelmate LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelmate LLC
• Inventors: Torgersrud, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US14/981,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20160119580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370351-357, 379 37- 52, 379 671- 8828, 709201-207, 709217-248
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

Methods for providing a video communication with a detention environment are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request from a first user to initiate a video communication with a second user. The video communication uses a shared communications terminal located in a detention environment. The method further includes determining, based on a schedule of the second user, whether the second user is currently available for participating. The method also includes sending a notification to the second user to accept the request when the determination indicates the second user is currently available, and receiving a response to the notification to accept the request. The method further includes initiating the video communication when the response indicates the second user has accepted the request. Either of the users is detained in the detention environment. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium comprising machine readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for providing a video communication with a detention environment, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a first user to initiate a video communication with a second user, the video communication using a shared communications terminal located in a detention environment, wherein one of the first user or the second user is detained in the detention environment;

determining, based on a schedule of the second user, whether the second user is currently available for participating in the video communication;

when the determination indicates the second user is currently available for participating in the video communication,

sending a notification to the second user to accept the request to initiate the video communication;

receiving a response to the notification to the second user to accept the request to initiate the video communication;

initiating the video communication between the first user and the second user when the response to the notification indicates the second user has accepted the request to initiate the video communication;

ending the video communication between the first user and the second user based on a previously scheduled video communication associated with another user that is detained in the detention environment,

when the determination indicates the second user is currently not available for participating in the video communication, providing the first user with an opportunity to record a message;

wherein the first user is detained in the detention environment and the second user is not detained in the detention environment, the method further comprising;

flagging the message based on a content type associated with the message;

forwarding the flagged message to a predetermined recipient associated with the content type; and

receiving user input associated with the message, the received user input comprising information indicative of the content type of the message, wherein the flagging occurs in response to the received user input, and wherein the received user input is from personnel associated with the detention environment.

2. A system for providing a video communication with a detention environment, the system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive a request from a first user to initiate a video communication with a second user, the video communication using a shared communications terminal located in a detention environment, wherein one of the first user or the second user is detained in the detention environment;

determine, based on a schedule of the second user, whether the second user is currently available for participating in the video communication;

when the determination indicates the second user is currently available for participating in the video communication,

send a notification to the second user to accept the request to initiate the video communication;

receive a response to the notification to the second user to accept the request to initiate the video communication;

initiate the video communication between the first user and the second user when the response to the notification indicates the second user has accepted the request to initiate the video communication;

end the video communication between the first user and the second user based on a previously scheduled video communication associated with another user that is detained in the detention environment;

when the determination indicates the second user is currently not available for participating in the video communication, provide the first user with an opportunity to record a message;

wherein the first user is detained in the detention environment and the second user is not detained in the detention environment;

flag the message based on a content type associated with the message; and

forward the flagged message to a predetermined recipient associated with the content type; and

receive user input associated with the message, the received user input comprising information indicative of the content type of the message, wherein the flagging occurs in response to the received user input, wherein the received user input is from personnel associated with the detention environment.