Communication detail records (CDRs) containing media for communications in controlled-environment facilities

• US 8,855,280 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Passe, Scott, Edwards, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US14/040,088
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.26, 379/121.05, 379/126
• US Class Current: 379/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating, maintaining, and making available Communication Detail Records (CDRs) containing media for communications in controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include enabling, at least in part via one or more communication systems, a communication between two or more parties, where at least one of the two or more parties is a resident of a controlled-environment facility, and where the resident operates a communication device disposed within the controlled-environment facility. The method may also include creating, at least in part via the one or more communication systems, a CDR associated with the communication, where the CDR includes or references a digital media file.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

enabling, at least in part via one or more communication systems, a communication between two or more parties, wherein at least one of the two or more parties is a resident of a controlled-environment facility, and wherein the resident operates a communication device disposed within the controlled-environment facility;

creating, at least in part via the one or more communication systems, a Communication Detail Record (CDR) associated with the communication, wherein the CDR includes or references a digital media file;

identifying, at least in part via the one or more communication systems, at least one of the two or more parties based upon a comparison between the digital media file and a signature; and

adding a resulting identification of the at least one of the two or more parties to the CDR.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlled-environment facility is a jail or prison, and wherein the resident is an inmate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is selected from the group consisting of:

a telephone call, a video visitation session, an electronic chat session, a video telephone call, a text message, a prerecorded video message, a social network message, and an electronic mail message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CDR includes one or more of:

a phone number of a calling party, a phone number of a called party, a starting time of the communication, a duration of the communication, or a billing account charged for the communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital media file includes a still photograph of the resident captured via the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital media file includes a movie of the resident captured via the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital media file includes audio of the resident captured via the communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the two or more parties is the resident, the method further comprising:

in response to the identification of the resident not matching a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or other biometric or non-biometric information provided by the resident when accessing the communication device, initiating remedial action.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the remedial action is selected from the group consisting of:

recording the communication, terminating the communication, and notifying a designated party of a security violation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein contents of the digital media file are obtained at least in part prior to the beginning of the communication.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein contents of the digital media file are obtained at least in part during the communication.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein contents of the digital media file are obtained at least in part after termination of the communication.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is a telephone communication, the communication device is a telephone, and the digital media file includes one or more still or moving images, the method further comprising obtaining the media using an image capture device disposed within the controlled-environment facility but distinct from the telephone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the media includes one or more still or moving images obtained using an image capture device integrated into the communication device.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying at least one of the parties based upon a comparison between the digital media file and a signature comprises performing one or more biometric operations upon the still photograph of the resident.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more computer systems, cause the one or more computer systems to:

enable a communication between an inmate operating a communication device disposed within a correctional facility and a non-resident of the correctional facility;

receive a media file obtained in connection with the communication;

add a media file to a Communication Detail Record (CDR) associated with the communication;

identify the inmate and/or the non-resident based upon a comparison between the media file and a signature; and

add a resulting identification of the resident and/or the non-resident to the CDR.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media file is obtained using a media capture device disposed within the correctional facility, separate from the communication device, and wherein the media file includes an image, video, or audio captured in the vicinity of the communication device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media file is obtained using a media capture device disposed outside of the correctional facility, separate from a communication device used by the non-resident, and wherein the media file includes an image, video, or audio captured in the vicinity of the non-resident.

18. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to;

receive a digital multimedia file included or referenced in a Communication Detail Record (CDR) associated with a communication between an inmate operating a communication device within a correctional facility and a non-resident outside of the correctional facility;

identify the inmate and/or the non-resident based upon a comparison between the digital multimedia file and a signature; and

add a resulting identification of the resident and/or the non-resident to the CDR; and

reproduce the digital multimedia file.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the digital multimedia file is captured prior to the communication having been initiated or after the communication having been terminated.