System and method for call treatment using a third party database

• US 9,654,620 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Rae, Robert L., Falcone, Richard, Viola, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US13/341,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 37914205, 3791422, 379188, 37914206, 379145, 379189
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• 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

Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may be made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Claims

1. A system for use in managing information with respect to a controlled environment facility, said system comprising:

a plurality of applications providing desired functionality with respect to the operation of the controlled environment facility, wherein said functionality includes management aspects of said controlled environment facility and communication aspects of said controlled environment facility;

a connection layer providing interoperability with respect to said plurality of applications; and

an information portal providing interfacing of ones of said plurality of applications for access outside of the controlled environment facility, wherein said access outside of the controlled environment facility may be initiated from inside and outside of the controlled environment facility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said functionality includes investigative aspects with respect to residents of said controlled environment facility.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of applications include a facility administration manager system and a record management system, said facility administration manager system providing for management of residents of said controlled environment facility from acceptance into said controlled environment facility to discharge from said controlled environment facility, and said record management system cooperating with said facility administration manager via said connection layer to store, access, and maintain a database of information with respect to said residents.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of applications further include a transaction services system, said transaction services system provides for establishing outbound telephone calls by said residents, wherein said outbound telephone calls are charged to a prepaid account associated with a calling one of said residents.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said prepaid account is established by said facility administration manager system.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said prepaid account is funded by a party called by said calling one of said residents.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said funding is provided for telephonically by said plurality of applications.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said funding is provided for remotely by said information portal interfacing an authorized funds acceptance enterprise to said system.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said prepaid account is debited when an associated resident obtains goods through said transaction services system.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein said prepaid account is debited in satisfaction of a warrant issued with respect to an associated resident.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of applications further include an investigative tools system operable to monitor aspects of said outbound calls.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said aspects of said outbound calls includes information with respect to a calling one of said residents, or information with respect to a called party, or content of said call.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said investigative tools and said transaction services cooperate to identify particular words spoken during said outbound call.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein personnel of said controlled environment facility are provided notification of particular aspects of said outbound calls having been monitored.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of applications further include an enhanced access system providing a multimedia communication link, wherein said enhanced access system provides virtual visitation access with respect to residents to individuals disposed remotely with respect to the controlled environment facility.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said enhanced access system provides virtual access to particular venues to residents.

17. A method for managing information with respect to a controlled environment facility, said method comprising:

providing management functionality with respect to the operation of the controlled environment facility, wherein said management functionality provides for management of residents of said controlled environment facility;

providing transaction functionality with respect to the operation of the controlled environment facility, wherein said transaction functionality provides for communication between residents of said controlled environment facility and persons outside of said controlled environment facility; and

coupling said management functionality and said transaction functionality to provide data communication there between.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing interfacing with respect to said management functionality and said transaction functionality for access of aspects of said functionality outside of the controlled environment facility.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said interfacing is provided in a secure manner using a web browser as a client interface application.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said access outside of the controlled environment facility may be initiated from inside and outside of the controlled environment facility.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said interfacing comprises use of standardized communication protocols.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said standardized communication protocols comprise XML.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said interfacing comprises coupling an information portal to a network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a public switched telephone network, the Internet, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, and a wide area network.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said management of said residents of said controlled environment facility comprises managing information with respect to each said resident from acceptance into said controlled environment facility to discharge from said controlled environment facility.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein said management of said residents of said controlled environment facility comprises establishing debit accounts associated with particular ones of said residents.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said communication between residents of said controlled environment facility and persons outside of said controlled environment facility are either prepaid using an associated one of said debit accounts or said transaction functionality operates to provide a credit score with respect to said persons outside of said controlled environment facility for a risk determination with respect to providing said communications.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said debit accounts are utilized by said transaction functionality in facilitating an associated one of said residents obtaining goods.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said debit accounts are replenishable by said persons outside of said controlled environment facility using said transaction functionality.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein said management of said residents of said controlled environment facility comprises:

creating database entries for storing information with respect to a resident upon entry into said controlled environment facility; and

updating said database entries with information acquired from said transaction functionality.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said information acquired from said transaction functionality comprises information with respect to said communication between residents of said controlled environment facility and persons outside of said controlled environment facility.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said information comprises calling party information.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said information comprises called party information.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said information comprises content of said communication.

35. The method of claim 17, wherein said management functionality further provides for intelligence gathering and reporting with respect to said residents.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said intelligence gathering utilizes data with respect to said communication between residents of said controlled environment facility and persons outside of said controlled environment facility communicated between said transaction functionality and said management functionality.

37. The method of claim 17, wherein said management functionality further provides for virtual visitation of said controlled environment facility.

38. The method of claim 17, wherein said management functionality further provides for virtual visitation of venues outside of said controlled environment facility.

39. The method of claim 17, wherein said management functionality further provides for virtual arraignment of a resident of said controlled environment facility.

40. The method of claim 17, wherein said management functionality further provides for remote video training of a resident of said controlled environment facility.