Systems and methods for customer administered calling controls

• US 9,955,016 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Confinement Telephony Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Apple, Wesley Larry, Qureshi, Wasif Jalil, Tayloe, Johnnie Richard, Orr, Charles David
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William
• Application Number:
  US15/582,006
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 379 9101, 37920101, 379188, 379 8816, 379191, 379249, 37921101-21104, 37921201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• 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 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection

Abstract

Methods and systems for customer administered calling controls in an institutional setting comprising receiving customer control information from a customer outside of an institution where the customer control information comprising one or more control mechanisms and providing a resident of the institution, through a telephone network, phone services subject to the one or more control mechanisms.

Claims

1. A method performed by a communication system, the method comprising:

providing a customer account interface for a customer to provide funds for a customer account to pay for calls made by a resident of the institution to the customer, the customer outside of the institution and receiving calls from the resident at a first telephone number;

receiving customer input for the customer account specifying a second telephone number to use to forward calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number using the customer account;

wherein

based on the customer input, establishing call forwarding specific to calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number using the customer account, wherein the call forwarding is configured to forward calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number using the customer account will be forwarded to the second telephone number when the calls are answered by answering machines, modems, and fax machines at the first telephone number; and

a processor executing stored instructions to perform a call control process, the call control process comprising;

receiving a call from the resident to the first telephone number using the customer account;

determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered by an answering machine, modem, or fax machine;

based on determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered by an answering machine, modem, or fax machine, forwarding the call to the second telephone number; and

tracking that the call was actually received at the second telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring call forwarding for the customer account based on the customer input, wherein different profiles of the customer account are associated with respective telephone numbers and configured to forward calls differently.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered comprises determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered by an answering machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered comprises determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered by a modem.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered comprises determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered by a fax machine.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the call was forwarded successfully; and

marking a call detail record stored in a database to identify that the call was forwarded successfully, wherein the call detail record identifies the first telephone number as an original dialed number and the second telephone number as a number where the call was answered.

7. A method performed by a communication system, the method comprising:

providing a customer account interface for a customer to provide funds for a customer account to pay for calls made by a resident of the institution to the customer, the customer outside of the institution and receiving calls from the resident at a first telephone number;

receiving customer input for the customer account specifying a second telephone number to use to forward calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number using the customer account;

based on the customer input, establishing call forwarding specific to calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number using the customer account, wherein the call forwarding is configured to forward calls from the resident that are placed to the first telephone number to the second telephone number when the calls are answered and then hung up without acceptance of the calls at the first telephone number; and

a processor executing stored instructions to perform a call control process, the call control process comprising;

receiving a call from the resident to the first telephone number;

determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered and hung up without acceptance of the call;

based on determining that the call to the first telephone number has been answered and hung up without acceptance of the call, forwarding the call to the second telephone number; and

tracking that the call was received at the second telephone number.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising configuring call forwarding for the customer account based on the customer input, wherein different profiles of the customer account are associated with respective telephone numbers and configured to forward calls differently.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing an option to terminate call forwarding when the call is answered.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein forwarding the call is further based on determining that no input has been received to terminate call forwarding.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining that the call was forwarded successfully; and

marking a call detail record stored in a database to identify that the call was forwarded successfully, wherein the call detail record identifies the first telephone number as an original dialed number and the second telephone number as a number where the call was answered.