Patents Assigned to Securus Technologies, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20190364053
    Abstract: A controlled-environment facility resident interface runs on top of, or as a part of, an operating system of a controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device. The interface may request, accept and verify identification information from a resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the device. The interface presents application programs (apps) available for use by the resident on the device, via the interface. A selected app is executed and a countdown of time the selected app and/or the interface itself remains active starts. An interface tab or other visual indicator may display this countdown or it may be presented aloud. The selected app is closed or suspended upon expiration of the countdown, and the selected app, the interface and/or the device may be locked out from use by the resident for a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Alice J. Clements, Luke Keiser
  • Patent number: 10484815
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications based upon location information associated with electronic files exchanged during the communications are described. In some embodiments, a method may include intercepting an electronic file exchanged during an electronic communication; identifying location information representative of a physical location where the electronic file was created or edited; and applying, based upon the location information, a selected one of a plurality of processing rules to at least one of: the electronic communication or the electronic file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew R. Smith
  • Patent number: 10484648
    Abstract: Systems and methods enabling inbound calls to controlled-environment facility resident telephone numbers employ resident-associated communications devices deployed in the facilities. An inbound and outbound calling platform assigns a telephone number to each resident and associates a routable (IP) address of each resident communications device with such telephone number. This calling platform also presents an online directory to accessing inbound callers that lists residents the caller is allowed to call, the telephone number(s) of such resident(s), and whether such residents and their communications devices are ready to receive a call. The calling platform reconfirms such information upon an inbound call being placed to a telephone number assigned to a resident and signals the resident communications device associated with the resident assigned that telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Sturges
  • Patent number: 10452337
    Abstract: A controlled-environment facility and/or communications management system interface accepts definition of a digital bulletin board message directed to at least one controlled-environment facility resident, accepts assignment of a priority for displaying the digital bulletin board message on the digital bulletin board and a schedule for display of the digital bulletin board message and accepts assignment of the digital bulletin board message to controlled-environment resident communication and/or media device(s) disposed in the controlled-environment facility. The digital bulletin board message(s) are received by the controlled-environment resident communication and/or media device(s) to which the digital bulletin board message is assigned, and are displayed by the controlled-environment resident communication and/or media device(s) to which the digital bulletin board message(s) are assigned, in accordance with the assigned priority and the schedule for display of the digital bulletin board message(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alice J. Clements, Joseph Higgs, Matthew Smith
  • Patent number: 10455084
    Abstract: Inbound call processing systems and methods for processing inbound calls to controlled-environment facility resident media and/or communications devices employ an inbound resident call server configured to host inbound calling accounts established by non-residents, receive inbound calls from the non-residents, route the inbound calls to an authenticating server, confirm that the resident device is active, and connect the inbound resident call system with the resident device if active or inform the non-resident the resident is not available if not. The inbound resident call server also connects the non-resident inbound call with the resident device if the non-resident is associated with the inbound calling account, the inbound calling account is associated with an address identifier of the resident device and the resident's personal identification number is associated with the address identifier of the resident device, all of which may be authenticated by the authenticating server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Keiser, Scott Passe, Krishna Balantrapu
  • Patent number: 10447968
    Abstract: Video communications of residents of a controlled-environment facility are monitored to detect instances of non-verbal communications within the video, such as the display of written messages and hand signals. Residents may participate in live video visitation sessions with non-residents. Video recordings are generated for each video feed of the live video visitation. During the live video visitation, indications of non-verbal communications displayed in the live video are detected. If indications of non-verbal communications are detected in the live video, the recorded video is annotated to specify the locations of the detected indications in the recording. Upon completion of the video visitation session, post-processing of the recorded video detects additional indications of displayed non-verbal communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Passe, Luke Keiser
  • Patent number: 10440175
    Abstract: Dynamic controlled-environment facility resident communication allocation based on call volume may be implemented using a controlled-environment facility secure communication platform. The platform monitors controlled-environment facility resident call volume, recognizes an average call volume and detects an increase in call volume above the average call volume or a decrease in call volume below the average call volume. The platform automatically initiates a controlled-environment facility resident calling restriction in response to a detected increase in call volume or automatically initiates an increase in controlled-environment facility resident calling allocation in response to a detected decrease in call volume below the average call volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Dover
  • Patent number: 10425529
    Abstract: Embodiments receive an indication of initiation of communication from a controlled-environment facility resident, using a communications device, with another controlled-environment facility resident. A determination is made whether the residents are allowed to communicate and the communication is established between the communications device and another communications device in use by the other resident. The residents may be residents of different or the same controlled-environment facility(ies). The communication may be monitored and/or a database of residents that communicate with one another may be compiled. The communication between the controlled-environment facility residents may proceed, even despite a determination or predetermination that the residents are not allowed to communicate with one another, so the communication may be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam C. Edwards
  • Patent number: 10417846
    Abstract: A visitation system provides visitation sessions between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and a nonresident, where the nonresident utilizes a personal wireless devices that connects to a wireless access point that may be accessible from a designated visitation area of the facility. A connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident is evaluated to determine the personal wireless device is authorized to interface with the visitation system, and whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident. If authorized, a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident is initiated with the nonresident participating via the personal wireless device. The visitation system may respond to a visitation session request from a registered personal wireless device by sending an access code to the personal wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew R. Smith
  • Patent number: 10416715
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a processing system configured to support data, voice and video communications. A docking station is coupled to the processing system and is configured to provide power and data connections to a personal computer wireless device. The personal computer wireless device is configured to provide power, data, and analog connections. The docking station is coupled to the processing system over a pair of low-voltage wires having an electrical current sufficient to power the personal computer wireless device. The pair of low-voltage wires may provide sufficient electrical current to charge a battery in the personal computer wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jamie Nicole Wade, Luke Keiser, Scott Passe
  • Patent number: 10412043
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically assigning an Automatic Number Identification (ANI) to a device deployed in a controlled-environment facility. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a system may include: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to: receive a request to facilitate a communication between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and a non-resident of the controlled-environment facility, where the resident operates a device lacking a dedicated ANI; and assign a temporary ANI to the resident's device, where the temporary ANI is different from any other ANI being used by any other device in the controlled-environment facility concurrently with the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Higgs
  • Patent number: 10404941
    Abstract: A controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device enables a controlled-environment facility resident to carry-out one task on the device, and provides a visual indication, to the resident, that an overt image and/or video is being captured during this task. Conversely, a covert image and/or video of a user is captured while the controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device is in use for another task, without providing the user the same or other visual indication that the covert image is being captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alice J. Clements, Matthew Smith
  • Patent number: 10394900
    Abstract: Systems and methods for developing, deploying, providing, and/or operating community-based investigative tools are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving a query from a user (e.g., an investigator, etc.), the user associated with a given one of a plurality of controlled-environment facilities (e.g., a prison, jail, etc.), each of the plurality of facilities having access to a distinct database configured to store data relating to its respective residents (e.g., inmates). The method may also include determining an access level of the given one of the plurality of facilities. The method may further include retrieving information from one or more of the distinct databases in response to the query, the retrieved information commensurate with the access level. In some implementations, a database accessible to a first facility may not be accessible to a second facility unless the first and second facilities are members of the same investigative community.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Christopher Edwards
  • Patent number: 10380097
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting changes in physiological indicators in communications data of participants of a communication and tagging those changes are described. According to an embodiment, a method uses an analytics module operating on at least one processor. Data indicative of a communication between participants is received. A physiological indicator of at least one of the participants is detected by analyzing the data. A change in the physiological indicator is determined in the data. A location of the data where the change in the physiological indicator occurred in the data is tagged. The tagging includes storing a tag indicating the location of the data where the change in physiological indicator occurred in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur P. Walters
  • Patent number: 10375234
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting volume level changes in communications are described herein. In some embodiments, a system comprises a computer system. The computer system comprises at least one processor and a memory coupled to the at least one processor. The memory stores program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to perform tasks. The tasks include recording a communication that comprises audio, and analyzing the audio of the communication. The analysis of the audio is operable to detect a change in a volume level of the audio that indicates an occurrence of a potential event of interest. The tasks also include creating and storing an information record corresponding to the communication in a second database. The information record includes an indication of the detected change in the volume level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Keiser, Stephen Schneider
  • Patent number: 10349277
    Abstract: Embodiments of intelligent facility devices and associated methods and systems are described. In one embodiment a method includes receiving a request for access to a network from a user interface device. The method may also include determining an authorized transceiver power level for communicating with the user interface device in response to the request. Additionally, the method may include dynamically setting a transceiver power in response to the determination. The method may also include communicating with the user interface device at the authorized transceiver power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Passe, Luke Keiser
  • Patent number: 10296784
    Abstract: Images of residents of a controlled-environment facility may be captured at the time of intake into the facility. A feature detection process may be performed on each image to verify that corporeal facial features are present in each resident image and a copy of such an image of each resident may be saved. A request to initiate an electronic visitation session may be received and an image of a user is captured. A feature detection process is performed on the captured image to verify that images of features of a corporeal human face are present in the captured image, determining whether an image of a corporeal human face is present in the captured image. The electronic visitation session may then be connected in response to a determination that an image of a corporeal human face is present. Further, a facial recognition process may also be performed on the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Passe
  • Patent number: 10296180
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for analyzing, monitoring and recording communications with a controlled-environment facility are described. In one embodiment, a floor plan for a controlled-environment facility is displayed to a user. The floor plan shows a number of areas representing locations within the controlled-environment facility. The areas displayed on the floor plan may represent locations within the controlled-environment facility based upon a physical or logical relationship between the areas. One or more floor plan areas are highlighted on the display. The highlighting is associated with communication service activity in the controlled-environment facility. For example, the communication service activity may correspond to an operational status of communication devices, call volume on communication devices, called numbers, caller identities, or real-time or historical calling activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey T. Young
  • Patent number: 10284820
    Abstract: Systems and methods for covert monitoring and/or recording of audio and/or video in controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include capturing at least one of: an audio, a video, or a picture of one or more residents of a controlled-environment facility using a communication device disposed within the controlled-environment facility, where the communication device is not being used in any communication session during at least a portion of the capturing; and storing the at least one of the audio, video, or picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Passe, Luke Keiser
  • Patent number: 10277746
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a resident of a controlled-environment facility with voice messaging. The facility provides the resident with voice communication services. In response to a request by a resident for a voice communication with a non-resident, a call request to the non-resident may be initiated. In certain scenarios, the non-resident is unable to accept the call request. If a voice message is authorized, the resident is allowed to record a voice message for the non-resident. Certain restrictions may limit the resident to selecting from automated voice messages. A notification of the recorded voice message is dispatched to the non-resident. The notification identifies a unique link that directs the non-resident to a voice message retrieval system that allows the resident to retrieve and listen to the voice message recorded by the resident. The voice message recording remains under the control of the controlled-environment facility based on applicable security policies and procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Smith, Alexander Noland