Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein enable users of electronic devices to recognize when device issues may be the result of no or poor Wi-Fi connectivity by making Wi-Fi signal information more easily accessible, visually prominent, graphically indicating an application's dependence upon a Wi-Fi signal, or otherwise providing useful connectivity information in a noticeable and easy to understand manner. This may involve providing a graphic indication of Wi-Fi signal strength on a tablet device used in a prison, jail, or other confinement institution.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide a charging station configured to attach to or be positioned adjacent to a wall in a confinement institution and to simultaneously charge multiple tablets, mobile phones, laptops, or other portable electronic devices. In some implementations, the charging station is configured with protective sides that may help protect inserted electronic devices from damage. The charging and use of the electronic devices within the confinement institution may be automatically managed based connections at the charging stations, communications with the electronic devices, audio, images, or video of the electronic devices or users captured cameras on the charging station or the electronic devices, and/or information provided by the users.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content, such as video recording content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Abstract: Some implementations enable an inmate communication session without requiring a call be accepted. An inmate initiates a request that is sent to a non-inmate. The request may request that the non-inmate participate in a future communication session. The non-inmate at some point (potentially long after receiving the request), responds to the request by providing input on their device. A scheduling device, in accordance with receiving a response from the second device in response to the request, schedules the communication session at a future time and notifies the inmate and non-inmate of scheduling of the communication session. At the future time, the scheduling device triggers creation of a virtual conference room. In response to a first message from an inmate device, the inmate device is joined to the virtual conference and, in response to a second message from a non-inmate device, the non-inmate device is joined to the virtual conference.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for permitting, establishing, monitoring and controlling calls based on messages from outside parties, outside party availability information, institution's call restriction information, and/or account holder preferences. In one example, a message from an outside party app on an outside party computing device is receive by an inmate app on an inmate device. The inmate device displays the message at the inmate calling app including a request for the inmate to call the outside party device during a time period. When the inmate initiates a call to the outside party the call is permitted or not permitted based on determining whether the call is within the specified time period.

Abstract: Some implementations provide input-triggered user verification. This may involve trigging a user verification (e.g., capture of an image, sound, fingerprint, etc.) to verify a user's identity based on input (e.g., typing) received ad the device. Triggering the user-verification based on receiving input may help ensure that the image, sound, fingerprint, etc. is captured at a time when the user is close to the device, touching the finger-print sensor, and/or in view of the camera during the capturing. Some implementations provide user verification based on a user-identification of a previously selected image. This may involve using an inmate-selected picture or other image to recover a forgotten alphanumeric reference. Some implementations of the invention disclosed herein provide user verification based on a computer-vision identification of a wearable identification tag. This may involve using an image of the user's identification tag worn on the user's wrist to verify the user's identity.

Abstract: Secure, controlled, interactive virtual visitation for confinement institution inmates is provided using computing devices connected through a network by managing the scheduling of visitation sessions and use of shared visitation session resources, ensuring the identities of the inmate and the person with whom the inmate is to interact in the virtual visitation session, and by monitoring the interactions and communications during the virtual visitation sessions to detect prohibited activities. Another embodiment of the invention uses a virtual desktop shared from a remote server to ensure that an inmate does not have access to prohibited applications or content during a virtual visitation session.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for permitting, establishing, monitoring and controlling calls based on messages from outside parties, outside party availability information, institution's call restriction information, and/or account holder preferences. In one example, a message from an outside party app on an outside party computing device is receive by an inmate app on an inmate device. The inmate device displays the message at the inmate calling app including a request for the inmate to call the outside party device during a time period. When the inmate initiates a call to the outside party the call is permitted or not permitted based on determining whether the call is within the specified time period.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Abstract: Secure, controlled, interactive virtual visitation for confinement institution inmates is provided using computing devices connected through a network by managing the scheduling of visitation sessions and use of shared visitation session resources, ensuring the identities of the inmate and the person with whom the inmate is to interact in the virtual visitation session, and by monitoring the interactions and communications during the virtual visitation sessions to detect prohibited activities. Another embodiment of the invention uses a virtual desktop shared from a remote server to ensure that an inmate does not have access to prohibited applications or content during a virtual visitation session.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Abstract: Some implementations provide input-triggered user verification. This may involve trigging a user verification (e.g., capture of an image, sound, fingerprint, etc.) to verify a user's identity based on input (e.g., typing) received ad the device. Triggering the user-verification based on receiving input may help ensure that the image, sound, fingerprint, etc. is captured at a time when the user is close to the device, touching the finger-print sensor, and/or in view of the camera during the capturing. Some implementations provide user verification based on a user-identification of a previously selected image. This may involve using an inmate-selected picture or other image to recover a forgotten alphanumeric reference. Some implementations of the invention disclosed herein provide user verification based on a computer-vision identification of a wearable identification tag. This may involve using an image of the user's identification tag worn on the user's wrist to verify the user's identity.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide a charging station configured to attach to or be positioned adjacent to a wall in a confinement institution and to simultaneously charge multiple tablets, mobile phones, laptops, or other portable electronic devices. In some implementations, the charging station is configured with protective sides that may help protect inserted electronic devices from damage. The charging and use of the electronic devices within the confinement institution may be automatically managed based connections at the charging stations, communications with the electronic devices, audio, images, or video of the electronic devices or users captured cameras on the charging station or the electronic devices, and/or information provided by the users.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide a charging station configured to attach to or be positioned adjacent to a wall in a confinement institution and to simultaneously charge multiple tablets, mobile phones, laptops, or other portable electronic devices. In some implementations, the charging station is configured with protective sides that may help protect inserted electronic devices from damage. The charging and use of the electronic devices within the confinement institution may be automatically managed based connections at the charging stations, communications with the electronic devices, audio, images, or video of the electronic devices or users captured cameras on the charging station or the electronic devices, and/or information provided by the users.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide user interfaces that are configured to selectively use and present device and system resources in ways that motivate inmate engagement with self-administered courses. One example of this is a user interface that is provided with music enabling capabilities as a reward to motivate course engagement. The user interface presents a segment of course material of one or more self-administered courses and the app determines an engagement score indicating a level of engagement by the inmate with the segment of the course material. The app determines that the inmate qualifies for a music reward based on the engagement score satisfying reward criteria, and accordingly displays, on the user interface, a notification of the music reward and/or enables music on the inmate device, for example, during display of a second segment of the course material.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Abstract: Some implementations provide input-triggered user verification. This may involve trigging a user verification (e.g., capture of an image, sound, fingerprint, etc.) to verify a user's identity based on input (e.g., typing) received ad the device. Triggering the user-verification based on receiving input may help ensure that the image, sound, fingerprint, etc. is captured at a time when the user is close to the device, touching the finger-print sensor, and/or in view of the camera during the capturing. Some implementations provide user verification based on a user-identification of a previously selected image. This may involve using an inmate-selected picture or other image to recover a forgotten alphanumeric reference. Some implementations of the invention disclosed herein provide user verification based on a computer-vision identification of a wearable identification tag. This may involve using an image of the user's identification tag worn on the user's wrist to verify the user's identity.

Abstract: Secure, controlled, interactive virtual visitation for confinement institution inmates is provided using computing devices connected through a network by managing the scheduling of visitation sessions and use of shared visitation session resources, ensuring the identities of the inmate and the person with whom the inmate is to interact in the virtual visitation session, and by monitoring the interactions and communications during the virtual visitation sessions to detect prohibited activities. Another embodiment of the invention uses a virtual desktop shared from a remote server to ensure that an inmate does not have access to prohibited applications or content during a virtual visitation session.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.