Abstract: Systems or methods for managing transactions within a controlled environment facility provide an information management engine integrating transaction functionality and telephone calling functionality, establish an account associated with a resident of the controlled environment facility, and use the information management engine to conduct transactions associated with residents of the controlled environment facility. The transactions include at least requests, by the resident, for deposits into the account by a party outside of the controlled environment facility. The systems or methods accept requests from the resident and utilize the telephone calling services of the information management engine to facilitate the request for deposit. The systems or methods may place calls to the individuals outside the controlled environment facility to interact with the individual, request the deposit and accept such deposits.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing profitability is provided disclosing an intelligent customer scoring system (iCSS) for receiving a telephone number and transaction request. When the iCSS receives an initial transaction request, it accesses local information related to the number to predict a real-time initial customer score, wherein the requested initial transaction is allowed in real-time based on a comparison of the initial customer score, an expected profitability of the transaction, and a predetermined threshold level. The iCSS accesses information related to the number and the profitability of the transactions to refine the customer score. When the iCSS receives a subsequent transaction request, it is allowed or denied by comparing the refined customer score and expected profitability with the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Systems or methods for managing transactions within a controlled environment facility provide an information management engine integrating transaction functionality and telephone calling functionality, establish an account associated with a resident of the controlled environment facility, and use the information management engine to conduct transactions associated with residents of the controlled environment facility. The transactions include at least requests, by the resident, for deposits into the account by a party outside of the controlled environment facility. The systems or methods accept requests from the resident and utilize the telephone calling services of the information management engine to facilitate the request for deposit. The systems or methods may place calls to the individuals outside the controlled environment facility to interact with the individual, request the deposit and accept such deposits.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which utilize information communication systems for transaction and information management. According to embodiments, an automated information management engine is provided enabling and facilitating the purchase of goods and services through various payment options resulting in increased profitability and visibility safely, securely and conveniently. Embodiments utilize a telephony system, and/or other information communication system, having access terminals disposed within a controlled environment facility for use by residents thereof to conduct transactions or other desirable exchanges of information, goods, services, etcetera. Embodiments provide integration across various aspects of transaction and information management, such as prepaid account management, collect calling services, and commissary services, to thereby facilitate seamless user interaction for account deposit, account status inquiry, commissary ordering, and collect calling.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which allow a calling party to store messages for a called party even if the called party does not already have message storage facilities, provided the calling party and/or called party meet certain parameters. Delivery of the message is controlled by the called party and may require the called party to agree to pay for the message delivery service. In a further embodiment, a call processing system is operable to screen outgoing calls from various callers according to a first set of criteria and if a call is not completed to a called party a second set of criteria is used to determine if a message can be stored awaiting retrieval by the called party. If desired, a return message from a called party to a calling party can be stored.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods that provide centralized or nodal inmate management and telephone call processing capabilities to controlled environment facilities. An inmate management and call processing system serves a plurality of facilities and includes an inmate information database. The database is shared across the facilities and contains inmate records that may be accessed and modified by each facility as the inmate is transferred among those facilities. Each inmate record may include, among other information, contact information of third parties whom may be notified of the inmate's arrest and/or subsequent transfers of the inmate to different facilities. The inmate management and telephone call processing system may use third party contact information to establish accounts used to charge calls or transactions made by an inmate while residing at the facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the dissemination of information from a controlled environment facility employ facility information management functionality managing resident information and facility information, and call manager functionality selectively providing at least a portion of the resident information and/or the facility information to an outside party in an automated manner. The invention may employ outgoing IVR functionality to provide select portions of the resident information in response to the call manager recognizing that a call is a first call by a resident, or a first call to a particular telephone number by a resident. The invention may manage information related to providers of services or goods for residents of a facility, provide an outside party this information, and notify a selected provider of selection of that provider by the outside party to provide goods or services for a resident.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for managing notification of residents of a controlled-environment facility of pending messages awaiting retrieval by such residents. In one embodiment, a messaging system is provided in which a party external to the controlled-environment facility may record a message intended for a resident of the controlled-environment facility. A notification controller receives notification of the pending message for the resident and determines an appropriate communication device to use for notifying the resident of the pending message. In certain embodiments, a wireless location tracking system, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, is employed to determine a communication device that is in the vicinity of the resident, wherein the notification controller directs notification of the pending message to the determined communication device.

Abstract: Controlled public telephone communication systems includes a plurality of telephones at a given site, a programmable control computer for switching, accessing, routing, timing, billing, and the control of the telephones at the site and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network connecting the telephones to an off site public switched telephone network. The programming of the control computer is distributed to remote locations over the VoIP network. A data exchange network interconnects other sites with the telephone communications system being integrated into the data exchange network.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide for processing of calls by determining when a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface and providing call processing adapted for addressing issues associated with a portable interface. Call processing may provide for point of demand processing of calls to facilitate completion of calls in real-time, even when such calls are directed to a wireless telephone, a telephone for which LNP has been utilized, or other telephone having a portable interface. If an appropriate relationship has not been already been established for facilitating a call to a telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to establish such a relationship. When it is determined that a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to invoke rating schemes appropriate to the called number, possibly including flat rate schemes and rating determined using current location determination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying the identity of a person operating a device are shown. In some representative embodiments, a method comprises authorizing a person to operate a device, continuously monitoring a biometric trait of a device operator, and using the monitored biometric trait of the device operator to verify, during operation of the device, whether the device operator is the authorized person. In other representative embodiments, a system comprises a biometric sensor associated with a device, and a continuous biometric monitoring (CBM) module coupled to the biometric sensor. The CBM module may be adapted to continuously acquire a one biometric sample from the device operator during operation of the device.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide intelligent queuing with respect to processing transaction records. According to one embodiment, transaction records, such as collect calling records, are initially processed to a point that they are ready for release to an appropriate third party for further processing, billing, and/or collection, and are submitted to a queue. Queued transaction records preferably have initial queuing period information associated therewith. Embodiments dynamically change such queuing period information while a transaction record is pending in the queue, such as based upon further intelligence collected with respect to the party to the transaction, based upon subsequent transaction behavior, etcetera.

Abstract: Systems and methods which determines the likelihood that a calling (or in some cases the called) user will pay for a particular auxiliary service are described. A system of an embodiment considers the user's credit risk and his/her propensity to pay, when deciding if the user is eligible for a particular auxiliary service. A methodology used for determining propensity to pay for an auxiliary service according to embodiments is independent from a determination of propensity to pay for a basic calling service. Thus, the criteria used, and the weight given to each criteria, for determining eligibility for auxiliary services can be different from the criteria and criteria weight used for basic communication connections.

Abstract: Systems and methods providing radio frequency identification (RFID) of individuals, as may be implemented with respect to a controlled environment facility, using RFID transducer technology deployed in association with a user terminal, such as telephone or multimedia kiosk, are shown. Embodiments operate to identify residents of a controlled environment facility and control one or more transactions associated with the residents and/or actions of the residents using a RFID system in which a user presents a RFID transponder in proximity to a RFID transducer for identification. RFID tags of embodiments comprise data which identifies an individual, data which may be used to identify an individual, or a combination of both. RFID systems of embodiments are adapted to utilize existing communication links for identification of individuals using RFID and/or for controlling transactions, such as calls, using RFID.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed generally to use of biometric identification during a call for detecting an anomaly occurring in the call, such as a change in the parties participating on the call. Communication between parties of a call is monitored and biometric identification is performed using the communication. According to one exemplary embodiment, biometric prints, such as voice prints, face prints, etc., are obtained for parties that are authorized to participate on a call. The call is then monitored and biometric data (e.g., audio, video, etc.) captured from communication during the call is compared with the biometric prints of the authorized parties to detect changes in the parties participating on the call, such as a new, unauthorized party joining the call. Thus, a call processing system can detect anomalies occurring during monitored calls, such as three-way calling, a handoff of a call, etc.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods in which call intelligence, such as may be disposed in communication with signaling systems utilized in controlling calls, is used to provide information for making determinations with respect to the treatment of calls. Call intelligence may be coupled to or disposed within such networks to receive signaling therefrom and/or transmit signaling thereto for determining the appropriate treatment of a call and, preferably, controlling the treatment of a call in accordance with such determination. Signaling messages received by call intelligence may be utilized to determine that a particular calling activity (e.g., enhanced calling service such as call redirecting or three-way calling) is being employed, to collect data with respect to a call, and the like.

Abstract: Systems and methods which facilitate wireless communications within a controlled environment in a controlled manner are shown. Embodiments operate to recognize wireless communications terminating within a controlled environment facility and control one or more aspects of the communications. Embodiments also operate to detect wireless devices disposed within a controlled environment facility and determine the location of the wireless devices. Embodiments deploy one or more wireless communication nodes in communication with an information processing platform operating in association with the controlled environment facility, such that wireless devices detected by the wireless communication nodes are located by the call processing platform and wireless communications passing through the wireless communication nodes are subject to call processing by the information processing platform.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying the identity of a person operating a device are shown. In some representative embodiments, a method comprises authorizing a person to operate a device, continuously monitoring a biometric trait of a device operator, and using the monitored biometric trait of the device operator to verify, during operation of the device, whether the device operator is the authorized person. In other representative embodiments, a system comprises a biometric sensor associated with a device, and a continuous biometric monitoring (CBM) module coupled to the biometric sensor. The CBM module may be adapted to continuously acquire a one biometric sample from the device operator during operation of the device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for sending and receiving a message between a nonresident and a resident of a controlled environment facility that associates an identifier to the message, wherein the resident does not associate the identifier to resident created messages. The identifier my take the form of a barcode printed directly onto the message form or printed onto a detachable sticker that is affixed to the message form. Embodiments may allow the searching of a message for prohibited words, phrases, or ideas and notifying a relevant authority to the existence of such prohibited content. Embodiments may also allow a nonresident to select a delivery medium that is incompatible with the format of a message created by a resident by converting the resident created message to a message format compatible with the delivery medium.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for managing notification of residents of a controlled-environment facility of pending messages awaiting retrieval by such residents. In one embodiment, a messaging system is provided in which a party external to the controlled-environment facility may record a message intended for a resident of the controlled-environment facility. A notification controller receives notification of the pending message for the resident and determines an appropriate communication device to use for notifying the resident of the pending message. In certain embodiments, a wireless location tracking system, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, is employed to determine a communication device that is in the vicinity of the resident, wherein the notification controller directs notification of the pending message to the determined communication device.