Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for providing advertisements to the parties of a communication, such as a telephone call or a video conference. A calling party agrees to view or listen to an advertisement in exchange for communications services, such as a telephone call. A called party may also agree to view or listen to an advertisement in order to receive a call. After an advertisement is broadcast to the calling and/or calling parties, a call connection is completed between the parties. Alternatively, audio and/or video advertisements may be broadcast during a call connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dissemination of information from a controlled-environment facility may offer a non-resident and/or resident an option to subscribe to notifications about a particular resident of a controlled-environment facility and/or notifications about the controlled-environment facility. Identification and contact information may be accepted from the non-resident to establish the non-resident as a paid or non-paid subscriber to notifications about the resident and/or the controlled-environment facility. A determination may be made, or an indication may be received from a controlled-environment facility administration and management system, when information about the resident hosted by the controlled-environment administration and management system changes and/or when a change is made to information about the controlled-environment facility. As a result, the subscriber is contacted and notified of the change(s).

Abstract: An exclusion engine for electronic communications in controlled-environment facilities. In some embodiments, a method may include method may include receiving, at one or more computer systems, a request for an electronic communication between a resident and a non-resident of a controlled-environment facility and determining, via the one or more computer systems, whether an exclusion list adopted by the controlled-environment facility allows the non-resident to communicate with the resident, where the exclusion list is of a type selected from the group consisting of: a permissive list, and a restrictive list. For example, a permissive list may identify one or more non-residents that are allowed to communicate with the resident, and a restrictive list may identify one or more non-residents that are not allowed to communicate with the resident.

Abstract: An infrared image and/or a video of one or more residents of a controlled-environment facility is captured using an imaging device of a controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device disposed within the controlled-environment facility when the device is not being used in a communication session. The imaging device of the controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device is capable of operation with an infrared light source. The infrared image or video may be stored and/or presented to an entity associated with the controlled-environment facility, such as personnel of the facility, a facility administration system, etc. Capturing the image may include turning on at least one infrared light source on the device and/or turning off any indication that the capturing is taking place. The device may be located in a resident sleeping area and a bed check may be performed by the entity or device, using the infrared image.

Abstract: During a voice call between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and another party, an indication by the resident or the other call party to convert the voice call to a video communication between the resident and the other party may be made. Whereupon, a controlled-environment communications processing system may confirm that both parties agree to convert the voice call to a video communication, and may query a controlled-environment facility administration and management system to confirm that the resident may take part in a video communication. Thereafter, such as in response to confirmation both parties agree to convert the voice call to a video communication and/or that the resident may take part in a video communication, a video communication link may be established between a communication device in use by the resident and a communication device in use by the other party.

Abstract: A system for receiving satellite radio signals and/or internet content and extracting a plurality of channels from the satellite radio signals and/or internet content is disclosed. The content of the channels is converted to IP packets and streamed across an Ethernet network. In one embodiment, each of the channels is associated with an IP address or port. Users receive the content of the channels by selecting the IP address or port associated with the desired content. An administrator may control the channels that are available to the users. In one embodiment, the users each have a subscription to access the content, and the subscription may control the channels that the user access.

Abstract: Remote multi-party and/or event-driven visitation for controlled-environment facilities. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving a request to initiate a remote group visitation session between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and a category of individuals that are non-residents of the controlled-environment facility. The method may also include identifying, based upon the category of individuals, two or more non-residents of the controlled-environment facility, and determining that the two or more non-residents are available to participate in the remote group visitation session. The method may further include enabling the remote group visitation session, wherein during the session the resident is allowed to communicate with the two or more non-residents.

Abstract: Systems and methods for developing, deploying, providing, and/or operating location-based services for controlled-environment facilities (e.g., jails, prisons, etc.) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving, from a resident of a controlled-environment facility (e.g., an inmate, etc.), a request to establish a remote communication with a mobile device operated by a non-resident of the controlled-environment facility (e.g., family, friend, attorney, etc.). For example, the mobile device may be a cellular phone, a smart phone, a computing device, a tablet, or the like. The method may also include allowing or denying the request depending, at least in part, upon a physical location of the mobile device. In some cases, the method may also include comparing an indication of the physical location with a geo-fencing rule and taking a predetermined action in response to the comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide availability of information on a network wide basis, with the network or information technology (IT) fabric spanning a wide range of institutions and other sources of information, including correctional facilities, without regard to which jurisdiction the source of information belongs, e.g. police, courts, federal investigation agencies, public databases etcetera. Embodiments provide an electronic based capability to identify useful information and for locating, collecting, compiling, aggregating, distilling, and/or reporting robust data.

Abstract: A tablet computing device and controlled-environment communications processing system implemented process calls for the tablet requesting, via the controlled-environment communications system, a communication link between the tablet and another communications device. A resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the tablet is identified by the tablet to the controlled-environment communications system. The controlled-environment communications system selects advertisement(s) to be played on at least the tablet operated by the resident. The advertisement(s) are played on at least the tablet. The communications link is established by the controlled-environment communications system, between the tablet and the other communications device, before, during or following playing of the advertisement(s) on at least the tablet. Communication is carried out on the tablet, via the communications link, before, during and/or following playing of the advertisement(s).

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.

Abstract: A multi-party conversation analyzer and logger uses a variety of techniques including spectrographic voice analysis, absolute loudness measurements, directional microphones, and telephonic directional separation to determine the number of parties who take part in a conversation, and segment the conversation by speaking party. In one aspect, the invention monitors telephone conversations in real time to detect conditions of interest (for instance, calls to non-allowed parties or calls of a prohibited nature from prison inmates). In another aspect, automated prosody measurement algorithms are used in conjunction with speaker segmentation to extract emotional content of the speech of participants within a particular conversation, and speaker interactions and emotions are displayed in graphical form.

Abstract: Systems and methods insert a modulated signal into audio of a controlled-environment facility resident's side of a call, such as by a controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like. The same or a different controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like, may detect the same and/or another modulated signal inserted into the audio of the same and/or another controlled-environment facility resident's side of the call in the audio of an other party's side of the call. The same or a different controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like, may determine if more than one modulated signal is present in the other call party's side of the call and alert an authority that more than one controlled-environment facility resident is taking part in the call.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention facilitates the investigation of networks of criminals, by gathering associations between phone numbers, the names of persons reached at those phone numbers, and voice print data. In another aspect the invention automatically detects phone calls from a prison where the voiceprint of the person called matches the voiceprint of a past inmate. In another aspect the invention detects identity scams in prisons, by monitoring for known voice characteristics of likely imposters on phone calls made by prisoners. In another aspect, the invention automatically does speech-to-text conversion of phone numbers spoken within a predetermined time of detecting data indicative of a three-way call event while monitoring a phone call from a prison inmate. In another aspect, the invention automatically thwarts attempts of prison inmates to use re-dialing services.

Abstract: Remote multi-party and/or event-driven visitation for controlled-environment facilities. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving a request to initiate a remote group visitation session between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and two or more non-residents of the controlled-environment facility. The method may also include enabling the remote group visitation session, wherein during the session the resident is allowed to communicate with the two or more non-residents.

Abstract: A system for receiving satellite radio signals and/or internet content and extracting a plurality of channels from the satellite radio signals and/or internet content is disclosed. The content of the channels is converted to IP packets and streamed across an Ethernet network. In one embodiment, each of the channels is associated with an IP address or port. Users receive the content of the channels by selecting the IP address or port associated with the desired content. An administrator may control the channels that are available to the users. In one embodiment, the users each have a subscription to access the content, and the subscription may control the channels that the user access.

Abstract: Systems and methods insert a modulated signal into audio of a controlled-environment facility resident's side of a call, such as by a controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like. The same or a different controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like, may detect the same and/or another modulated signal inserted into the audio of the same and/or another controlled-environment facility resident's side of the call in the audio of an other party's side of the call. The same or a different controlled-environment communication apparatus, or the like, may determine if more than one modulated signal is present in the other call party's side of the call and alert an authority that more than one controlled-environment facility resident is taking part in the call.

Abstract: A multi-party conversation analyzer and logger uses a variety of techniques including spectrographic voice analysis, absolute loudness measurements, directional microphones, and telephonic directional separation to determine the number of parties who take part in a conversation, and segment the conversation by speaking party. In one aspect, the invention monitors telephone conversations in real time to detect conditions of interest (for instance, calls to non-allowed parties or calls of a prohibited nature from prison inmates). In another aspect, automated prosody measurement algorithms are used in conjunction with speaker segmentation to extract emotional content of the speech of participants within a particular conversation, and speaker interactions and emotions are displayed in graphical form.

Abstract: An Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) may answer a call and recognize call origin identifying information associated with the call. Whereupon, the IVR may retrieve at least one category of action, with respect to a resident of a controlled-environment facility, last carried out by a caller associated with the call origin identifying information. The IVR may then present the calling party an option to carry out at least one action with respect to the resident of the controlled-environment facility corresponding to at least one category of at least one action last carried out by a caller associated with the call origin identifying information. The action may be depositing money to an account maintained for the benefit of the resident of the controlled-environment facility, retrieving and hearing current and/or changed information about the resident (such as from a controlled-environment facility management system), and/or the like.

Abstract: A tablet computing device and controlled-environment communications processing system implemented process calls for the tablet requesting, via the controlled-environment communications system, a communication link between the tablet and another communications device. A resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the tablet is identified by the tablet to the controlled-environment communications system. The controlled-environment communications system selects advertisement(s) to be played on at least the tablet operated by the resident. The advertisement(s) are played on at least the tablet. The communications link is established by the controlled-environment communications system, between the tablet and the other communications device, before, during or following playing of the advertisement(s) on at least the tablet. Communication is carried out on the tablet, via the communications link, before, during and/or following playing of the advertisement(s).