Abstract: Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third-party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third-party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may be made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Abstract: Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may be made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and/or as POTS trunking Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and/or analysis across multiple facilities served.

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 which facilitate selection of communication carriers for communications made in association with a controlled environment facility by a party to the communications are shown. Embodiments allow for a calling party and/or a called party to select a preferred communication carrier from a plurality of communication carriers for a current communication and/or one or more future communications. A party's carrier selection may be stored by a communication processing system for use with respect to a plurality of communication sessions. Embodiments provide a conflict resolution algorithm to arbitrate conflicting carrier selections where both a calling party and a called party to select a carrier for a communication session. Embodiments provide a premise based communication processing system, a centralized communication processing system, or a distributed configuration comprising a hybrid of the foregoing premise based and centralized configurations.

Abstract: A system and method of optimizing allocation of services and pricing for those services is described for group transactions having at least three distinct entities. The entities can include a retailer, a plurality of vendors in need of the services and a plurality of service providers who provide the services. The system and method include creating an allocation of services to be performed at the retailer by service providers on behalf of vendors, and a price schedule for the designated for services, and placing the allocation of the services up for commitment by the vendors in discrete increments. Final pricing is determined for the discrete increments of time, services or other discrete measure designated for services based on the amount of time committed to by the plurality of retailers, and schedules the services providers to provide the services on behalf of the vendors at the retailer.

Abstract: Systems and methods which facilitate selection of communication carriers for communications made in association with a controlled environment facility by a party to the communications are shown. Embodiments allow for a calling party and/or a called party to select a preferred communication carrier from a plurality of communication carriers for a current communication and/or one or more future communications. A party's carrier selection may be stored by a communication processing system for use with respect to a plurality of communication sessions. Embodiments provide a conflict resolution algorithm to arbitrate conflicting carrier selections where both a calling party and a called party to select a carrier for a communication session. Embodiments provide a premise based communication processing system, a centralized communication processing system, or a distributed configuration comprising a hybrid of the foregoing premise based and centralized configurations.

Abstract: Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may he made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Abstract: Systems and methods which detect unauthorized, impermissible, or otherwise undesired call activity through the use of one or more third party databases are shown. For example, a controlled environment facility information management system may access a database external thereto, such as a victim notification database, which is created and maintained by a third party unrelated to the controlled environment facility. Such third party database access may be accomplished at the point of call validation or caller verification for determining the treatment of the call (e.g., allowed, blocked, allowed with limitations, etcetera). Such call treatment determinations may be made with respect a particular prisoner or other resident of the controlled environment facility making the call, may be made with respect to all calls made from a particular controlled environment facility, may be made with respect to a group of controlled environment facilities, etcetera.

Abstract: Systems and methods which facilitate wireless communications within a controlled environment in a controlled manner are shown. Embodiments operate to recognize wireless communications, whether voice, text, video, or data, terminating within a controlled environment facility and control one or more aspects of the communication using a call processing platform or other communication control system. In addition to providing a higher percentage of calls completed calls, embodiments of the invention provide improved investigatory tools for the controlled environment facility through controlling, monitoring, redirecting, and/or interrupting wireless communications. Embodiments deploy one or more wireless communication nodes in communication with a call processing platform operating in association with the controlled environment facility, such that wireless communications passing through the wireless communication nodes are subject to call processing by the call processing platform.

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: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide call processing for a plurality of telephones at a site for which calling services are provided. Call control functionality is distributed to remote locations using data networks according to embodiments. The aforementioned data networks and/or separate data networks are used to carry call content using voice over Internet protocols (VoIP). Embodiments utilize VoIP to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and/or as POTS trunking. Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and/or analysis across multiple facilities served.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide techniques providing account setup, management and transaction authorization determinations in real-time using transaction interrupt messaging. Embodiments preferably take into consideration the quality of one or more parties to the transaction and the means by which charges may be rendered to them when making account setup, management, and/or transaction authorization determinations. Accordingly, transactions, such as collect calls, meeting at least some minimal risk threshold may be completed on a first call attempt, even where a pre-arranged billing agreement or other business relationship is not previously in place.

Abstract: Embodiments connect a call in which at least one party is a VoIP call party and monitoring resulting VoIP signals for unauthorized call activity, such as three-way call activity. The monitoring may include monitoring the call for suspend and/or resume events to detect the unauthorized call activity, the suspend and resume events may be generated by a telephone system and passed into a VoIP system associated with the VoIP call party. The monitoring may be carried out by an agent disposed between a VoIP gateway and the VoIP call party or by the VoIP gateway itself.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and/or as POTS trunking Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and/or analysis across multiple facilities served.

Abstract: Embodiments connect a call in which at least one party is a VoIP call party and monitoring resulting VoIP signals for unauthorized call activity, such as three-way call activity. The monitoring may include monitoring the call for suspend and/or resume events to detect the unauthorized call activity, the suspend and resume events may be generated by a telephone system and passed into a VoIP system associated with the VoIP call party. The monitoring may be carried out by an agent disposed between a VoIP gateway and the VoIP call party or by the VoIP gateway itself.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and/or as POTS trunking. Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and/or analysis across multiple facilities served.

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: 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: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide techniques providing account setup, management and transaction authorization determinations in real-time using transaction interrupt messaging. Embodiments preferably take into consideration the quality of one or more parties to the transaction and the means by which charges may be rendered to them when making account setup, management, and/or transaction authorization determinations. Accordingly, transactions, such as collect calls, meeting at least some minimal risk threshold may be completed on a first call attempt, even where a pre-arranged billing agreement or other business relationship is not previously in place.