System and method for controlling free phone calls through an institutional phone system
View Patent ↗A method of controlling free phone calls places from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number from the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number.
1. A computer implemented method for limiting a quantity of free phone calls placed by a pre-processed user through a phone system, comprising:
assigning a temporary unique access identifier to the pre-processed user to be used until occurrence of a predetermined event;
determining whether the pre-processed user is qualified to place a free phone call requested by the pre-processed user based on the temporary unique access identifier;
connecting the free phone call without charging the pre-processed user when the pre-processed user is qualified to place the free phone call; and
denying the requested free phone call when the pre-processed user is not qualified to place the free phone call,
wherein the pre-processed user has not been processed, and
wherein the predetermined event occurs during a processing operation of the pre-processed user.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
verifying whether the temporary unique access identifier is valid for the free phone call, wherein the temporary unique access identifier is verified for the free phone call before the processing operation; and
assigning a second unique access identifier to the pre-processed user during the processing operation.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
terminating the temporary unique access identifier for the pre-processed user during the processing operation.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the phone system serves a secure premises.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the temporary unique access identifier is assigned to the pre-processed user when the pre-processed user is in an intake area for the secure premises.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking number of free phone calls placed by the pre-processed user;
tracking free phone call information of the free phone calls; and
storing the free phone call information in association with the temporary unique access identifier.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:
assigning the pre-processed user a second unique access identifier; and
associating the free phone call information stored for the pre-processed user with the second unique access identifier after the pre-processed user is assigned the second unique access identifier.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deducting a unit from the quantity of allowed free phone calls each time the requested free phone call is connected; and
denying a connection of the requested free phone call when the quantity of free phone calls is zero.
9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the denying further comprises:
denying the connection of the requested free phone call when a time period of allowing free phone calls for the pre-processed user is expired.
10. The computer implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:
resetting the quantity of free phone calls for the pre-processed user to a predetermined number during the processing operation.
11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the verifying comprises:
determining whether a destination phone number for the free phone call is an authorized destination phone number.
12. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining whether the destination phone number for the free phone call is a per se free phone call, wherein the per se free phone call is substantially always connected; and
automatically connecting the per se free phone call without verifying whether the temporary unique access identifier is valid.
13. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein a quantity of allowed per se free phone calls is substantially unlimited.
14. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the processing operation includes:
storing information of the pre-processed user; and
storing a second unique access identifier in association with the information.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the information includes personal information and billing information.
16. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-processed user becomes a processed user at a completion of the processing operation.
17. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting an available number of free phone calls associated with the temporary unique access identifier to a predetermined number; and
reducing the available number of free phone calls upon successfully connecting the free phone call.
18. A phone system, comprising:
a free call control processor configured to:
assign a temporary unique access identifier to a pre-processed user to be used until occurrence of a predetermined event;
determine whether the pre-processed user is qualified to place a free phone call requested by the pre-processed user based on the temporary unique access identifier,
connect the free phone call without charging the pre-processed user when the pre-processed user is qualified to place the free phone call, and
deny the free phone call when the pre-processed user is not qualified to place the free phone call; and
a pre-processed user database configured to store identification data for the pre-processed user,
wherein the pre-processed user has not been processed, and
wherein the predetermined event occurs during a processing operation of the pre-processed user.
19. The phone system of claim 18 , further comprising:
an access identifier database that stores a plurality of temporary unique access identifiers, wherein the plurality of temporary unique access identifiers is stored before the processing operation; and
an access identifier database controller configured to assign the temporary unique access identifier from the plurality of temporary unique access identifiers that is included in the access identifier database to the pre-processed user, wherein the temporary unique access identifier is assigned to the pre-processed user before the processing operation.
20. The phone system of claim 18 , wherein the phone system is configured to serve a secure premises.
21. The phone system of claim 20 , wherein the temporary unique access identifier is assigned to the pre-processed user while the pre-processed user is in an intake area for the secure premises.
22. The phone system of claim 18 , wherein the free call control processor is further configured to:
provide a quantity of allowed free phone calls to be connected for the pre-processed user;
deduct a unit from the quantity of allowed free phone calls when the requested free phone call is connected; and
deny the connection of the requested free phone call when the quantity of allowed free phone calls has been deducted to zero.
23. The phone system of claim 22 , wherein the free call control processor is further configured to deny the connection of the requested free phone call when a period of allowed free phone calls for the pre-processed user is expired.
24. The phone system of claim 18 , wherein the free call processor is further configured to:
track a number of free phone calls placed by the pre-processed user; and
track free phone call information of each of the free phone calls.