Verifying presence of authorized persons during an electronic visitation
An embodiment of an apparatus may include an image capture device configured to capture an image of a user in response to a request to initiate an electronic visitation session. The apparatus may also include a processing device coupled to the image capture device and configured to perform a feature detection process on the image to verify that an actual face was present in the image, and connect the electronic visitation session in response to a determination that the actual face was present in the image.
1. A method comprising:
receiving a request to initiate an electronic visitation session;
capturing an image, with an image capture device, of a user in response to the request;
performing a feature detection process, with a processor, on the image to verify that an actual face was present in the image;
connecting the electronic visitation session in response to a determination that the actual face was present in the image;
capturing a second image of the user with the image capture device during the electronic visitation session;
performing the detection process on the second image, with the processor, to verify that the actual face is present in the second image.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prompting the user to face the image capture device in response to receiving the request.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is configured to capture a still-frame image.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device is configured to capture a video frame.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein feature detection process further comprises a facial recognition process.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the image captured by the image capture device in a data storage device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device comprises a component of a video visitation system located within a controlled-environment facility.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device comprises a component of an electronic device located outside of the controlled-environment facility.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a responsive action in response to a determination that the actual face is not present in the second image.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feature detection process utilizes three-dimensional (3D) feature detection.
11. An apparatus comprising:
an image capture device configured to capture an image of a user in response to a request to initiate an electronic visitation session;
a processing device coupled to the image capture device and configured to:
perform a feature detection process on the image to verify that an actual face was present in the image;
connect the electronic visitation session in response to a determination that the actual face was present in the image;
capture a second image of the user with the image capture device during the electronic visitation session;
perform the feature detection process on the second image to verify that the actual face is present in the second image.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing device is further configured to prompt the user to face the image capture device in response to receiving the request.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image capture device is further configured to capture a still-frame image.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image capture device is further configured to capture a video frame.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising the processing device being configured to perform a facial recognition process.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing device is further configured to store the image captured by the image capture device in a data storage device.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image capture device comprises a component of a video visitation system located within a controlled-environment facility.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the image capture device comprises a component of an electronic device located outside of the controlled-environment facility.
19. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising performing a responsive action in response to a determination that the actual face is not present in the second image.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing device utilizes three-dimensional (3D) feature detection to perform the feature detection process on the image to verify that an actual face was present in the image.
21. A method comprising:
receiving a request to initiate an electronic visitation session;
capturing a first image, with an image capture device, of a user in response to the request;
performing a three-dimensional (3D) facial recognition process on the first image, with a processor, to identify the user;
connecting the electronic visitation session in response to a determination that a face in the first image matches an authorized user;
capturing a second image of the user, with the image capture device, during the electronic visitation session;
performing the 3D facial recognition process on the second image, with the processor, to identify the user; and
performing a responsive action in response to a determination that a face in the second image does not match an authorized user.