Multifunction wireless device
A communication device and system are disclosed for providing communication and data services to residents of a controlled facility. The device can be restricted to communicating only using an internet protocol so as to restrict the device communication to an internal intranet. Wireless access points may be disposed throughout the environment to route calls and data between the device and a central processing center. By converting a protocol of the communications received from the device to a protocol used b r central processing center, minimal modifications to the central processing center are needed to support a wireless communication infrastructure. Many restrictions and safeguards may be implemented within the phone and system in order to prevent improper use.
1. A controlled-environment telephone system for routing an inbound telephone call to a personal device associated with a resident of a controlled environment, the system comprising:
a network interface configured to receive the inbound telephone call from a network; and
one or more processors and/or circuits configured to:
prompt a caller associated with the inbound telephone call for first information or second information depending on availability of caller identification information;
prompt the caller for the resident identification information of the resident;
validate the caller based on the first or second information and the resident identification information; and
connect the caller to the personal device associated with the resident in response to the caller being validated.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first information is a personal identification number (PIN) of the caller.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second information includes the PIN and an account number of the caller.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second information includes the first information and additional information.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are configured to transmit a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message to the personal device in response to the caller being validated.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the caller identification information is not available,
wherein the first information or the second information includes an account number of the caller,
wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number, and
wherein the personal device associated with the resident is notified via a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message as to the inbound telephone call.
8. A method for routing an inbound telephone call to a personal device associated with a resident of a controlled environment, the method comprising:
receiving the inbound telephone call from a network, the inbound telephone call being associated with a caller;
prompting the caller for caller identification information;
prompting the caller for resident identification information relating to the resident;
validating the caller based on the resident identification information; and
connecting the caller to the personal device in response to the caller being validated.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether caller identification information is available from the inbound telephone call.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the caller identification information differs depending on the determination.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the caller identification information includes a personal identification number (PIN) of the caller.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining determines that the caller identification information is not available, and
wherein the caller identification information includes an account number of the caller.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting a message to the personal device in response to the caller being validated.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the message is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.
16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining that caller identification information is not available,
wherein the caller information includes an account number of the caller,
wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number, and
wherein the personal device is notified of the inbound telephone call using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.
17. A method comprising:
receiving an inbound telephone call from a network, the inbound telephone call being associated with a caller;
attempting to acquire secondary information from the inbound telephone call;
prompting the caller for caller identification information based on whether the attempting was successful;
prompting the caller for the resident identification information relating to a resident;
validating the caller based on the resident identification information and the caller identification information; and
connecting the caller to the personal device in response to the caller being validated.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the secondary information includes the caller identification information.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the caller identification information differs depending on whether the attempting was successful.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the caller identification information includes a personal identification number (PIN) of the caller.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the attempting was not successful, and
wherein the caller identification information includes an account number of the caller.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the attempting fails to acquire the secondary information from the inbound telephone call,
wherein the caller identification information additionally includes an account number of the caller,
wherein the resident identification information of the resident includes a resident identification number, and
wherein the personal device is notified of the inbound telephone call via a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.