Media device check-out/check-in control
Systems and methods for controlling access to one or more media devices that may be shared among multiple users, such as multiple residents in a controlled-environment facility, are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes operating at least one computer system. Operating the at least one computer system includes checking out a media device. Checking out the media device comprises enabling the media device for use for a first duration of a first timer. Operating the at least one computer system further includes, upon expiration of the first duration of the first timer, disabling use of the media device, and checking in the media device. The media device is prohibited from being checked out for a second duration of a second timer.
1. A method, comprising:
operating at least one computer system comprising:
checking out a media device available for check out; after taking of the media device by a first user, by enabling the media device for use, using a first account of the first user, for a first duration of a first timer;
upon expiration of the first duration of the first timer, disabling use of the media device;
upon return of the media device for check in, prohibiting the media device from being checked out, using the first account of the first user, for a second duration of a second timer; and
send an alert or notification to an administrator and/or authorized personnel to indicate that the media device remains checked out in in response to the first user failing to check in the media device after a predefined duration after expiration of the first timer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the at least one computer system further comprises providing a visual indication of one or more media devices that are available for taking for the check out.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the check out of the media device further comprises logging into the media device using an account of a user.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling use of the media device comprises forcing a log-out of the account of the user from the media device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling use of the media device comprises locking up the media device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the check in of the media device comprises receiving an indication that the media device was surrendered to an access station.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the access station transmits the indication that the media device was surrendered to the access station in response to the access station detecting that the media device is communicatively coupled to the access station.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media device is not prohibited from being checked out using a second account of a second user for the second duration of the second timer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media device is prohibited from being checked out using a second account of a second user for the second duration of the second timer.
10. A method, comprising:
operating at least one computer system comprising:
enabling a first user to:
log into an access station using a first account of the first user; and
request to check out a media device;
determining whether a media device is available for checking out and whether the first user is permitted to check out a media device;
communicating to the first user via the access station, in response to a media device being available and the first user being permitted to check out a media device, which shared media device of a plurality of media devices is available;
checking out the shared media device available for check out by taking of the shared media device by the first user, checking out the shared media device by the first user, checking out the shared media device comprising:
logging into the shared media device using the first account of the first user; and
beginning a first timer with a first duration in which use of the shared media device is enabled for the first account of the first user;
upon expiration of the first duration of the first timer, disabling use of the shared media device for the first account of the first user; and
upon return of the shared media device for check in, checking in the shared media device, wherein checking in the shared media device comprises beginning a second timer with a second duration during which the shared media device is prohibited from being taken for check out using the first account of the first user.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein operating the at least one computer system further comprises providing a visual indication of one or more shared media devices that are available for checking out.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein disabling use of the shared media device comprises forcing a log-out of the first account of the first user from the shared media device.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein disabling use of the shared media device comprises locking up the shared media device.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shared media device is not prohibited from being checked out using a second account of a second user during the second duration of the second timer.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shared media device is prohibited from being checked out using a second account of a second user during the second duration of the second timer.
16. A system, comprising:
a computer system comprising at least one processor and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to:
determine if a shared media device is available for check out, in response to a first user taking the shared media device and the first user attempting to log into the shared media device using a first account of the first user;
prohibit the first user from logging into the shared media device, in response to the shared media device not being available for check out, disabling the shared media device for use by the first account of the first user;
check out the shared media device using the first account of the first user, in response to the shared media device being available for check out; and:
enable the shared media device for use using the first account of the first user;
initiate a first timer with a first duration during which the shared media device is enabled upon the shared media device being checked out using the first account of the first user, wherein the shared media device becomes disabled for use by the first account of the first user upon expiration of the first duration of the first timer;
enable the shared media device to be returned for check in; and
initiate a second timer with a second duration upon the shared media device being checked in, wherein the shared media device is not available to be taken for check out using the first account of the first user during the second duration of the second timer.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the shared media device is enabled to be checked out comprises enabling logging into the shared media device using the first account of the first user, and wherein the shared media device becomes disabled comprises a forced log-out of the first account of the first user from the shared media device.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the shared media device is available to be checked out using a second account of a second user during the second duration of the second timer.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the shared media device is not available to be checked out using a second account of a second user during the second duration of the second timer.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a location of the media device in the alert or notification to the administrator and/or authorized personnel based on location data enabled by the media device.