IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,843,640
Granted Patent B2
US 11,843,640 · App. 17/859,271 · Granted Dec 12, 2023

Electronic messaging exchange

Inventors: Stephen Hodge (Aubrey, TX); David Woody (Allen, TX)
Assignee: Global Tel*Link Corporation
H04L63/30H04L51/04H04L51/066H04L51/212H04L51/214H04L51/42H04L51/56H04L51/58H04L63/08H04L63/083H04L63/0861H04L63/102H04L63/105H04L63/1408H04M3/42382H04L63/0892H04L67/02H04L67/306H04M3/2281H04W48/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,843,640
App. No.
17/859,271
Granted
Dec 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for secure electronic message exchange including coupling a control platform to a workstation of a plurality of workstations via a communications medium, where the control platform includes one or more apparatuses for monitoring, controlling, conversion, and billing, related to messages exchanged between a plurality of local users and a plurality of remote users. The system prevents forwarding or copying of a message sent by a local user of the plurality of local users and received by a remote user of the plurality of remote users, to another party by the control platform. The system and method also provides for authenticating the remote user with the control platform.

Claims (64)

1. A method for secure electronic message exchange, comprising:

authenticating, by a wireless terminal, an inmate of an institution when the inmate attempts to login to the wireless terminal, wherein the wireless terminal is isolated from an internet;

generating, by the wireless terminal, an electronic message for a user based on input from the inmate, the user being external to the institution;

transmitting, by the wireless terminal, the electronic message to a control platform using a wireless connection, wherein the control platform is located outside the institution, and the wireless terminal is coupled to the control platform;

receiving, by the control platform, the electronic message from the wireless terminal;

performing, by the control platform, an automated security scan of the electronic message;

authenticating, by the control platform, the user by determining whether the user is an approved contact for the inmate;

based on the automated security scan and the authentication of the user, forwarding, by the control platform, the electronic message to a secure platform, and forwarding a notification associated with the electronic message to a device associated with the user;

receiving, by the secure platform, a login request from the device associated with the user in response to receiving the notification associated with the electronic message;

approving the login request from the user;

providing, by the secure platform, secure web-based access to the user upon approval of the login request; and

facilitating, by the secure platform, a subsequent electronic message conversation between the inmate and the user using the secure web-based access, wherein the secure platform is integrated within the control platform.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the control platform, a further notification to an administrator; and

storing the electronic message in a database.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless terminal is connected exclusively with the control platform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the approving the login request from the user includes using at least an account and password information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing, by the control platform, the automated security scan of the electronic message includes searching for one or more key words.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

verifying payment for messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation, the payment being based on a length of each of the messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation.

7. A method for secure electronic message exchange, comprising:

receiving, by a secure platform, a login request from a remote device associated with a user, wherein the remote device is located outside a secure inmate facility;

approving the login request from the user;

providing, by the secure platform, secure web-based access to the user;

receiving, by the secure platform, an electronic message from the remote device;

transmitting, by the secure platform, the electronic message to a control platform, wherein the secure platform is coupled to the control platform, and the control platform is located outside the secure inmate facility;

authenticating, by the control platform, the user by determining whether the user is an approved contact for an inmate;

performing, by the control platform, an automated security scan of the electronic message;

based on the automated security scan, transmitting, by the control platform, the electronic message to a wireless terminal using a wireless connection or to an administrator, wherein the wireless terminal is coupled to the control platform, and forwarding a notification associated with the electronic message to alert the inmate of the electronic message;

receiving, by the wireless terminal, the electronic message from the control platform;

authenticating, by the wireless terminal, the inmate when the inmate attempts to login to the wireless terminal;

providing, by the wireless terminal, the electronic message to the authenticated inmate; and

facilitating, by the secure platform, a subsequent electronic message conversation between the authenticated inmate and the user using the secure web-based access, wherein the secure platform is integrated within the control platform.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the control platform, a notification to the administrator; and storing the electronic message in a database.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wireless terminal is connected exclusively with the control platform.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the approving the login request from the user includes using at least an account and password information.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performing, by the control platform, the automated security scan of the electronic message includes searching for one or more key words.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

verifying payment for messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation, the payment being based on a length of each of the messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation.

13. A secure electronic message exchange system, comprising:

a control platform located outside a prison facility;

a secure platform integrated within the control platform; and

a wireless terminal coupled to the control platform, the wireless terminal being isolated from an internet, the wireless terminal configured to:

authenticate an inmate of the prison facility when the inmate attempts to login to the wireless terminal,

generate an electronic message for a user based on input from the inmate, the user being external to the prison facility, and

transmit the electronic message using a wireless connection to the control platform,

wherein the control platform is configured to:

receive the electronic message from the wireless terminal,

perform an automated security scan of the electronic message,

authenticate the user by determining whether the user is an approved contact for the inmate, and

based on the automated security scan and the authentication of the user, forward the electronic message to the secure platform, and forward a notification associated with the electronic message to a device associated with the user, and

wherein the secure platform is configured to:

receive a login request from the device associated with the user in response to receiving the notification associated with the electronic message,

facilitate approval of the login request from the user,

provide secure web-based access to the user upon approval of the login request, and

facilitate a subsequent electronic message conversation between the inmate and the user using the secure web-based access.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless terminal is further configured to authenticate the inmate using at least one of a login and password information, a biometric information, and a radio frequency identification.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the secure platform is further configured to approve the login request from the user using at least an account and password information.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control platform is further configured to determine whether the electronic message is protected by a legal privilege, and to restrict access to the electronic message if the electronic message is determined to be protected by the legal privilege.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control platform is further configured to allow an administrator to monitor the electronic message and the subsequent electronic message conversation.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control platform is further configured to perform the automated security scan of the electronic message by using language translation.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the secure platform is further configured to verify payment for messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation, the payment based on a length of each of the messages in the subsequent electronic message conversation.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control platform is further configured to authenticate the user by determining that the user is the approved contact based on using one or more of an allowed contact list or a disallowed contact list.

Assignments (3)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 7, 2024
From: GLOBAL TEL*LINK CORPORATION; DSI-ITI, INC.; VALUE-ADDED COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; TOUCHPAY HOLDINGS, LLC; RENOVO SOFTWARE, INC.; INTELMATE LLC; 3V TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068510/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2022
From: HODGE, STEPHEN; WOODY, DAVID
To: VALUE-ADDED COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060430/0478 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2022
From: VALUE-ADDED COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: GLOBAL TEL*LINK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060430/0516 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 16786110 · Feb 10, 2020
Continuation 16175202 · Oct 30, 2018
Continuation 15974108 · May 8, 2018
Continuation 15606818 · May 26, 2017
Continuation 15259439 · Sep 8, 2016
Continuation 14457593 · Aug 12, 2014
Continuation 13941382 · Jul 12, 2013
Continuation 12802641 · Jun 10, 2010
Continuation 10996795 · Nov 24, 2004
Related Publication 20220417290A1 · Dec 29, 2022