IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,481,778
Granted Patent B1
US 12,481,778 · App. 18/219,129 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Electronic briefcases for inmate documents

Inventors: John Vincent Townsend, III (Kernersville, NC); Timothy Edwin Pabon (Greensboro, NC); Rick Allen Lubbehusen (Winston Salem, NC); Eugene B. Joswick, III (Marietta, GA)
Assignee: CONFINEMENT TELEPHONY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
G06F21/6227G06F16/1774G06F16/93G06F21/6245G06F2221/2141G06F2221/2147G06Q20/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,481,778
App. No.
18/219,129
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

Some implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods that use an inmate-accessible electronic briefcase to facilitate an inmate's organization of significant content, such as video recording content. Electronic documents are created and stored in an organized document storage area that may be accessed while the inmates are incarcerated and after the inmates are released.

Claims (48)

1 . A method comprising:

at a processor:

capturing a video recording via an inmate communications platform, wherein the video recording is recorded and then sent via a messaging interface to or from an inmate of a confinement institution;

determining a condition for associating a saved version of the video recording for access via an electronic briefcase of the inmate of the confinement institution;

based on the condition, providing an option for the inmate to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate;

receiving input from the inmate accepting the option to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate;

requiring that the input accepting the option be received within a predetermined time period in order to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase; and

providing access to the saved version of the video recording from the electronic briefcase of the inmate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the video recording is a capture of a video visitation session between the inmate and a non-inmate.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the video recording is a captured video message recorded via the messaging interface.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition requires a selection from the inmate selecting a visitation session for recording and saving.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein access to the video recording via the electronic briefcase is conditioned upon payment of a fee.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the video recording from the electronic briefcase to a separate electronic device, wherein the transferring is conditioned upon payment of a fee.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the transferring comprising downloading, e-mailing, or enabling a temporary cloud-storage-based download area for accessing the video recording.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition limits a maximum number of saved video recordings that can be associated with the electronic briefcase of the inmate.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition requires payment of a fee to enable associating the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition requires use of a token or credit earned for an achievement to enable associating the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition requires use of a token or credit earned for an educational achievement to enable associating the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the video recording is captured while the inmate is incarcerated in a confinement institution; and

access to the saved version of the video recording is provided while the inmate is incarcerated in the confinement institution.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the video recording is captured while the inmate is incarcerated in a confinement institution; and

access to the saved version of the video recording is provided after the inmate is released from being incarcerated in the confinement institution.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein fees associated with saving or accessing the video recording via the electronic briefcase are discounted or waived based on inmate good behavior or inmate course accomplishments.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the saved version of the video recording includes less than all content that was recorded during a recording session, wherein a portion of all content that was recorded during the recording session is selected based on user input.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising requiring a fee for associating the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate.

17 . The method of claim 1 further comprising requiring a fee for providing access to the saved version of the video recording from the electronic briefcase.

18 . The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the video recording to a separate electronic device after the inmate is released from the confinement institution.

19 . A method comprising:

at a processor:

capturing a video recording via an inmate communications platform;

determining a condition for associating a saved version of the video recording for access via an electronic briefcase of an inmate of a confinement institution;

based on the condition, providing an option for the inmate to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate;

receiving input from the inmate accepting the option to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate,

requiring that the input accepting the option be received within a predetermined time period in order to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase; and

providing access to the saved version of the video recording from the electronic briefcase of the inmate.

20 . A method comprising:

at a processor:

capturing a video recording via an inmate communications platform;

determining a condition for associating a saved version of the video recording for access via an electronic briefcase of an inmate of a confinement institution;

based on the condition, providing an option for the inmate to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate;

receiving input from the inmate accepting the option to associate the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate;

providing access to the saved version of the video recording from the electronic briefcase of the inmate; and

transferring the video recording from the electronic briefcase to a separate electronic device, wherein the transferring is conditioned upon payment of a fee and an option for transferring the video recording from the electronic briefcase to the separate electronic device is available for a limited time before an inmate is released from the confinement institution, wherein transferring the video recording to the separate electronic device makes the video available after the inmate is released from the confinement institution.

21 . The method of claim 19 further comprising requiring a fee for associating the saved version of the video recording for access via the electronic briefcase of the inmate.

22 . The method of claim 19 further comprising requiring a fee for providing access to the saved version of the video recording from the electronic briefcase.

23 . The method of claim 19 further comprising transferring the video recording to a separate electronic device after the inmate is released from the confinement institution.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2023
From: TOWNSEND, JOHN VINCENT, III; PABON, TIMOTHY EDWIN; LUBBEHUSEN, RICK ALLEN; JOSWICK, EUGENE B., III
To: CONFINEMENT TELEPHONY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 064178/0267 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17474587 · Sep 14, 2021
Continuation 17150131 · Jan 15, 2021
Provisional Application 62961759 · Jan 16, 2020
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