Digital telecommunications call management and monitoring system
The present invention discloses a centralized, digital, computer-based telephone call management system for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. The system includes the capacity to allow an institution to control, record, monitor, and bill and report usage and access to a telephone network. The telephone call management system further includes both accounting and management software for use in controlling, monitoring, billing, recording, and reporting usage and access. Also, it can operate over both a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) infrastructure.
1. An inmate telecommunication call processing system comprising:
a plurality of trunk lines of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);
at least one telephone terminal for making a telephone call, wherein said telephone terminal is located onsite at an institution; a central platform coupled to said plurality of trunk lines and coupled to said at least one telephone terminal for said telephone call,
wherein said central platform is located offsite from said institution, and
further wherein said central platform comprises one or more apparatuses for processing said telephone call;
an administrative workstation for connecting to a said telephone terminal to monitor conversations between said institution without detection by said user; and
at least one routing means coupled to said telephone terminal and said central platform;
wherein said one or more apparatuses controls telephonic communication between said at least one telephone terminal and said plurality of trunk lines,
wherein said one or more apparatuses records said conversations in said telephone call between a user associated with said at least one telephone terminal and an external party, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses digitizes audio and stores said audio for caller identification at said institution, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses communicates with an administrative workstation for billing regarding said telephone call originating from said institution.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said routing means routes attempted telephonic communication to said central platform.
3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said local user is only granted access to place a telephone call if an authentication means verifies identification information as indicative of a valid user.
4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said telephonic communication is only allowed upon verification of acceptable contact between said local and said remote user.
5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said central platform digitally records said telephonic communication between said local and said remote user.
6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises:
at least one workstation for monitoring, controlling, storing and billing related to said telephonic communication.
7. An inmate telecommunication call processing system comprising:
at least one network connection coupled to a central platform;
at least one telephone terminal, wherein said telephone terminal is located onsite at an institution; and
at least one gateway connected between the at least one telephone terminal and the central platform; and
an administrative workstation for connecting to a telephonic communication between said at least one telephone terminal and at least one gateway without detection by said at least one telephone terminal;
wherein said central platform includes one or more apparatuses for-processing said telephone call,
wherein said one or more apparatuses controls said telephonic communication between said at least one telephone terminal and said at least one gateway,
wherein said one or more apparatuses records conversations in said telephone call between a user associated with said at least one telephone terminal and an external party, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses digitizes audio regarding said conversation and stores said audio for caller identification at said institution, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses communicates with an administrative workstation for billing for said telephone call made from said telephone terminal.
8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said at least one network connection is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) connection.
9. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said gateway converts attempted telephonic communication between said local and said remote user for transmission over said network connection.
10. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said gateway sends said attempted telephonic communication to said central platform via said network connection.
11. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said gateway includes routing means.
12. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said gateway enables mixed environment operation.
13. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said local user is only granted access to place a telephone call if an authentication means verifies identification information as indicative of a valid user.
14. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said central platform digitally records said telephonic communication between said local and said remote user.
15. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said system further comprises:
at least one workstation for monitoring, controlling, storing and billing related to said telephonic communication.
16. A method for inmate telephonic communication, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying a local user-attempting access to a telephone call management system;
monitoring said attempted access to said system;
controlling said access of said local user to said system;
allowing telephonic communication between said local user and a remote user;
storing said telephonic communication between said local and said remote user; and
billing for usage of said system,
wherein said telephone call management system comprises a central platform for processing said telephone call,
wherein said central platform controls said telephonic communications between said local user and said remote user,
wherein said central platform records conversations in said telephonic communication between said local user and said remote user, and
further wherein said central platform digitizes audio regarding said conversation and stores said audio for caller identification at an institution associated with said local user,
wherein said central platform connects with an administrative workstation for connecting to a call placed from said institution without detection by said local user; and
further wherein said central platform communicates with an administrative workstation for billing for said telephonic communication made from said telephone call management system.
17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said identifying said local user includes verifying identification information as indicative of said local user.
18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said controlling said access only allows said telephonic communication after verifying contact between said local and said remote user is permitted.
19. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said method further includes the step of allowing said remote user to deny said local user the ability to contact said remote user under control of said central platform.
20. A site-based inmate telecommunication call processing system comprising:
a plurality of telephone terminals connected to an on-site central platform, said on-site central platform including a high density station interface card access and an Internet protocol link card egress; and
a router routing signals from said on-site central platform to a network using Voice over Internet Protocol, said network further connected to a Voice over Internet Protocol infrastructure;
wherein said central platform includes one or more apparatuses for processing a telephone call made from a telephone terminal of said plurality of telephone terminals,
wherein said central platform is coupled to an administrative workstation for monitoring conversations in said telephone call made from said telephone terminal without detection; and
wherein said one or more apparatuses records said conversations in said telephone call between a user associated with said at least one telephone terminal and an external party, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses digitizes audio regarding said conversation and stores said audio for caller identification at said institution, and
further wherein said one or more apparatuses communicates with an administrative workstation for billing for said telephone call made from said telephone terminal.
21. A system according to claim 20 , further comprising a server connected to said on-site central platform.
22. A system according to claim 21 , further comprising at least one workstation connected to said server.
23. A system according to claim 20 , wherein the router is internal to said on-site central platform.