Intelligent controlled-environment facility resident communication and media device interfaces with multitasking
A controlled-environment facility resident interface runs on top of, or as part of, an operating system of a controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device. Application programs (apps) available for use by a resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the device are presented on the device, via the interface. The interface may provide functionality to enable switching between apps by the resident, such as selectable open application program indicator(s) displayed on a screen of the device, and/or the interface may assign a function to device hardware button(s) to provide a mechanism for switching between apps. The app switching functionality may also resolve conflicts between apps for device resources and apply such resolutions as a result of the resident switching between apps. Also, the resident may be logged into one or more resident-selected apps using stored app login information for resident-selected apps in the interface, in combination with identity verification.
1. A controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the at least one processor, the program instructions comprising:
a controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device operating system; and
a controlled-environment facility resident interface program comprising program instructions executable by the at least one processors to cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
run the controlled-environment facility resident interface on top of, or as part of, the operating system;
present application programs available for use by a controlled-environment facility resident on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device;
provide, to a controlled-environment facility resident operating the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device, means for switching between application programs on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device;
store application program login information associated with the resident for each application program; and
log the resident into a selected application program using the stored application program login information for the selected application program, in response to switching to the selected application program on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
2. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
resolve conflicts between the application programs for device resources; and
apply resolutions for access to device resources as a result of switching between the application programs by the resident using the means for switching.
3. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the means for switching between application programs comprises a selectable open application program indicator or application program icon displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device representing each application program.
4. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 3 , wherein the selectable open application program indicator is a selectable tab displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device representing each open application program.
5. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the means for switching between application programs comprises a function assigned to one or more hardware buttons of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
6. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions are further executable by the at least one processors to cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to
automatically log the resident into the selected application program using the stored application program login information for the selected application program, in response to the switching to the selected application program on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
7. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions are further executable by the at least one processors to cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to request and accept identification information from the resident to access the device, and wherein logging the resident into the selected application program further comprises causing the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to, in response to switching to the selected application program on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device:
verify the identification information; and
log the resident into the selected application program using the stored application program login information in response to verifying the identification information.
8. The controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device of claim 1 , wherein the application programs comprise at least one of a controlled-environment facility resident calling application, a video visitation application, a controlled-environment facility resident's manual, a controlled-environment facility resident form submittal program, a controlled-environment facility resident commissary ordering application, a music player, a video player, a web browser, a document reading program, an email application, Prison Rape Elimination Act information document, Prison Rape Elimination Act hotline, a legal research application, a job search application, a controlled-environment facility resident grievance submittal application, a sick call application program, education application program, weather application program, video mail, resident information application program, and/or a game.
9. A method for providing a controlled-environment facility resident interface on controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media devices, the method comprising:
running the controlled-environment facility resident interface on top of, or as part of, an operating system of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device;
presenting application programs available for use by a resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device, via the controlled-environment facility resident interface;
storing application program login information associated with the resident for each application program; and
logging the resident into a resident-selected application program using the stored application program login information for the resident-selected application program, automatically, in response to selection of the selected application program on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising accepting identification information from the resident to access the device, and wherein logging the resident into the selected application program further comprises:
verifying the identification information; and
logging the resident into the selected application program using the stored application program login information in response to verifying the identification information.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing means to enable switching between application programs by the resident; and
logging the resident into an application program using the stored application program login information for that application program, in response to switching to that application program.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the means to enable switching further comprises:
resolving conflicts between the application programs for device resources; and
applying resolutions for access to controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device resources as a result of the resident switching between application programs.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the means to enable switching between application programs further comprises presenting at least one selectable open application program indicator or application program icon displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each selectable open application program indicator is a selectable tab displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device representing an open application program.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the means to enable switching between application programs further comprises assigning a function to one or more hardware buttons of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application programs comprise at least one of a controlled-environment facility resident calling application, a video visitation application, a controlled-environment facility resident's manual, a controlled-environment facility resident form submittal program, a controlled-environment facility resident commissary ordering application, a music player, a video player, a web browser, a document reading program, an email application, a Prison Rape Elimination Act information application document, Prison Rape Elimination Act hotline, a legal research application, a job search application, a controlled-environment facility resident grievance submittal application, a sick call application program, education application program, weather application program, video mail, resident information application program, and/or a game.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device, cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
run the controlled-environment facility resident interface on top of, or as part of, an operating system of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device;
present application programs available for use by a resident of the controlled-environment facility operating the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device on the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device, via the controlled-environment facility resident interface;
store application program login information associated with the resident for each application program;
provide means to enable switching between application programs by the resident; and
log the resident into one or more resident-selected application programs using stored application program login information for the resident-selected application program, in response to switching to the selected application program.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions further cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
accept identification information from the resident to access the device, and
wherein logging the resident into the selected application program further comprises causing the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to, in response to switching to the selected application program:
verify the identification information; and
log the resident into the selected application program using the stored application program login information in response to verification of the identification information.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions further cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
resolve conflicts between the application programs for controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device resources; and
apply resolutions for access to controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device resources as a result of the resident switching between the application programs.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions further cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
present at least one selectable open application program indicator or application program icon displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to provide the means to enable switching between the application programs.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein each selectable open application program indicator is a selectable tab displayed on a screen of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device representing each open application program.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the controlled-environment facility resident interface program instructions further cause the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to:
assign a function to one or more hardware buttons of the controlled-environment facility resident personal communication and/or personal media device to provide the means to enable switching between the application programs.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the application programs comprise at least one of a controlled-environment facility resident calling application, a video visitation application, a controlled-environment facility resident's manual, a controlled-environment facility resident form submittal program, a controlled-environment facility resident commissary ordering application, a music player, a video player, a web browser, a document reading program, an email application, a Prison Rape Elimination Act information document, Prison Rape Elimination Act hotline, a legal research application, a job search application, a controlled-environment facility resident grievance submittal application, a sick call application program, education application program, weather application program, video mail, resident information application program, and/or a game.