Multifunction wireless device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10757249-B2
Application number	US-201916434783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A communication device and system are disclosed for providing communication and data services to residents of a controlled facility. The device can be restricted to communicating only using an internet protocol so as to restrict the device communication to an internal intranet. Wireless access points may be disposed throughout the environment to route calls and data between the device and a central processing center. By converting a protocol of the communications received from the device to a protocol used by the central processing center, minimal modifications to the central processing center are needed to support a wireless communication infrastructure. Many restrictions and safeguards may be implemented within the phone and system in order to prevent improper use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless communication device for use in a prison facility, the wireless communication device comprising:
an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental information, the environmental sensor being at least one of a microphone or camera; and
one or more processors and/or circuits configured to:
limit wireless communication to the wireless communication device over a wireless network of the prison facility;
perform an initial authentication of an inmate user of the wireless communication device prior to connecting the wireless communication device to a communication;
perform continued authentication of the inmate user of the wireless communication device during the communication; and
activate the environmental sensor during a period of inactivity of the wireless communication device during which the wireless communication device is in a powered off state.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor is a camera.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the continued authentication uses authentication information from the inmate user of the wireless communication device.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the authentication information is biometric information.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the authentication information is provided by the inmate user of the wireless communication device continuously throughout a duration of the communication.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the authentication information is provided by the inmate user of the wireless communication device at regular intervals throughout a duration of the communication.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to prevent the wireless communication device from connecting to the communication in response to the inmate user of the wireless communication device failing the initial authentication.

8. A method for providing communication access to a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
limiting wireless communication to the wireless communication device over a wireless network of a prison facility;
initially authenticating a user of the wireless communication device prior to connecting the wireless communication device to a communication;
connecting the wireless communication device to the communication based on the initial authentication;
continually authenticating the user of the wireless communication device during the communication; and
activating an environmental sensor of the wireless communication device during a period of inactivity during which the wireless communication device is in a powered off state.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising terminating the communication in response to the user of the wireless communication device failing the continued authentication.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising obtaining authentication information from the user of the wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the authentication information is biometric information.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user of the wireless communication device provides the authentication information continuously throughout a duration of the communication.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user of the wireless communication device provides the authentication information at regular intervals throughout the communication.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 8 , further comprising terminating the communication in response to the user of the wireless communication device failing the continued authentication.

15. A wireless communication device for use in a prison facility, the wireless communication device comprising:
an environmental sensor configured to sense environmental information, the environmental sensor being at least one of a microphone or camera; and
one or more processors and/or circuits configured to:
limit wireless communication to the wireless communication device over a wireless network of the prison facility;
perform an initial authentication of an inmate user of the wireless communication device prior to connecting the wireless communication device to a communication based on first authentication information provided by the inmate user of the wireless communication device in response to a prompt;
perform continued authentication of the inmate user of the wireless communication device during the communication based on second authentication information automatically acquired by the one or more processors and/or circuits;
activate the environmental sensor during a period of inactivity of the wireless communication device during which the wireless communication device is in a powered off state; and
receive sensed environment information from the environmental sensor and analyze the sensed environmental information.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the first authentication information is non-biometric information.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the second authentication information is biometric information.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the environmental sensor includes at least one of a camera, microphone or biometric scanner.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the continued authentication is performed at regular intervals throughout a duration of the communication.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the continued authentication is performed continuously throughout the duration of the communication.

Assignees

• Global Tel Link Corp

Inventors

• Hodge Stephen
• Johnson Garth
• Mcnitt Christopher

Classifications

• H04M1/724631

  by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad · CPC title

• H04M1/72463

  to restrict the functionality of the device · CPC title

• H04L65/1104

  Session initiation protocol [SIP] · CPC title

• H04W12/065

  Continuous authentication · CPC title

• H04W12/082

  using revocation of authorisation · CPC title