Delivery of video mail to controlled-environment facility residents via podcasts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9680903-B1
Application number	US-201514678596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

Delivery of video to controlled-environment facility residents via podcasts may include accepting a digital video file or series of digital image files, such as from a non-resident, indicated as directed to a resident of the controlled-environment facility. Such video or image files may be uploaded, such as by the non-resident, via a provided user interface. The video file or series of digital image files are converted into a podcast. The podcast is cached in controlled-environment facility content server storage and the resident is notified of availability of the podcast. The podcast may be streamed and/or downloaded, within the controlled-environment facility, to one of the controlled-environment facility resident media devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a controlled-environment facility content server, a digital video file or series of digital image files, directed to a resident of the controlled-environment facility;
converting the video file or series of digital image files into a podcast;
notifying the resident of availability of the podcast; and
streaming and/or downloading, within the controlled-environment facility, the podcast, from the controlled-environment facility content server to a controlled-environment facility resident media device disposed within the controlled-environment facility.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein notifying the resident of the availability of the podcast comprises presenting the podcast as a podcast episode.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deleting the podcast from the controlled-environment facility content server following successful streaming and/or downloading of the podcast to the resident media device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising hiding the podcast on the resident media device, or deleting the podcast from the resident media device, following viewing of the podcast by the resident on the resident media device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the streaming and/or downloading is carried out, at least in part, via Wi-Fi, employing wireless access points, each wireless access point disposed within a portion of the controlled-environment facility and providing access by controlled-environment facility resident media devices disposed in that portion of the controlled-environment facility to streaming and/or downloading of video podcasts.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the controlled-environment facility is a correctional facility and the portion of the correctional facility is a cellblock, pod, common area, outdoor yard, cafeteria, or exercise facility.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining by the controlled-environment facility content server whether the resident is allowed access to the podcast prior to notifying the resident of the availability of the podcast and streaming and/or downloading the podcast;
continuing with the notifying the resident of the availability of the podcast, in response to a determination that the resident is allowed access to the podcast; and
allowing the streaming and/or downloading the podcast in response to the determination that the resident is allowed access to the podcast.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining by the resident media device whether the resident is allowed access to the podcast prior to allowing access to the podcast by the resident on the resident media device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
allowing access to the podcast by the resident media device upon application of security measures with respect to the podcast by the resident media device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein security measures with respect to the podcast applied by the resident media device comprise determining by the resident media device DNS spoofing, DNS redirection, use of proxy servers for privacy and security, biometric validation, and/or password validation.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a user interface to a non-resident;
receiving a selection by the non-resident, via the user interface, to send video to the resident of the controlled-environment facility;
providing the non-resident, via the user interface, a selection to either upload a video or image or to capture a video or image;
accepting from the non-resident the selection via the user interface to upload the video or image or to capture the video or image;
providing the non-resident, via the user interface, a file selection interface to enter a video or image filename and/or browse for a video or image file, in response to selection by the non-resident to upload a video or image file;
providing the non-resident, via the user interface, a video or image capture interface and capturing a video or image, via the video or image capture interface, in response to selection by the non-resident to capture a video or image;
uploading the selected or recorded video or image for receiving by the controlled-environment facility content server.

12. A controlled-environment facility video distribution system comprising:
a plurality of controlled-environment facility resident media devices disposed with a controlled-environment facility;
a controlled-environment facility content server comprising at least one processor and memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory is configured to store program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the controlled-environment facility content server to:
accept a digital video file or series of digital image files, directed to a resident of the controlled-environment facility;
convert the video file or series of digital image files into a podcast;
cache the podcast in controlled-environment facility content server storage;
notify the resident of availability of the podcast; and
stream and/or download, within the controlled-environment facility, the podcast to one of the controlled-environment facility resident media devices;

a network connection linking the controlled-environment facility content server to equipment from which the digital video and/or series of digital image files are uploaded for acceptance by the controlled-environment facility content server, over the network connection; and
connectivity from the controlled-environment facility content server to the controlled-environment facility resident media devices within the controlled-environment facility, over which the podcast is streamed and/or downloaded to the controlled-environment facility resident media device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the controlled-environment facility content server to delete the podcast from the controlled-environment facility content server following successful streaming and/or downloading of the podcast to the resident media device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the connectivity comprises a local area network, wherein Wi-Fi connectivity from a wireless access point disposed in a portion of the controlled-environment facility provides access by controlled-environment facility resident media devices disposed in that portion of the controlled-environment facility.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein a structure of the controlled-environment facility, directionality of Wi-Fi signals, and/or signal strength of the Wi-Fi signals limits Wi-Fi connectivity from the wireless access point disposed in a portion of the controlled-environment facility to provides access by controlled-environment facility resident media devices disposed only in that portion of the controlled-environment facility.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controlled-environment facility is a correctional facility and the portion of the correctional facility is a cellblock, pod, common area, outdoor yard, cafeteria, or exercise facility.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the controlled-environment facility content server to:
determine whether the resident is allowed access to the podcast prior to notifying the resident of the availability of the podcast and streaming and/or downloading the podcast and, in response to a determination that the resident is allowed access to the podcast, a

Assignees

• Securus Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Keiser Luke
• Cattolico Michael

Classifications

• H04L12/1822

  Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission · CPC title

• G06Q30/0207

  Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• H04M3/42229

  Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location (diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005) · CPC title

• H04L67/1095

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title