Secure forum facilitator in controlled environment
AssigneeGlobal Tel*Link Corporation
InventorStephen L. Hodge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An forum facilitator device is provided that allows for a controlled environment to provide a secure forum for residents to provide communications to other registered users of the secure forum. The communications are provided through posts made in the secure forum and through other types of communications from the inmate such as but not limited to emails and text messages. The forum facilitator device operates the secure forum and implements rules to control what is posted on the secure forum, who is able to access the secure forum, and what entities are allowed to view and interact with residents of the controlled environment.
Claims20
A method for providing services over a secure forum accessible from within a controlled environment, comprising:
- receiving a first request to post a communication in a sub-forum of the secure forum, the first request including a first identifier associated with a resident of the controlled environment and a sub-forum identifier associated with the sub-forum;
- retrieving a rule associated with at least one of the first identifier and the sub-forum;
- posting, based on the rule, the communication in the sub-forum;
- transmitting, based on the rule, a notification of the posted communication to a destination identified by the rule;
- receiving a second request to access the sub-forum, the second request including a second identifier of another registered user in the controlled environment;
- determining to allow the access to the sub-forum based on at least one of the second identifier and the rule;
- performing a text-based analysis of the communication;
- and
- generating a service recommendation based on the text-based analysis of the communication and a recommendation rule, wherein the service recommendation identifies a service provider approved by the controlled environment to communicate in the secure forum;
- and
- transmitting the service recommendation to an account associated with the first identifier.
A forum facilitator device for operation with within a controlled environment, comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- receiving a first request to post a communication in a sub-forum of a secure forum, the first request including a first identifier associated with a resident of the controlled environment and a sub-forum identifier associated with the sub-forum;
- retrieving a rule associated with at least one of the first identifier and the sub-forum, wherein the rule includes instructions for allowable content on the sub-forum;
- performing an analysis of the communication based on the rule, wherein the analysis includes performing a text-based analysis of the communication;
- posting, based on the analysis, the communication in the sub-forum;
- transmitting, based on the rule, a notification of the posted communication to a destination identified by the rule;
- receiving a second request to access the sub-forum, the second request including a second identifier of another registered user in the controlled environment, wherein the another registered user is an outsider to the controlled environment;
- determining to allow the access to the sub-forum based on at least one of the second identifier and the rule;
- facilitating another communication between the resident and the another registered user;
- generating a service recommendation based on the text-based analysis of the communication and a recommendation rule, wherein the service recommendation identifies a service provider approved by the controlled environment to communicate in the secure forum;
- and
- transmitting the service recommendation to an account associated with the first identifier.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor in a forum facilitator device for operation within a controlled environment, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- receiving information associated with a resident of the controlled environment, wherein the information includes at least one of an offense associated with the resident and a relationship between another registered user and the resident;
- retrieving a registration rule associated with a sub-forum of a secure forum;
- permitting a registration based on the received information and the registration rule;
- receiving a first request to post a communication in the sub-forum, the first request including a first identifier associated with the resident and a sub-forum identifier associated with the sub-forum;
- retrieving a rule associated with at least one of the first identifier and the sub-forum;
- posting, based on the rule, the communication in the sub-forum;
- transmitting, based on the rule, a notification of the posted communication to a destination identified by the rule and to a monitoring center associated with the controlled environment;
- receiving a second request to access the sub-forum, the second request including a second identifier of the another registered user in the secure forum, wherein the another registered user is an outsider to the controlled environment;
- allowing access to the controlled environment based on at least one of the second identifier and the rule;
- and
- performing a text-based analysis of the communication;
- generating a service recommendation based on the text-based analysis of the communication and a recommendation rule, wherein the service recommendation identifies a service provider approved by the controlled environment to communicate in the secure forum;
- and
- transmitting the service recommendation to an account associated with the first identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.