System and Method for Controlling Free Phone Calls Through an Institutional Phone System

Abstract

A method of controlling free phone calls places from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number front the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A phone system for managing telephone calls placed by a pre-processed user, comprising:
 a temporary access code database that stores a temporary access code, the temporary access code being associated with an active flag that indicates whether the temporary access code is active or Inactive;   one or more processors and/or circuits configured to:
 process a telephone call Initiated by a caller; 
 prompt the caller to enter an access code: 
 compare the entered access code to the stored temporary access code stored; and 
 allow the call when the access code matches the stored temporary access code and the active flag associated with the stored temporary access code indicates that the temporary access code is active. 
   
     
     
         2 . The phone system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 assign the temporary access code to the caller; and   set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘active’ upon assigning the temporary access code to the caller.   
     
     
         3 . The phone system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after a predetermined time has elapsed since the active flag was set to be ‘active’.   
     
     
         4 . The phone system of  claim 2 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a calls remaining field in the temporary access code database that indicates a number of free calls remaining,
 wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 decrement a value stored in the calls remaining field after allowing the call; and 
 set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after the value stored in the calls remaining field becomes zero. 
   
     
     
         5 . The phone system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 assign the temporary access code to the caller; and   set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘active’ upon a first call attempt by the caller after the temporary access code has been assigned to the caller.   
     
     
         6 . The phone system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after a predetermined time has elapsed since the active flag was set to be ‘active’.   
     
     
         7 . The phone system of  claim 5 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a calls remaining field in the temporary access code database that indicates a number of free calls remaining,
 wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 decrement a value stored in the calls remaining field after allowing the call; and 
 set the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after the value stored in the calls remaining field becomes zero. 
   
     
     
         8 . The phone system of claim.  1 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 record the call in a call recording database; and   associate the recorded call with the temporary access code.   
     
     
         9 . The phone system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 process the caller to convert the caller from a temporary user to a long-term user, the processing including:
 assigning a long-term access code to the caller; 
 establishing an account that includes the long-term access code and personal information of the caller; 
 changing the association of the recorded call from the temporary access code to the account; and 
 setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’. 
   
     
     
         10 . The phone system of  claim 9 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a recycle time field in the temporary access code database that indicates when the temporary access code can be assigned to a new user.
 wherein the processing further includes setting a value of the recycle time field to be a predetermined time after a time at which the active flag was set to be ‘inactive’, and   wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits is further configured to:
 compare a current time to the recycle time; and 
 assign the temporary access code to the new user when the current time exceeds the recycle time. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method for managing telephone calls placed by a pre-processed user, comprising:
 storing a temporary access code in a temporary access code database, the temporary access code being associated with an active flag that indicates whether the temporary access code is active or inactive;   processing a telephone call initiated by a caller; prompting the caller to enter an access code;   comparing the entered access code to the stored temporary access code stored; and   allowing the call when the access code matches the stored temporary access code and the active flag associated with the stored temporary access code indicates that the temporary access code is active.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 . farther comprising:
 assigning the temporary access code to the caller; and   setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘active’ upon assigning the temporary access code to the caller.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after a. predetermined time has elapsed since the active flag was set to be ‘active’.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a calls remaining field in the temporary access code database that indicates a number of free calls remaining, the method further comprising:
 decrementing a value stored in the calls remaining field after allowing the call; and   setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after the value stored in the calls remaining field becomes zero.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 assigning the temporary access code to the caller; and   setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘active’ upon a first call attempt by the caller after the temporary access code has been assigned to the caller.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after a predetermined time has elapsed since the active flag was set to be ‘active’.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a calls remaining field in the temporary access code database that indicates a number of free calls remaining, the method further comprising:
 decrementing a value stored in the calls remaining field after allowing the call; and   setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’ after the value stored in the calls remaining field becomes zero.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 recording the call In a call recording database; and   associating the recorded call with the temporary access code.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 processing the caller to convert the caller from a temporary user to a long-term user, the processing including:
 assigning a long-term access code to the caller; 
 establishing an account that includes the long-term access code and personal information of the caller; 
 changing the association of the recorded call from the temporary access code to the account; and 
 setting the active flag of the temporary access code to be ‘inactive’. 
   
     
     
         20 . The phone system of  claim 19 , wherein the temporary access code is further associated with a recycle time field in the temporary access code database that indicates when the temporary access code can be assigned to a new user, the method further comprising:
 comparing a current time to the recycle time; and   assigning the temporary access code to the new user when the current time exceeds the recycle time,   wherein the processing further includes setting a value of the recycle time field to be a predetermined time after a time at which the active flag was set to be ‘inactive’, and