Systems and processes for scheduling and conducting audio/video communications

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of scheduling and conducting video visits, as well as computer architecture for providing such scheduling and conducting, where the participants in the visit are not required or able to interact with the audio/video equipment for the initial connection to start the video visit. In some embodiments, participants are also not able to interact with the equipment during the actual visit, and thus the equipment employed during the video visit may be isolated from physical contact by the participants. To initiate or terminate a video visit, a data center establishes a data connection with each participant, and thus the flow of data between the participants moves across a computer network and via the data center. The visit may be monitored in virtually real-time by splitting the data transmitted between the participants and sending it to a monitoring terminal, rather than establishing a separate connection for the monitoring.

1 . A method of scheduling a video visit between participants located at two or more endpoints, the method comprising: 
 assigning an individual ID code to a first participant at a first endpoint in the video visit;    assigning an individual ID code to a second participant at a second endpoint in the video visit;    entering the ID code of the second participant into a data center by the first participant;    authorizing the second participant to receive the video visit via the ID code;    entering a geographic location by the first participant, wherein the entered geographic location is a desirable geographic location for the participant when participating in the video visit;    selecting a final geographic location from a plurality of locations presented to the first participant based on the entered desirable geographic location; and    calendaring the video visit between the first participant and the second participant, the first participant participating in the video visit from the final geographic location.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second participant is a prison inmate and the first participant is a visitor of the inmate.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the second participant is authorized to communicate with the first participant via the video visit.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising verifying the identity of the first or second participant.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4 , further comprising verifying the identity of the first or second participant using a biometric device.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the biometric device is selected from the group consisting of a finger print reader, a retina scan reader, a face mapping device, a voice recognition device, and a signature comparison device.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining if sufficient monetary funds have been paid for the video visit.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the funds have been paid by the first participant or second participant.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the funds have been paid using at least one selected from the group consisting of wire transfers, electronic fund transfers, currency, bank draft, and money order.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the calendaring further comprises entering a desirable date and time for the video visit.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising approving the date and time based on an availability of the first or second participant.