US008855280B1
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Passe et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,855,280 B1
`Oct. 7, 2014
`
`(54)
`
`(71)
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`(72)
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`(73)
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`(21)
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`(22)
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`(51)
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`COMMUNICATION DETAIL RECORDS
`(CDRS) CONTAINING MEDIA FOR
`COMMUNICATIONS IN
`CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT FACILITIES
`
`Applicant: Securus Technologies, Inc., Dallas, TX
`(Us)
`
`Inventors: Scott Passe, Forney, TX (US); Adam C.
`Edwards, Fort Worth, TX (U S)
`
`Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc., Dallas, TX
`(Us)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`Appl. N0.: 14/040,088
`
`Filed:
`
`Sep. 27, 2013
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04M 15/00
`US. Cl.
`CPC ................................... .. H04M15/41 (2013.01)
`
`(2006.01)
`
`USPC ........................................................ .. 379/126
`Field of Classi?cation Search
`CPC ................... .. H04M 1/656; H04M 2203/6045;
`H04M 2003/6065; H04M 2203/258; H04M
`3/42221; H04M 3/533; H04M 3/53333;
`H04M 15/47; H04M 15/88; H04M 2215/0148
`USPC ..................... .. 379/8813, 88.26, 121.05, 126
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,665,380 B1* 12/2003 Cree et a1. ................ .. 379/8825
`7,805,457 B1* 9/2010 Viola et al.
`707/769
`2004/0137945 A1* 7/2004 Takagiet a1. ..
`455/558
`2007/0087781 A1* 4/2007 Bettis etal.
`455/556.1
`2008/0118042 A1* 5/2008 Hogg ............... ..
`379/9303
`2011/0082874 A1* 4/2011 Gainsboro et a1. .
`707/769
`2012/0324050 A1* 12/2012 Peters et a1. ..... ..
`709/217
`2013/0066848 A1* 3/2013 Tuttle et al.
`707/711
`2013/0329595 A1* 12/2013 ScholZ ...... ..
`370/252
`2013/0329867 A1* 12/2013 Hodge ..................... .. 379/8802
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner * Binh Tieu
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Fogarty, L.L.C.
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Systems and methods for creating, maintaining, and making
`available Communication Detail Records (CDRs) containing
`media for communications in controlled-environment facili
`ties are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may
`include enabling, at least in part via one or more communi
`cation systems, a communication between two or more par
`ties, where at least one of the two or more parties is a resident
`of a controlled-environment facility, and where the resident
`operates a communication device disposed within the con
`trolled-environment facility. The method may also include
`creating, at least in part via the one or more communication
`systems, a CDR associated with the communication, where
`the CDR includes or references a digital media ?le.
`
`20 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`201
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`US 8,855,280 B1
`
`1
`COMMUNICATION DETAIL RECORDS
`(CDRS) CONTAINING MEDIA FOR
`COMMUNICATIONS IN
`CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT FACILITIES
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`This speci?cation relates generally to communications,
`and, more particularly, to Communication Detail Records
`(CDRs) containing media for communications in controlled
`environment facilities.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`According to the International Centre for Prison Studies,
`the United States has the highest prison population per capita
`in the world. In 2009, for example, 1 out of every 135 US.
`residents was incarcerated. Generally, inmates convicted of
`felony offenses serve long sentences in prison (e.g., federal or
`state prisons), whereas those convicted of misdemeanors
`receive shorter sentences to be served in jail (e. g., county jail).
`In either case, while awaiting trial, a suspect or accused may
`remain incarcerated. During his or her incarceration, an
`inmate may have opportunities to communicate with the out
`side world.
`The scope of what constitutes communication to the
`inmate population has traditionally consisted of voice-only
`telephone systems. In that context, a Communication Detail
`Record (CDR), also known as Communication Data Record,
`is a record produced by a telecommunications device that
`contains attributes that are speci?c to a phone call handled by
`that device.
`Generally speaking, a CDR may contain metadata having
`data ?elds that describe a speci?c instance of a telecommu
`nication transaction, but does not include the contents of that
`transactionie.g., it does not include audio data or record
`ings. By way of an example, a CDR describing a particular
`phone call may include attribute such as: the phone number of
`the subscriber originating the call (calling party), the phone
`number receiving the call (called party), the starting time of
`the call (date and time), the call duration, the billing phone
`number that is charged for the call, the identi?cation of the
`telephone exchange or equipment writing the record, a unique
`sequence number identifying the record, additional digits on
`the called number used to route or charge the call, the dispo
`sition or the results of the call (indicating, for example,
`whether or not the call was connected), the route by which the
`call entered the telephone exchange, the route by which the
`call left the exchange, etc.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`Systems and methods for creating, maintaining, and mak
`ing available Communication Detail Records (CDRs) con
`taining media for communications in controlled-environment
`facilities are disclosed. In an illustrative, non-limiting
`embodiment, a method may include enabling, at least in part
`via one or more communication systems, a communication
`between two or more parties, where at least one of the two or
`more parties is a resident of a controlled-environment facility,
`and where the resident operates a communication device
`disposed within the controlled-environment facility; and cre
`ating, at least in part via the one or more communication
`systems, a Communication Detail Record (CDR) associated
`with the communication, where the CDR includes or refer
`ences a digital media ?le.
`
`2
`For example, the controlled-environment facility may be a
`jail or prison, the resident may be an inmate, and the commu
`nication may be a telephone call, a video visitation session, an
`electronic chat session, a video telephone call, a text message,
`a prerecorded video message, a social network message, or an
`electronic mail message. Moreover, the CDR may include
`one or more of: a phone number of a calling party, a phone
`number of a called party, a starting time of the communica
`tion, a duration of the communication, or a billing account
`charged for the communication.
`In some implementations, the digital media ?le may
`include a still photograph of the resident captured via the
`communication device. Additionally or alternatively, the
`digital media ?le may include a movie of the resident cap
`tured via the communication device. Additionally or altema
`tively, the digital media ?le may include audio of the resident
`captured via the communication device.
`The method may also include identifying, at least in part
`via the one or more communication systems, at least one of
`the two or more parties based upon a comparison between the
`digital media ?le and a signature; and adding the identi?ca
`tion of the at least one of the two or more parties to the CDR.
`In some cases, at least one of the two or more parties is the
`resident, and the method may further include, in response to
`the identi?cation of the resident not matching a Personal
`Identi?cation Number (PIN) or other biometric or non-bio
`metric information provided by the resident when accessing
`the communication device, initiating remedial action. For
`instance, the remedial action may be selected from the group
`consisting of: recording the communication, terminating the
`communication, and notifying a designatedparty of a security
`violation.
`In some embodiments, contents of the digital media ?le
`may be obtained at least in part prior to the beginning of the
`communication. Additionally or alternatively, contents of the
`digital media ?le may be obtained at least in part during the
`communication. Additionally or alternatively, contents of the
`digital media ?le may be obtained at least in part after termi
`nation of the communication.
`In another implementation, the communication may be a
`telephone communication, the communication may be is a
`telephone, the digital media ?le may include one or more still
`or moving images, and the method may include obtaining the
`media using an image capture device disposed within the
`controlled-environment facility but distinct from the tele
`phone. Additionally or alternatively, the media may include
`one or more still or moving images obtained using an image
`capture device integrated into the communication device.
`In another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a method
`may include enabling a communication between an inmate
`operating a communication device disposed within a correc
`tional facility and a non-resident of the correctional facility,
`receiving a media ?le obtained in connection with the com
`munication, and adding a media ?le to a CDR associated with
`the communication. The media ?le may be obtained using a
`media capture device disposed within the correctional facil
`ity, and the media ?le may include an image, video, or audio
`captured in the vicinity of the communication device. Addi
`tionally or alternatively, the media ?le may be obtained using
`a media capture device disposed outside of the correctional
`facility, and the media ?le may include an image, video, or
`audio captured in the vicinity of the non-resident.
`In yet another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a
`method may include receiving a digital multimedia ?le
`included or referenced in a CDR associated with a commu
`nication between an inmate operating a communication
`device within a correctional facility and a non-resident out
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`US 8,855,280 B1
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`3
`side of the correctional facility, and reproducing the digital
`multimedia ?le. At least a portion of the digital multimedia
`?le may have been captured prior to the communication hav
`ing been initiated or after the communication having been
`terminated.
`In some embodiments, one or more of the techniques
`described herein may be performed via one or more computer
`systems or communication devices. In other embodiments, a
`tangible computer-readable storage medium may have pro
`gram instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one
`or more computer systems or communication devices, cause
`the one or more computer systems or communication devices
`to execute one or more operations disclosed herein. In yet
`other embodiments, a computer system or communication
`device may include at least one processor and a memory
`coupled to at least one processor. The memory may store
`program instructions executable by the at least one processor
`to execute one or more operations disclosed herein.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`20
`
`FIG. 1 is block diagram of an example of a system con?g
`ured to provide communication services to controlled-envi
`ronment facilities according to some embodiments.
`FIG. 2 is block diagram of an example of a Communication
`Detail Record (CDR) system con?gured to create, maintain,
`and/ or make available CDRs with media for communications
`in controlled-environment facilities according to some
`embodiments.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a computing
`device con?gured to implement systems and methods dis
`closed herein according to some embodiments.
`FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example of a CDR with media
`according to some embodiments.
`FIG. 5 is a ?owchart of an example of a method for creating
`a CDR with media according to some embodiments.
`While this speci?cation provides several embodiments and
`illustrative drawings, a person of ordinary skill in the art will
`recognize that the present speci?cation is not limited only to
`the embodiments or drawings described. It should be under
`stood that the drawings and detailed description are not
`intended to limit the speci?cation to the particular form dis
`closed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modi
`?cations, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit
`and scope of the claims. Also, any headings used herein are
`for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit
`the scope of the description. As used herein, the word “may”
`is meant to convey a permissive sense (i.e., meaning “having
`the potential to”), rather than a mandatory sense (i.e., mean
`ing “must”). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and
`“includes” mean “including, but not limited to.”
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`This speci?cation discloses systems and methods for cre
`ating, maintaining, and making available Communication
`Detail Records (CDRs) with media for communications in
`controlled-environment facilities. Various types of controlled
`environment facilities are present in today’s society, and per
`sons may be voluntary or involuntary residents of such facili
`ties, whether temporarily or permanently. Examples of con
`trolled environment facilities may include correctional
`institutions or facilities (e.g., municipal jails, county jails,
`state prisons, federal prisons, military stockades, juvenile
`facilities, detention camps, home incarceration environ
`ments, etc.), healthcare facilities (e.g., hospitals, nursing
`homes, mental health facilities, rehabilitation clinics, such as
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`drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, etc.), restricted liv
`ing quarters (e.g., hotels, resorts, camps, dormitories, bar
`racks, etc.), and the like.
`For convenience of explanation, various examples dis
`cussed herein are presented in the context of correctional
`facilities. For instance, in some of the implementations dis
`cussed below, a controlled environment facility may be
`referred to as a jail or prison, and its residents may be referred
`to as arrestees, detainees, or inmates.
`The inventors hereof have recognized that correctional
`facilities present numerous dif?culties in areas such as secu
`rity, surveillance, ?nancial transactions, communications,
`visitation, investigation, etc.; which in turn make technologi
`cal implementations uniquely challenging in those environ
`ments. In many cases, technologies that are used outside of
`correctional facilities are not immediately applicable to the
`correctional environment without signi?cant changes and
`modi?cations. Moreover, correctional facilities may have
`speci?c needs that are not particularly relevant outside of
`those environments.
`As such, some of the systems and methods described
`herein may be speci?cally tailored to address one or more of
`the aforementioned needs and challenges. It should be under
`stood, however, that other systems and methods described
`herein may also be applicable to other types of controlled
`environment facilities and their respective residents (e.g., a
`hospital and its patients) and, in some cases, may be appli
`cable to environments that are not controlled at all.
`FIG. 1 is block diagram ofan example ofa system con?g
`ured to provide communication services to controlled-envi
`ronment facilities according to some embodiments. As
`shown, communication processing system 101 may provide
`telephone services, videoconferencing, online chat, and other
`communication services to a controlled-environment facility.
`For example, in some cases, communication system 101 may
`be co-located with a controlled-environment facility. Alter
`natively, communication system 101 may be centrally or
`remotely located with respect to one or more controlled
`environment facilities and/or may provide communication
`services to multiple controlled-environment facilities. More
`generally, however, it should be noted that communication
`system 101 may assume a variety of forms, and may be
`con?gured to serve a variety of facilities and/or users,
`whether within or outside of a controlled-environment facil
`ity.
`In the context of a correctional facility, for instance,
`inmates may use telephones 102 to access certain communi
`cation services. In some facilities, inmates may also use a
`personal computer wireless device 104 or the like to access
`such services. For example, an inmate may initiate telephone
`services by lifting the receiver on telephone 102, at which
`time the inmate may be prompted to provide a Personal Iden
`ti?cation Number (PIN), other identifying information,
`including biometric and/or non-biometric information. An
`Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit (not shown) may gen
`erate and play prompt or other messages to inmates on
`devices 102, 103, and/or 104.
`Under the control of communication processing system
`101, devices 102-104 may be capable of connecting to a
`non-resident’s (i.e., a person not committed to or incarcerated
`within the controlled-environment facility) device 105 or
`telephone 106 across a Publicly Switched Telephone Net
`work (PSTN) 107. For example, device 105 may be a mobile
`phone, whereas telephone 106 may be located at a non-resi
`dent’s home, inmate visitation center, etc. Switch 108 in
`communication processing system 101 may be used to con
`nect calls across PSTN 107. Additionally or alternatively, the
`
`

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`US 8,855,280 B1
`
`5
`non-resident may be at telephone 109 or device 112, which is
`connected to a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) or other packet data
`network 110, such as, for example the Internet. Router 111 of
`communication system 101 is used to route data packets
`associated with a call connection to destination telephone 109
`or device 112.
`Smart terminals 103a-n (each collectively referred to as
`“smart terminal 103”) may have video conferencing capabili
`ties to enable inmates to participate in video visitation ses
`sions with non-residents of the correctional facility via video
`call, secure online chat, etc. In some embodiments, smart
`terminals 103 may include touch-screen devices. Addition
`ally or alternatively, smart terminals 103 may include an
`image capture device, such as a webcam. For example, a
`non-resident party may have a personal or laptop computer
`113 with camera 114 (or a cell phone, tablet computer, etc.).
`Additionally or alternatively, device 112 may have an inte
`grated camera and touch-screen display (e.g., a smart phone,
`tablet, etc.).
`A network connection between the parties may be estab
`lished and supported by an organization or commercial ser
`vice that provides computer services and software for use in
`telecommunications and/ or VOIP, such as SKYPE. Addition
`ally or alternatively, the correctional facility and/or the des
`tination may use videoconferencing equipment compatible
`with ITU H.323, H.320, H.264, and/orV.80, or other suitable
`standards. Generally speaking, each smart terminal 103 may
`be disposed in a visitation room, in a pod, kiosk, etc.
`In some cases, smart terminals 103 may also include Radio
`Frequency Identi?cation (RFID) tag readers, barcode scan
`ners, etc. to help identify the inmates operating those termi
`nals, for example, when the inmates are each wearing a
`unique RFID tag, barcode bracelet, etc.
`In addition to providing certain visitation and communica
`tion operations, communication processing system 101 may
`attempt to ensure that an inmate’s calls, video conferences,
`online chats, etc. are performed only with non-residents
`whose identities, devices, email addresses, phone numbers,
`etc. are listed in that inmate’s Pre-Approved Contact (PAC)
`list. Each inmate’s PAC list may be stored, for example, in
`database 1 15 maintained by Admini stration and Management
`System (AMS) 116. In addition to PAC list(s), AMS 116 may
`also store or access inmate or Resident Pro?le Data (RPD), as
`well as inmate ?nancial data, such as commissary accounts or
`the like.
`As an example, in the context of a correctional facility,
`database 115 may include RDP information such as, for
`example: balances for inmate trust and calling accounts; trial
`schedule; conviction data; criminal record; sentencing data,
`such as time served, time remaining to be served, and release
`date; cell and cellmate assignments; inmate restrictions and
`warnings; commissary order history; telephone call history;
`call recordings; known or suspected gang or criminal af?lia
`tions; known or suspected af?liates, accomplices, or gang
`members; and/or any other information that may be relevant
`or useful to correctional facility staff to house and maintain
`inmates.
`Visitation system 130 may be con?gured to provide, sched
`ule, and manage visitation services to residents and non
`residents of a controlled-environment facility. To that end,
`visitation system 130 may be coupled to PSTN 107 and/or
`network 110 in a manner similar to communication process
`ing system 101 by also including one or more gateways,
`switches and/or routers (not shown). Accordingly, visitation
`system 130 may be con?gured to communicate with one or
`more residents of the controlled-environment facility via
`devices 102-104 and with one or more non-residents via
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`devices 105, 106, 109, 112, and/or 113. Although visitation
`system 130 is shown in FIG. 1 as being remotely located with
`respect to communication processing system 101 and the
`controlled-environment facility, in other cases visitation sys
`tem 130 may be co-located with the facility and/or integrated
`within communication system 101.
`In some implementations, communication system 101 may
`be con?gured to perform video visitation monitoring opera
`tions con?gured to monitor and or record video visitations
`(e.g., as electronic video ?les). In scenarios where commu
`nication system 101 is located within the controlled-environ
`ment facility, it may have direct access to AMS 116. In other
`embodiments, however, communication system 101 may be
`located remotely with respect to the controlled-environment
`facility, and access to AMS 116 may be obtained via a com
`puter network such as, for example, network 110.
`In some embodiments, smart terminals 103 may be imple
`mented as a computer-based system. For example, each of
`smart terminals 103 may include a display, camera, and hand
`set. The display may be any suitable electronic display such
`as, for example, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a touch
`screen display (e.g., resistive, capacitive, etc.), or the like,
`whereas the camera may be a suitable imaging device such as,
`for instance, a video camera or webcam equipped with
`Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs), Complementary Metal
`Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensors, etc. A
`handset may be similar to a traditional telephone handset
`including an earpiece portion (with a loudspeaker), a handle
`portion, and a mouthpiece portion (with a microphone).
`During a video visitation session, smart terminals 103 may
`be con?gured to capture a video image of an inmate to be
`transmitted to a non-resident using the camera, and to display
`a video image of the non-resident to the inmate using the
`display. Smart terminals 103 may also be con?gured to cap
`ture an audio signal from the inmate to be transmitted to a
`non-resident using the mouthpiece portion of the handset, and
`to provide an audio signal from the non-resident to the inmate
`using the earpiece portion of the handset. Additionally or
`alternatively, audio received from the non-resident may be
`reproduced via a loudspeaker, and audio provided by the
`inmate may be captured via a microphone.
`In addition to video visitation, smart terminals 103 may
`also be used by the inmate to access an inmate portal which
`allows access to communication processing system 101. The
`access available to the inmate through the inmate portal may
`be limited or restricted according to the inmate’ s permissions
`on the system 101.
`In some implementations, an inmate may be able to use
`smart terminals 103 to access his/her personal account infor
`mation, make purchases, and conduct certain electronic com
`munications such as email, electronic chat, text messages,
`prerecorded video messages, social network messages, or the
`like. For example, smart terminals 103 may assume the form
`of any computer, tablet computer, smart phone, etc., or any
`other consumer device or appliance with videoconferencing
`capabilities.
`In some embodiments, when a communication (e.g., a
`telephone call, a video call, a visitation session, an electronic
`chat session, a text message, a prerecorded video message, a
`social network message, an electronic mail message, etc.)
`between an inmate and a non-resident takes place via com
`munication system 101, a record of that communication is
`created in the form of a Communication Detail Record
`(CDR), also known as a Communication Data Record. In
`some cases, a CDR may include a type record made from a
`video, also referred to as a Video Detail Record (V DR).
`Additionally or alternatively, a CDR may include a type of
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`record made in association with a transaction (e.g., a ?nancial
`transaction, a commissary purchase, etc.) and may be known
`as a Transaction Detail Record (TDR). As used herein, a CDR
`is a record produced by a telecommunications device that
`contains attributes that are speci?c to a communication of any
`type (including video, typed communications, transactions,
`etc.) handled by that device.
`As such, communication system 101 may maintain a
`record of data for each communication between devices 102
`104 and other devices 105, 106, 109, 112, or 113 in a data
`base. Speci?cally, communication system 101 may maintain
`CDRs for calls or messages made to or from devices 102-104.
`In some cases, a separate CDR may be created for each call or
`other communication. For example, a CDR may identify the
`prisoner by name, account number or other identi?er. Also, a
`CDR may include information to identify the source and
`destination of the call, such as a called and calling telephone
`number or Internet Protocol (IP) address. For calls originated
`by prisoners, the particular device used by the prisoner may
`be identi?ed as well as the particular destination device.
`Additionally or alternatively, a CDR may include call routing
`data that identi?es PSTN, data, and wireless networks used
`during a call. The name or identity of the called or calling
`party, if it is not the prisoner, may also be recorded.
`Moreover, billing data, such as information used to pay for
`the call may be recorded. For example, the call may be paid
`for using collect call billing, a calling card account, prepaid
`account, a commissary account, or charges to the called or
`calling party’s Local Exchange Carrier (LEC).
`According to embodiments described herein, a CDR may
`further include a digital media ?le and/ or a reference to digital
`media ?le stored in a database. Examples of digital media
`?les include, but are not limited to, still photograph(s),
`movie(s), video, and/or audio. These media ?les may be
`obtained or captured, for example, directly via smart devices
`103 and 104 operated by an inmate. Additionally or altema
`tively, digital media ?les may be obtained or captured by
`dedicated media capture devices 117 (e. g., cameras, cam
`corders, microphones, audio recorders, etc.). Additionally or
`alternatively, digital media ?les may be captured by the com
`munication device 113/114 of a non-resident with whom a
`resident of the controlled-environment facility is communi
`cating.
`In some cases, a media capture device 117 may be part of
`an existing security surveillance infrastructure within a con
`trolled-environment facility. In other cases, a media capture
`device 117 may be installed in physical proximity to commu
`nication device(s) 102-104 (e.g., in a visitation room or in the
`same pod, wing etc.) but be nonetheless distinct from those
`communication devices, and it may be used for the purpose of
`capturing media ?les to be added to CDRs.
`For example, in a prison that has a telephone available to
`inmates, a video camera may be installed on a wall near the
`telephone and have its ?eld of view aimed at the telephone. In
`that manner, images, video, and/or audio may be captured of
`the vicinity of the telephone. The captured media may include
`indicia of the resident who is authorized to operate the tele
`phone and/or of the other parties (e.g., other residents) in
`physical proximity to the resident who may not be authorized
`to participate in the resident’s communication.
`It should be noted that, when media ?les are obtained or
`captured via smart devices 103 and 104, the portion of smart
`device 103 and 104 involved in the capture of the ?le may
`sometimes not be involved in the communication. For
`example, during a telephone call, a resident may use a micro
`phone in smart device 103’s and 104’s handset to communi
`cate with a non-resident. However, another microphone on
`the chassis of smart device 103 and 104 may be used to
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`capture audio in the vicinity of the resident, including back
`ground sounds that the handset’s microphone may not other
`wise be able to capture. Moreover, still in the case of a voice
`only telephone call, the camera of smart device 103 and 104
`may not be used for the actual communication, but may
`nonetheless be activated to capture stills or moving pictures of
`the resident and/or his or her vicinity. Similarly, when the
`resident utilizes smart devices 103 to send or receive text
`messages, pre-recorded video, etc., device 103 may monitor
`the resident with components that are not being used in the
`communication.
`In some implementations, the capture of media by smart
`devices 103 and/ or media capture devices 117 may be time or
`clock-synchronized with the actual communications, such
`that the relationship between when an image or sound is
`captured and when a communication begins and/or ends is
`known. Particularly, in some cases, the contents of the media
`?le added to a communication’s CDR may be obtained at
`least in part prior to the beginning of that communication, at
`least in part during that communication, and/or at least in part
`after termination of that communication.
`In some embodiments, upon capturing a media ?le, com
`munication system 101 may identify a party to the commu
`nication based upon a comparison between the contents of the
`media ?le and a biometric or non-biometric signature. For
`example, communication system 101 may perform a voice
`recognition or face recognition operation, and may compare
`the results of the operation with a database of biometric or
`non-biometric signatures. Parties are authorized to partici
`pate in a com