Communication network with a service agent element and method for providing surveillance services

• US 20010052081A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: McKibben, Bernard R., Comer, Erwin P.
• Application Number:
  US09/827,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/304 intercepting circuit switched data communications lawful interception of wireless network communications H04W12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A communication network (10) utilized for providing communications between a first party and a second party includes a surveillance server (26) within a core network (10) to provide communication surveillance capability. The core network (10) may be a packet data network, and the surveillance server (26) is operable responsive to trigger information to establish communications surveillance. Communication surveillance may be established by creating duplicate bearer packets of those data packets carrying the communicated data between the parties, creating duplicate control packets of those data packets carrying in-band or out-of-band call control information between the parties and within the packet data network, and/or various combinations thereof. The duplicate bearer packets and the duplicate control packets are routed to appropriate authorized law enforcement agencies for providing surveillance.

Claims

1. A method for providing surveillance within a communication network, the communication network providing communication services for a subscriber, wherein the subscriber accesses the communication network via an access network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing surveillance information in a data structure;

receiving a request for surveillance services from a requesting agency;

providing a services client element associated with a surveillance target, the server client being interfaced to a surveillance server for generating a duplicate of call information associated with the surveillance target;

selecting a call information interface associated with the surveillance target and the requesting agency; and

selecting a call information format associated with the surveillance target and the requesting agency, wherein the duplicate of call information is based on the request, and wherein the surveillance server transmits the duplicate of call information to the requesting agency via the call information interface and the call information format.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the surveillance information comprises one of a surveillance feature, a surveillance target identifier, and a requesting agency identifier.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the call information comprises one of bearer information and call signaling information.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the call information interface comprises one of a circuit switched interface and a single packet data interface.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the call information format comprises one of a Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) format and an European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) format.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the access network comprises a radio access network.

7. A communication network providing communication services for a subscriber, wherein the subscriber accesses the communication network via an access network, the communication network comprising:

a services agent element having a data structure, the service agent element coupled to process a request for surveillance services from a requesting agency; and

a services client element, the service client being interfaced with the service agent element,

wherein the services client element is responsive to the services agent element for providing a duplicate of call information associated with a surveillance target for communication to the requesting agency via a call information interface and a call information format.

8. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the data structure comprises one of a surveillance feature, a surveillance target identifier, and a requesting agency identifier.

9. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the services agent element is part of a core network.

10. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the call information comprises one of bearer data and call signaling data.

11. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the call information interface comprises one of a circuit switched interface and a single packet data interface.

12. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the call information format comprises one of a Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) format and an European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) format.

13. The communication network of

claim 7

, wherein the access network comprises a radio access network.

14. In a communication network providing communication services for a subscriber, wherein the subscriber accesses the communication network via an access network, and wherein a server operates in accordance with a computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for providing surveillance within the communication network, the computer program comprising:

a first routine that directs the server to store surveillance information in a data structure;

a second routine that directs the server to receive a request for surveillance services from a requesting agency;

a third routine that directs the server to provide a services client element associated with a surveillance target, the server client being interfaced to a surveillance server for generating a duplicate of call information associated with the surveillance target;

a fourth routine that directs the server to select a call information interface associated with the surveillance target and the requesting agency; and

a fifth routine that directs the server to select a call information format associated with the surveillance target and the requesting agency,

wherein the duplicate of call information is based on the request, and wherein the surveillance server transmits the duplicate of call information to the requesting agency via the call information interface and the call information format.

15. The computer program of

claim 14

, wherein the surveillance information comprises one of a surveillance feature, a surveillance target identifier, and a requesting agency identifier.

16. The computer program of

claim 14

, wherein the call information comprises one of bearer information and call signaling information.

17. The computer program of

claim 14

, wherein the call information interface comprises one of a circuit switched interface and a single packet data interface.

18. The computer program of

claim 14

, wherein the call information format comprises one of a Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) format and an European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) format.

19. The computer program of

claim 14

, wherein the access network comprises a radio access network.