Tracing method and system

• US 20040121775A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pfening, Andras, Mittweg, Gabor, Bajko, Gabor, Bertenyi, Balazs, Phan-Anh, Son, Ropolyi, Robert, Jaro, Gabor, Saari, Jarmo Ilkka, Bodog, Gyula, Koposdi, Pal
• Granted Patent: US 7,277,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• 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: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A method for tracing a session or call in a network environment, comprising the step of transmitting a trace invocation from a control plane network element to another control pane network element or a user plane network element. According to a first aspect, a trace report is generated in the S-CSCF of the called party. This overcomes the lack of being able to provide detailed information about the interworking between the User Equipment (UE) and the IMS, in setting up IP multimedia sessions. According to a second aspect trace reports are generated in all the network functions involved in session setup.

Claims

1. A method of tracing in a network environment having network elements with separate control and user plane functionality, said method comprising the step of transmitting a trace invocation from a control plane network element to a user plane network element or to another control plane network element.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting said trace invocation through a network border between a first and a second network of said network environment.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein trace activation or deactivation is performed centrally in a home subscriber database (40) of said second network (70).

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said home subscriber database is a home subscriber server (40).

5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said trace activation is performed from said home subscriber database (40) to at least one of a serving call state control function (50) of said second network (70) and a proxy call state control function (20) of said first network (60).

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein a SIP 200 OK message comprising said trace invocation is returned from said serving call state control function (50) to said proxy call state control function (20).

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said trace invocation is inserted by a proxy call state control function (21) in a SIP INVITE message.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said SIP INVITE message is forwarded by involved network elements or functions with unchanged trace information.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said trace information is removed from said SIP INVITE message by the proxy call state control function (24) of the called party.

10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said trace information is checked at said involved network elements or functions for creating trace reports.

11. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein said SIP INVITE message is forwarded by a serving call state control function (83) of said second network (73) to said proxy call state control function (24) which is arranged in said first network (64), based on a query of said home subscriber database (43).

12. A method according to claim 2, wherein said trace invocation is inserted in a SIP INVITE message by a serving call state control function (52) of said first network (72) based on a database check as to whether the trace is activated for the calling party.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein subscriber data including said trace invocation is downloaded to said serving call state control function (52) during registration.

14. A method according to claim 5, wherein a trace activation information is stored in said serving and proxy call state control functions (50, 20).

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of creating a trace report containing an identification information of a traced session or subscriber.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said identification information comprises at least one of a trace reference ID, a private ID of the traced subscriber, a public ID of the traced subscriber, a call ID of the session protocol, and an ID of the invoking operator.

17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein said trace report is combined with other trace reports received from several network elements.

18. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trace invocation comprises an identification of a network where said trace was activated.

19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trace invocation is transmitted in a header portion or in a payload portion of a session initiation message.

20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein trace deactivation is performed by deregistration.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein trace activation is performed at a media gateway (145) using an ADD or MODIFY command of the H.248 protocol.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein trace deactivation is performed by context release.

23. A system for providing a trace function in a network environment having network elements with separate control and user plane functionality, said system comprising trace activation means (40;

135) for activating said tracing function, and trace invocation means (50;

21;

52;

53) for transmitting a trace invocation from a control plane network element to a user plane network element or another control plane network element.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said network environment comprises at least a first and a second network (60, 70;

61, 64, 72, 73;

61, 72, 125, 166), and said trace invocation means is arranged to transmit said trace invocation through a network border between said first and second networks.

25. A system according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said trace activation means comprises a home subscriber database (40), and said trace invocation means comprises a call state control function (50;

21;

52;

53).

26. A system according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said trace activation means comprises a call state control function (52).

27. A system according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said tracing activation means comprises a media gateway control means (135) arranged to send said trace invocation to a media gateway (145) using the H-248 protocol.

28. A system according to claim 26, wherein said trace invocation is sent in an ADD command.

29. A system according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said trace invocation is sent to a media gateway (145) by using a MODIFY command of the H.248 protocol.

30. A system according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein said tracing function is arranged to provide information about the user plane and used physical resources collected by said media gateway (145).

31. A system according to claims 23 or 24, wherein said system comprises media gateway means (145) for transmitting media streams between a first and a second network (125, 166) and trace control means (135) for transmitting a trace activation information to said media gateway means (145).

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein said trace control means comprise a media gateway control means (135) arranged to transmit said trace activation information in an ADD command of the H.248 protocol.

33. A system according to claim 31, wherein said trace control means is arranged to transmit said trace activation information in a MODIFY command of the H.248 protocol.

34. A method of providing information about events in a communication system having network elements with separate control und user plane functionality, the method comprising the steps of:

a) communicating to a first control entity of the communication system instructions to inform a processor entity about at least one event; and

b) based on the received instructions, communicating a request from the first control entity to a second control entity of the communication system, said request containing instructions to inform the processor entity about at least one event associated with the second control entity.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the first and second control entities provide call state control functions.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the first control entity comprises a serving call state control function and the second control entity provides a proxy call state control function.

37. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 36, comprising the step of signalling information to the first control entity from a storage entity adapted for storing information that associates with a user of the communication system subjected to the information provision operations.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, wherein the storage entity comprises a home subscriber server.

39. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 38, wherein the information provisioning process is invoked by a management entity.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the management entity comprises the processor entity.

41. A method as claimed in claim 39 or 40, wherein the management entity is provided by the operation system function of the communication system.

42. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 41, wherein control entities that received the instructions to provide information communicate information in response to one or more predefined events indicated by said instructions.

43. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 42, wherein the request communicated between the first and second control entities is a request modified or generated in accordance with a protocol that is for use in provisioning of services for the users of the communication system.

44. A method as claimed in claim 43, wherein the request comprises a SIP protocol ‘

SUBSCRIBE’

or “

MESSAGE’

or ‘

200OK’

or ‘

INVITE’

request.

45. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 44, wherein the request comprises information regarding specific events to be monitored by the second control entity.

46. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 45, wherein the request is communicated immediately from the first control entity if the user to be monitored is a registered user.

47. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 46, wherein the request communicated from the first control entity during the registration of a user to be monitored.

48. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 47, comprising communication of notification regarding the status of the information provision operation from the second control entity to the first control entity.

49. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 48, wherein the request comprises information associated with at least one of the following properties:

the private ID of the subscriber to be traced;

the public ID of the subscriber to be traced;

a trace reference;

an IP address of the processor entity.

50. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 49, wherein the instructions are communicated in a header part of the request.

51. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 50, comprising communication of instructions to deactivate the information provision from the first control entity to the second control entity.

52. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 51, wherein the information provision is deactivated in response to an expired timer.

53. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 52, wherein the first control entity and the second control entity are located in different communication networks.

54. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 53, wherein the instructions are forwarded from the second control entity to at least one further control entity.

55. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 54, wherein the instructions are forwarded from the second control entity to at least one further control entity either in a modified request from the user equipment or in a generated request preceding a request from the user equipment.

56. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 55, wherein the modified or generated request comprises a SIP protocol ‘

SUBSCRIBE’

or “

MESSAGE’

or ‘

200OK’

or ‘

INVITE’

request.

57. A method as claimed in claims 34 to 56, wherein the forwarding occurs in response to a detected event.

58. A method of providing information regarding at least one entity associated with a communication system having network elements with separate control und user plane functionality, said method comprising the steps of:

a) communicating from a management entity to a first control entity of the communication system instructions to inform the management entity about at least one event;

b) based on the received instructions, communicating from the first control entity to a second control entity of the communication system a request to inform the management entity about at least one event associated with the second control entity;

c) in response to detection of said at least one event reporting to said management unit; and

d) processing the received report at the management entity.

59. A method as claimed in claim 58, wherein the first and second control entities are for provision of call state control functions.

60. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the first control entity comprises a serving call state control function and the second control entity provides a proxy call state control function.

61. A method as claimed in any one of claims 58 to 60, wherein the first control entity and the second control entity are located in different communication networks.

62. A method as claimed in any one of claims 58 to 61, further comprising a step of forwarding from the second control entity the instructions to at least one further control entity.

63. A method as claimed in claim 62, wherein forwarding the instructions from the first control entity to said at least one further control entity is either in a modified request from the user equipment or in a generated request preceding a request from the user equipment.

64. A method as claimed in claims 58 to 63, wherein the modified or generated request comprises a SIP protocol ‘

SUBSCRIBE’

or “

MESSAGE’

or ‘

200OK’

or ‘

INVITE’

request.

65. A method as claimed in claims 58 to 64, wherein the forwarding occurs in response to a detected event.

66. A communication system having network elements with separate control und user plane functionality, comprising:

a) a processor entity;

b) a first control entity;

c) a second control entity;

d) first communication means for communicating to the first control entity instructions to inform the processor entity about at least one event;

e) second communication means for communication, based on the instructions received at the first control entity, from the first control entity to the second control entity of the communication system a request containing instructions to inform the processor entity about at least one event associated with the second control entity.

67. A communication system as claimed in claim 66, wherein the first and second control entities are for provision of call state control functions.

68. A communication system as claimed in claim 67, wherein the first control entity comprises a serving call state control function and the second control entity provides a proxy call state control function.

69. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 66 to 68, comprising a storage entity adapted for storing information that associates with the user of the communication system, said user being the subject of the information provision operations.

70. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 66 to 69, wherein the request is a protocol message, said protocol being for use in provisioning of services for the users of the communication system.

71. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 66 to 70, wherein the first control entity and the second control entity are located in different communication networks.

72. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 66 to 71, comprising at least one further control entity, wherein the second control entity is adapted to forward the instructions to said at least one further control entity.

73. A communication system as claimed in claim 72, wherein communicating from the first control entity to said at least one second control entity is either in a modified request from the user equipment or in a generated request preceding a request from the user equipment.

74. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 72 to 73, wherein the modified or generated request comprises a SIP protocol ‘

SUBSCRIBE’

or “

MESSAGE’

or ‘

200OK’

or ‘

INVITE’

request.

75. A communication system as claimed in claim 74, wherein the forwarding is adapted to occur in response to a detected event.