Method and system allowing lawful interception of connections such a voice-over-internet protocol calls

• US 20040157629A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laurila, Antti, Martin, Markus, Seurujarvi, Jorma, Lumme, Martti, Kallio, Seppo
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/80 Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and communication system allowing interception of a communication or connection of a target to be intercepted. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, interception triggering information is transmitted between the user plane and control plane (e.g. via Gr-, Ge-, Gi-interfaces). The system comprises at least one control means for handling signalling of a connection between a user equipment and another communication device, and a support element for transmitting traffic information between the user equipment and the another communication device. When the connection is to be intercepted, the control means is adapted to generate an interception information for informing the support element or another network element on an identification of the target to be intercepted. The support element is adapted to copy the traffic information to another network element for interception when receiving an interception information from the control means.

Claims

1. Communication system comprising at least one control means for handling signalling of a connection between a user equipment and another communication device, and a support element for transmitting traffic information between the user equipment and the another communication device, wherein, when the connection is to be intercepted, the control means is adapted to generate an interception information for informing the support element or another network element on an identification of the connection to be intercepted, and the support element is adapted to copy the traffic information to another network element for interception.

2. Communication system according to claim 1 wherein the control means is a CPS (Call Processing Server) or CSCF (Call State Control Function).

3. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is a Serving Support Node and/or a Gateway Support Node.

4. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support element is a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and/or Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).

5. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an interface between the support element and the control means for transmitting the interception information.

6. Communication system according to claim 5, wherein the interface is a Gi, Gc or Gr interface.

7. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of the target (party or equipment) to be intercepted.

8. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of the other party connected to the target to be intercepted.

9. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF), the support element being adapted to send copies of data traffic to and/or from the target to be intercepted to the indicated address.

10. Communication system according to claim 9, wherein the support element is adapted to send copies of the data traffic to a Media Gateway for forwarding the traffic to the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

11. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of a Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG), the support element being adapted to send copies of data traffic to and/or from the target to be intercepted to the indicated address.

12. Communication system according to claim 11, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to directly send the copies of the data traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

13. Communication system according to claim 11, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to send the copies of the data traffic to a Media Gateway for forwarding the traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

14. Communication system according to claim 11, 12, or 13, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to separate both directions of the media to and from the target to be intercepted and to forward them separately to a Media Gateway or Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

15. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support node is adapted to separate both directions of the media to and from the target to be intercepted and to forward them separately to a Media Gateway or Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

16. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control means is adapted to send signalling traffic, related to the connection to and/or from the target to be intercepted, to a Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG).

17. Communication system according to claim 16, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG) is adapted to forward the received signalling traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

18. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connection to be intercepted is a VoIP (Voice over IP) media connection.

19. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an authorised interception agency, e.g. Law Enforcement Agency (LEA), is adapted for interpretation and storing of the intercepted traffic information content.

20. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data is collected and processed to a voice file format at a LIB (Lawful interception Browser, DF2 in ETSI terminology) or at a machine of LEA.

21. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data is processed to audio stream, e.g real audio, and delivered in realtime to a monitoring site.

22. Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data exists in coded compact format and is transformed to audible form by a browser module.

23. Method to be performed in a communication system comprising at least one control means for handling signalling of a connection between a user equipment and another communication device, and a support element for transmitting traffic information between the user equipment and the another communication device, wherein, when the connection is to be intercepted, the control means generates an interception information for informing the support element or another network element on an identification of the connection to be intercepted, and the support element copies the traffic information to another network element for interception when receiving an interception information.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein the control means is a CPS (Call Processing Server) or CSCF (Call State Control Function).

25. Method according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the support element is a Serving Support Node and/or a Gateway Support Node.

26. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the support element is a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and/or Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).

27. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, comprising an interface between the support element and the control means for transmitting the interception information.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the interface is a Gi, Gc or Gr interface.

29. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of the target (party or equipment) to be intercepted.

30. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of the other party connected to the target to be intercepted.

31. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF), the support element being adapted to send copies of data traffic to and/or from the target to be intercepted to the indicated address.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein the support element sends copies of the data traffic to a Media Gateway for forwarding the traffic to the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring, Function (LEMF).

33. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the interception information transmitted to the support element indicates an address, preferably an IP address, of a Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG), the support element being adapted to send copies of data traffic to and/or from the target to be intercepted to the indicated address.

34. Method according to claim 33, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to directly send the copies of the data traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

35. Method according to claim 33, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to send the copies of the data traffic to a Media Gateway for forwarding the traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

36. Method according to claim 33, 34, or 35, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway is adapted to separate both directions of the media to and from the target to be intercepted and to forward them separately to a Media Gateway or Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

37. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the support node is adapted to separate both directions of the media to and from the target to be intercepted and to forward them separately to a Media Gateway or Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

38. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the control means sends signalling traffic, related to the connection to and/or from the target to be intercepted, to a Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG).

39. Method according to claim 38, wherein the Lawful Interception Gateway (LIG) is adapted to forward the received signalling traffic to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) or Law Enforcement Monitoring Function (LEMF).

40. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the connection to be intercepted is a VoIP (Voice over IP) media connection.

41. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein an authorised interception agency, e.g. Law Enforcement Agency (LEA), performs interpretation and storing of the intercepted traffic information content.

42. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the data is collected and processed to a voice file format at a LIB (Lawful interception Browser, DF2 in ETSI terminology) or at a machine of LEA.

43. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the data is processed to audio stream, e.g. real audio, and delivered in realtime to a monitoring site.

44. Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the data exists in coded compact format and is transformed to audible form by a browser module.