Intercepting a call connection to a mobile subscriber roaming in a visted plmn (vplmn)

• US 20050027866A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laurila, Antti, Karki, Urpo, Seurujarvi, Jorma
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/304 intercepting circuit switched data communications lawful interception of wireless network communications H04W12/02
• 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: H04W 12/80 Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for intercepting a connection established in a communication network system between a called terminal (B) and a calling terminal (A), said network system comprising at least two communication networks (HPLMN, VPLMN) having an interface towards each other, said called terminal (B) being registered to a subscriber database entity (HLR, HSS) of one of said communication networks (HPLMN) while being located in another one (VPLMN) of said communication networks, the method comprising the steps of: initiating a connection establishment from said calling terminal (A) towards said called terminal (B), requesting, during connection establishment, said subscriber database entity (HLR, HSS) to which said called terminal (B) is registered, for subscriber related information, detecting that said requested information contains an indication that connections to said called subscriber (B) are to be intercepted, and tapping the established connection between the called (B) and calling terminal (A) at the interface between said networks.

Claims

1. A method for intercepting a connection

established in a communication network system

between a called terminal (B)

and a calling terminal (A),

said network system comprising

at least two communication networks (HPLMN, VPLMN)

having an interface towards each other,

said called terminal (B) being registered to a subscriber database entity (HLR, HSS) of one of said communication networks (HPLMN) while being located in another one (VPLMN) of said communication networks,

the method comprising the steps of:

initiating a connection establishment from said calling terminal (A) towards said called terminal (B),

requesting, during connection establishment, said subscriber database entity (HLR, HSS) to which said called terminal (B) is registered, for subscriber related information,

detecting that said requested information contains an indication that connections to said called subscriber (B) are to be intercepted, and

tapping the established connection between the called (B) and calling terminal (A) at the interface between said networks.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said interface is constituted by gateway functionalities (GMSC, I-CSCF) representing an access point to a respective network (HPLMN, VPLMN).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein

tapping is performed at the gateway functionality of said communication network (HPLMN) in the subscriber database entity (HLR, HSS) of which the called terminal (B) is registered.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein

tapped information included in said connection is forwarded from said gateway functionality to delivery functionalities.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said communication networks are GSM networks and said subscriber database entity is a Home Location Register.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein

said communication networks are GSM networks and said gateway functionalities are Gateway Mobile Switching Centers.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said communication networks are third generation mobile communication networks.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said communication networks are packet switched communication networks.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein

said packet switched communication networks are Internet Protocol based communication networks.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein

said gateway functionalities are Call State Control Functionalities.

11. A method according to claim 7, wherein said subscriber database entity is a Home Subscriber Server.