System and Method for Recording and Monitoring Communications Using a Media Server

• US 20120195415A1
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Intelligence Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wyss, Felix Immanuel, Snyder, Michael D., O'Connor, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• 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 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• 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 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A communication system including a media server through which communication packets are exchanged for recording and monitoring purposes is disclosed. A tap is associated with each communication endpoint allowing for cradle to grave recording of communications despite their subsequent routing or branching. An incoming communication is routed to a first tap and upon selection of a receiving party; the first tap is routed to a second tap which forwards communication packets on to the receiving party. The taps may be used to forward communication packets to any number of other taps or destinations, such as a recording device, monitoring user, or other user in the form of a conference.

Claims

1. A method of managing communication via an at least partially digital network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a first communication from a first point on the network;

b. creating a second version of the first communication;

c. creating a third version of the first communication;

d. receiving a first version of a second communication from a second point on the network;

e. creating a second version of the second communication;

f. creating a third version of the second communication;

g. receiving a first version of a third communication from a third point on the network;

h. creating a second version of the third communication;

i. receiving a version of the first communication at the second point;

j. receiving a version of the second communication at the first point;

k. receiving a version of the third communication at the first point;

l. saving a version of the first communication, a version of the second communication, and a version of the third communication as a first record; and

m. saving a version of the first communication and a version of the second communication as a second record.

2. The method according to claim 1 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of a communication are identical; and

any of the versions of a communication are identical.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a fourth communication from a fourth point on the network;

b. creating a second version of the fourth communication;

c. saving the second version of the fourth communication in the second record; and

d. receiving a version of the fourth communication at the first point.

4. The method according to claim 3 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the fourth communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the fourth communication are identical.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a. steps (a) and (g) occur via a first component; and

b. step (d) occurs via a second component.

6. The method according to claim 5 that has one or more of the following characteristics:

wherein only one of;

i. step (l) of claim 1 occurs via the first component; and

ii. step (l) of claim 1 occurs via a location connected to the first component;

wherein only one of;

i. step (m) of claim 1 occurs via the second component; and

ii. step (m) of claim 1 occurs via a location connected to the second component;

the first and second components are at least partially located on a server; and

at least one of the components comprises a tap.

55. A communication as in claim 1, 7, 18, or 34, in which the communication is bi-directional.

56. The step of claim 55 wherein creating a version of a communication comprises a transformation of the two channels of a bi-directional communication.

57. The transformation of claim 56 wherein said transformation comprises mixing.

7. A method of managing communication via an at least partially digital network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a first communication from a first point on the network;

b. creating a second version of the first communication;

c. creating a third version of the first communication;

d. receiving a first version of a second communication from a second point on the network;

e. creating a second version of the second communication;

f. creating a third version of the second communication;

g. saving the second version of the first communication and the third version of the second communication as a first record;

h. saving the third version of the first communication and the second version of the second communication as a second record;

i. restricting the first point on the network from receiving any information that may be located at the second point on the network;

j. receiving a first version of a third communication from a third point on the network;

k. creating a second version of the third communication;

l. saving the second version of the third communication in the first record; and

m. receiving a third version of the third communication at the first point on the network.

8. The method according to claim 7 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of a communication are identical; and

any of the versions of a communication are identical.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein steps (i) through (m) occur after steps (a) through (h).

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein step (i) further includes only one of the following steps:

a. disconnecting a connection to the second point on the network;

b. transferring a connection to the third point on the network; and

c. disconnecting a device from an other device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) has at least one or more of the following characteristics:

one or more of the devices comprises a tap;

one or more of the devices are located on a single component;

one or more of the taps are located on a server;

each of the points on the network is associated with a party; and

the server, the tap(s), and at least two of the points on the network are part of a call center.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein step (i) further comprises the steps of:

a. disconnecting a first device from a second device; and

b. connecting the first device to a third device, wherein the first device is connected to the first point on the network, the second device is connected to the second point on the network, and the third device is connected to a third point on the network.

13. The method according to claim 12 that has one or more of the following characteristics:

a. one or more of the devices comprises a tap;

b. a server comprises at least two of the taps;

c. each of the points is associated with a party; and

d. a contact center comprises the server.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

a. receiving at the third device a fourth version of a first communication and a fourth version of a third communication; and

b. saving the fourth version of the first communication and the fourth version of the third communication as a third record.

15. The method according to claim 14 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of a communication are identical; and

any of the versions of a communication are identical.

16. The method according to claim 7 further comprising after steps (a) to (h), the steps of

a. restricting of the second point from receiving any information that may be located at the first point;

b. receiving a first version of a fourth communication from a fourth point;

c. creating a second version of the fourth communication;

d. saving the second version of the fourth communication in the second record; and

e. receiving a third version of the fourth communication at the second point.

17. The method according to claim 16 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the fourth communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the fourth communication are identical.

18. The method of managing communication via an at least partially digital network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. associating a first party with a first point on the network;

b. associating a second party with a second point on the network;

c. associating a third party with a third point on the network;

d. connecting the first point on the network to a first component;

e. connecting the second point on the network second component;

f. connecting the first component to the second component;

g. receiving a first version of a first communication from the first point on the network at the first component;

h. receiving at the second component from the first component a version of the first communication;

i. receiving at the second point from the second component a version of the first communication;

j. receiving a first version of a second communication from the second point on the network at the second component;

k. receiving at the first component from the second component a version of the second communication;

l. receiving at the first point on the network from the first component a version of the second communication;

m. connecting a third point on the network to the first component;

n. receiving a first version of a third communication from the third point on the network at the first component; and

o. receiving at the first point on the network from the third component a version of the third communication.

19. The method according to claim 18 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of a communication are identical; and

any of the versions of a communication are identical.

20. The method according to claim 18, the method further including the steps of:

a. creating a second version of the first communication;

b. creating a second version of the second communication;

c. creating a second version of the third communication;

d. saving as a first record the second version of the first communication and the second version of the third communication; and

e. saving as a second record the second version of the second communication.

21. The method according to claim 20 having at least one or more of the following characteristics:

all of the components are located on a server; and

at least one of the components is a tap.

22. The method according to claim 18 further including at least one of the following steps:

a. disconnecting the second component from the first component; and

b. disconnecting the second party from the first component.

23. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising the steps of:

a. receiving at the second point on the network from the second component a version of the first communication; and

b. disconnecting the second party from the first component.

24. The method according to claim 23 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the first communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the first communication are identical.

25. The method according to claim 23, the method further including the steps of:

a. creating a fourth version of the first communication; and

b. saving as a second record the second version of the second communication and the fourth version of the first communication.

26. The method according to claim 23, the method further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of an other third communication from the third point on the network at the first component; and

b. receiving at the first point on the network from the first component a version of the other third communication.

27. The method according to claim 26, the method further including the steps of:

a. creating a second version of the other third communication; and

b. saving as a first record the second version of the first communication, the second version of the third communication, and the second version of the other third communication.

28. The method according to claim 26, the method further comprising the step of receiving at the first point from the first component a version of the second communication.

29. The method according to claim 28 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the second communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the second communication are identical.

30. The method according to claim 28, the method further including the steps of:

a. creating a fourth version of the second communication; and

b. saving as a first record the second version of the first communication, the second version of the third communication, the second version of the other third communication, and the fourth version of the second communication.

31. The method according to claim 28 further including the steps of:

a. associating a fourth party with a fourth point on the network;

b. connecting the fourth point on the network to the second component;

c. receiving a first version of a fourth communication from the fourth point on the network at the second component; and

d. receiving at the second point on the network from the second component a version of the fourth communication.

32. The method according to claim 31 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the fourth communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the fourth communication are identical.

33. The method according to claim 31, the method further including the steps of:

a. creating a second version of the fourth communication;

b. saving as a second record the second version of the second communication, the second version of the fourth communication, and the fourth version of the first communication;

c. creating a fourth version of the second communication; and

d. saving as a first record the second version of the first communication, the second version of the third communication, the second version of the other third communication, and the fourth version of the second communication created.

34. A method of conducting digital communication, the method comprising the steps of:

a. connecting a first digital point to a first device;

b. connecting a second digital point to a second device;

c. connecting the first device to the second device;

d. receiving a first version of a first communication from the first digital point at the first device;

e. creating a second version of the first communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the first device;

f. receiving at the second device from the first device a version of the first communication;

g. creating a fourth version of the first communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the second device; and

ii. a device connected to the second device; and

h. receiving at the second digital point from the second device a version of the first communication.

35. The method according to claim 34 that has one or more of the following characteristics:

the first device and the second device are located on a server; and

wherein only one of;

i. none of the versions of the first communication are identical; and

ii. any of the versions of the first communication are identical.

36. The method according to claim 34 further including only one of the following steps:

a. saving the second version of the first communication as a first record, and saving the fourth version of the first communication as a second record;

b. monitoring the second version of the first communication, and monitoring the fourth version of the first communication;

c. saving the second version of the first communication as a first record, and monitoring the fourth version of the first communication; and

d. monitoring the second version of the first communication, and saving the fourth version of the first communication as a second record.

37. The method according to claim 36 further including the steps of:

a. associating a first party with the first digital point; and

b. associating a second party with the second digital point.

38. The method according to claim 37 that has one or more of the following characteristics:

the first device and the second device comprise taps; and

the first device and the second devices are located on a server.

39. The method according to claim 36 further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a second communication from the second digital point at the second device;

b. creating a second version of the second communication at a location that is one of;

i. the second device; and

ii. a device connected to the second device;

c. receiving at the first device from the second device a version of the second communication;

d. creating a fourth version of the second communication at a location that is one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the first device; and

e. receiving at the first digital point from the first device a version of the second communication.

40. The method according to claim 36 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the second communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the second communication are identical.

41. The method according to claim 39 further including only one of the following steps:

a. saving the second version of the second communication in the second record, and saving the fourth version of the second communication in the first record;

b. monitoring the second version of the second communication, and monitoring the fourth version of the second communication;

c. saving the second version of the second communication in the second record, and monitoring the fourth version of the second communication; and

,

d. monitoring the second version of the second communication, and saving the fourth version of the second communication in the first record.

42. The method according to claim 41 further including the steps of:

a. associating a first party with a first digital point; and

b. associating a second party with a second digital point.

43. The method according to claim 41, the method further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a third communication from the third digital point at a third device;

b. creating a second version of the third communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the third device; and

ii. a device connected to the third device;

c. saving the second version of the third communication as part of a third record;

d. receiving at the first device from the second device a version of the third communication;

e. creating a fourth version of the third communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the third device;

f. saving the fourth version of the third communication as part of the first record; and

g. receiving at the third digital point from the third device a version of the third communication.

44. The method according to claim 43 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the third communication are essentially identical; and

any of the versions of the third communication are identical.

45. The method according to claim 41 further including the steps of:

a. associating a third party with a third digital point;

b. connecting the third digital point to the first device;

c. receiving a first version of a different first communication from the first digital point at the first device;

d. creating a second version of the different first communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the first device;

e. receiving at the third digital point from the first device a version of the different first communication; and

f. saving the second version of the different first communication in the first record.

46. The method according to claim 45 that has one or more of the following characteristics:

wherein only one of;

i. none of the versions of the different first communication are identical; and

ii. any of the three versions of the different first communication are identical; and

the first device and the second device are located on a server.

47. The method according to claim 45 further including the step of disconnecting the second digital point from the first digital point after step (a).

48. The method according to claim 47 further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a third communication from the third digital point at the first device;

b. creating a second version of the third communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the first device;

c. saving the second version of the third communication as part of the first record; and

d. receiving at the first point from the first device a version of the third communication.

49. The method according to claim 48 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the third communication are identical; and

any of the three versions of the third communication are identical.

50. The method according to claim 45, the method further including the steps of:

a. receiving a first version of a third communication from the third digital point at a third device;

b. creating a second version of the third communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the third device; and

ii. a device connected to the third device;

c. saving the second version of the third communication as part of a third record;

d. receiving at the first device from the second device a version of the third communication;

e. creating a fourth version of the third communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the first device; and

ii. a device connected to the third device;

f. saving the fourth version of the third communication as part of the first record; and

g. receiving at the third digital point from the third device a version of the third communication.

51. The method according to claim 50 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the third communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the third communication are identical.

52. The method according to claim 45 further including the steps of:

a. connecting a third device between the first point and the third point;

b. receiving at the third device from the first device a version of the first different communication;

c. creating a fourth version of the different first communication at a location that is only one of;

i. the third device; and

ii. a device connected to the third device;

d. saving the fourth version of the different first communication as a third record; and

e. receiving at the third digital point from the third device a version of the first different communication.

53. The method according to claim 52 that has only one of the following characteristics:

none of the versions of the different first communication are identical; and

any of the versions of the different first communication are identical.

54. The method according to claim 52 further including the step of disconnecting the second digital point from the first digital point after step (a) in claim 46.