LAWFUL INTERCEPTS

• US 20130286869A1
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: WOELKER, Roland Antonius, SUNI, Mikko Tapani
• Application Number:
  US13/847,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20130286869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• 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 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• 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 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/80 Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI]

Abstract

A method is provided. The method comprises monitoring a radio access network connection with a user. Intercept information associated with the connection is caused to be provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a radio access network connection with a user equipment; and

causing intercept information associated with the connection to be provided.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection is between an application provided by said radio access network and said user equipment.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said application is provided by a radio access network server.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said radio access server is integrated with at least one of:

a radio network controller and a base station.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said radio access network server comprises an application integrated with a radio access network controller.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said radio access network server is configured to provide logical radio access network controller functionality.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said radio access server provides at least one of a selective traffic offload to said radio access network server and from a selective traffic offload to said radio access network server.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection comprises application traffic.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application is provided by a core network.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intercept information is provided to a lawful intercept gateway.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intercept information is application traffic.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving an identifier of said user equipment from a lawful intercept gateway.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said identifier is at least one of:

an international mobile subscriber identifier; and

network service access point identifier.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection is a part of a packet data protocol context or said connection is a traffic flow.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said lawful intercept information comprises at least one of locally modified, generated and terminated traffic.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one of locally modified, generated and terminated traffic is at least one of modified, generated and terminated by at least one of:

said radio access network; and

an application provided by said radio access network.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving said information over a dedicated encrypted tunnel, said information being encrypted.

21. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code means configured to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.

18. A method comprising:

identifying a target user equipment to be monitored; and

receiving information associated with a radio access network connection with the user equipment.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

aggregating interfaces of a plurality of radio access network nodes; and

combining and correlating said information with other information from a core network.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing country specific interfaces towards authorities.

22. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, said at least one memory and said computer code configured, with said at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

monitor a radio access network connection with a user equipment; and

cause intercept information associated with the connection to be provided.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a first interface for receiving control information and a second interface for providing said intercept information associated with said connection.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein said control information of said first interface corresponds to at least one of an activation and deactivation of monitoring identified user equipment.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a trusted platform with secure boot and software and/or hardware verification.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the apparatus is a lawful interception mediator.

27. An apparatus comprising:

processing means configured to monitor a radio access network connection with a user equipment; and

means for causing intercept information associated with said connection to be provided.

28. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, said at least one memory and said computer code configured, with said at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:

identify a target user equipment to be monitored; and

receive information associated with a radio access network connection with said user equipment.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein the apparatus is a lawful interception gateway.