INTERCEPTING VOICE OVER IP COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER DATA COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20170104868A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Bjrsell, Johan Emil Viktor, Sobolyev, Maksym
• Granted Patent: US 10,038,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/15 related to dial plan and call routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2022 Path replacement
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• 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: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for intercepting communications in an Internet Protocol (IP) network involve maintaining dialing profiles for respective subscribers to the IP network, each dialing profile including a username associated with the corresponding subscriber, and associating intercept information with the dialing profile of a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored. Intercept information will include determination information for determining whether to intercept a communication involving the subscriber, and destination information identifying a device to which intercepted communications involving the subscriber are to be sent. When the determination information meets intercept criteria communications are established with a media relay through which communications involving the subscriber will be conducted or are being conducted to cause the media relay to send a copy of the communications involving the subscriber to a mediation device specified by the destination information.

Claims

1. A method for causing Internet Protocol (IP) communications to be intercepted in an IP network system in which IP communications between a first party and a second party occur, the method comprising:

receiving from a call controller a request to establish IP communications between the first and second parties;

receiving an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including;

a) an identification of at least one party whose communications are to be monitored,

b) intercept determination information for determining whether communications involving the at least one party are to be monitored, and

c) destination information identifying a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one party are to be sent;

associating with the at least one party, the intercept determination information and the destination information;

producing a routing message for receipt by the call controller and separate from any IP communications between the first party and the second party, the routing message providing routing information for routing the IP communications between the first and second party; and

when the intercept determination information meets an intercept criterion, causing the routing message to include at least a portion of the intercept determination information and the destination information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the routing message comprises causing the routing information to include information for routing the IP communications through a media relay to which the first party and the second party address their IP communications destined for each other and which relays the IP communications between the first party and the second party, and causing the call controller to route the IP communications through the media relay in accordance with the routing information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intercept determination information and the destination information, that are associated with the at least one party, are stored in a dialing profile for the at least one party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP communications include at least one of audio data, video data, multimedia data, text messaging data and instant messaging data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising causing the media relay to:

establish a communication path for relaying IP communications between the first party and the second party;

when the intercept determination information and the destination information are included in the routing message, produce a copy of the IP communications between the first party and the second party, while the IP communications between the first party and the second party are being relayed by the media relay; and

send the copy to a mediation device identified by the destination information in the routing message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when the intercept determination information meets the intercept criterion comprises determining whether a current date and time is within a range specified by the intercept determination information.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising invoking an intercept request message handler in response to the received intercept request message to perform at least:

determining whether the intercept criterion is met; and

identifying the media relay through which the IP communications are being conducted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intercept request message is received from at least one of a mediation device, the call controller and a routing controller.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor circuit to execute the method of claim 1.

10. A system for causing Internet Protocol (IP) communications to be intercepted in an IP network system in which IP communications between a first party and a second party occur, the system comprising:

an input/output component configured to receive from a call controller a request to establish IP communications between the first and second parties, and further configured to receive an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including;

a) an identification of at least one party whose communications are to be monitored,

b) intercept determination information for determining whether communications involving the at least one party are to be monitored, and

c) destination information to identify a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one party are to be sent;

a database access component configured to associate with the at least one party, the intercept determination information and the destination information; and

a processing circuit configured to produce a routing message for receipt by the call controller and separate from any IP communication between the first party and the second party, the routing message providing routing information for routing the IP communications, wherein the routing message includes at least a portion of the intercept determination information and the destination information when the determination information meets an intercept criterion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit configured to produce the routing message comprises a component configured to cause the routing information to include information to route the IP communications through a media relay to which the first party and the second party address their IP communications destined for each other and which relays the IP communications between the first party and the second party, and to cause the call controller to route the IP communications through the media relay in accordance with the routing information.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the intercept determination information and the destination information, that are associated with the at least one party, are stored in a dialing profile for the at least one party by way of the database access component.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the IP communications include at least one of audio data, video data, multimedia data, text messaging data and instant messaging data.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a controller operably configured to cause the media relay to:

establish a communication path for relaying IP communications between the first party and the second party;

when the intercept determination information and the destination information are included in the routing message, produce a copy of the IP communications between the first party and the second party, while the IP communications between the first party and the second party are being relayed by the media relay; and

send the copy to a mediation device identified by the destination information in the routing message.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the intercept request message is received from at least one of a mediation device, the call controller and a routing controller.

16. A method of operating a routing controller to cause communications, between first and second participants involved in communications on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to be monitored, the method comprising:

receiving at the routing controller an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including;

a) an identification of at least one participant whose communications are to be monitored;

b) intercept information for determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored; and

c) destination information identifying a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one participant are to be sent;

associating with the at least one participant, the intercept information and the destination information;

determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored based at least on some of the intercept information; and

when the communications associated with the at least one participant are to be monitored, determining a communication controller identifier and a session identifier associated with communications in progress involving the at least one participant, and

transmitting an in-progress intercept message separate from any communications between the first participant and the second participant while communications between the first participant and the second participant are in progress, the in-progress intercept message including the session identifier and the destination information, the in-progress intercept message being transmitted to a communication controller identified by the communication controller identifier to cause that communication controller to cause communications associated with the at least one participant to be sent to the destination identified by the destination information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the intercept information comprises geographical information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the intercept information and the destination information, that are associated with the at least one participant, are stored in a dialing profile for the at least one participant.

19. A system for causing communications, between first and second participants involved in communications on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to be monitored, the system comprising:

an input/output component configured to receive from a call controller an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including;

a) an identification of at least one participant whose communications are to be monitored;

b) intercept information for determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored; and

c) destination information identifying a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one participant are to be sent;

a database access component configured to associate with the at least one participant, the intercept information and the destination information;

a processing circuit configured to;

determine whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored based at least on some of the intercept information; and

when the communications associated with the at least one participant are to be monitored, determine a communication controller identifier and a session identifier associated with communications in progress involving the at least one participant, and

transmit an in-progress intercept message separate from any communications between the first participant and the second participant while communications between the first participant and the second participant are in progress, the in-progress intercept message including the session identifier and the destination information, the in-progress intercept message transmitted to a communication controller identified by the communication controller identifier to cause that communication controller to cause communications associated with the at least one participant to be sent to the destination identified by the destination information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the intercept information comprises geographical information.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the intercept information and the destination information, that are associated with the at least one participant, are stored in a dialing profile for the at least one participant by way of the database access component.