Method and apparatus for monitoring selected telecommunications sessions in an intelligent switched telephone network
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring selected telecommunications sessions in an intelligent switched telephone network wherein a subscriber address served by the network is designated as an address to be monitored, comprising the steps of:
- a) routing all originating and all terminating call requests for the subscriber address through a monitored trunk in the network; and
b) otherwise, handling the calls as any other call request of the same class of service.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system and apparatus for the transparent monitoring of selected telecommunications sessions in an intelligent switched telephone network is described. The method involves conditioning the network to enable the monitoring of all telecommunications sessions originating from or terminating to any selected subscriber address. The network is conditioned by the installation of monitored trunks with translation tables, linksets and routesets which route all calls to be monitored through the monitored trunk groups. After the network has been conditioned, call monitoring can be accomplished with minimal datafill changes to the translation tables of the telephone switching system that serves the subscriber address. The monitored trunk groups are preferably loop-back trunk groups, but they may be dedicated inter-office trunk groups as well. It is also possible to designate a central switching point to monitor calls for a plurality of satellite switching points. The advantage is a flexible, cost-effective call monitoring system that produces no echo, ping or noise on the monitored line. The calls are completed without perceptible delay and there is no known method or equipment for detecting the monitoring equipment from either end of the call connection.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring selected telecommunications sessions in an intelligent switched telephone network wherein a subscriber address served by the network is designated as an address to be monitored, comprising the steps of:
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a) routing all originating and all terminating call requests for the subscriber address through a monitored trunk in the network; and b) otherwise, handling the calls as any other call request of the same class of service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A virtual administrative signaling point for controlling at least a part of the setup of selected telecommunications sessions to be monitored in an intelligent switched telephone network having at least one monitored trunk, comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a common channel signaling interface for sending and receiving common channel signaling messages; means for analyzing the contents of a common channel signaling message received by the virtual signaling point; and means for modifying the contents of a common channel signaling ISUP IAM to change an originating point code of the message to that of the virtual administrative signaling point and a terminating point code to that of a switching point where the monitored trunk terminates, and, if required, modify a circuit identification code (CIC) of the message to indicate the circuit identification of the monitored trunk termination. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system in an intelligent switched telephone network for monitoring a subscriber address served by the network when the subscriber address is designated as an address to be monitored, the system comprising:
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at least two SPs respectively having a line side and a trunk side, the SPs having a plurality of subscriber lines connected to the line side thereof and a plurality of inter-office trunks connected to the trunk side thereof, and each SP having an interface for connection with a common channel signaling system and means for generating, receiving and responding to common channel signaling messages; at least one of the SPs in the network being equipped with at least one trunk equipped for outbound calls which is connected to monitoring equipment; a virtual signaling point connected with the common channel signaling system of the network, the virtual signaling point having an ISUP point code; the SPs having means for routing all originating and terminating call requests for the subscriber address to the SP in the network equipped with the at least one trunk equipped for outbound calls which is connected to the monitoring device; the SP in the network having means for routing all call requests for the subscriber address onto one of the at least one monitored trunks equipped for outbound calls and dispatching an IAM via the common channel signaling system to the virtual signaling point; the virtual signaling point having means for receiving the IAM and modifying the IAM to change an originating point code of the message to the point code of the virtual signaling point and a terminating point code of the message to a point code of the SP where the monitored trunk terminates, and, if required, means for modifying a circuit identification code (CIC) of the IAM to indicate the monitored trunk termination; and the virtual signaling point further having means for transmitting the modified IAM to the SP where the monitored trunk terminates; whereby the intelligent switched telephone network processes the call request thereafter as any ordinary call request to effect the telecommunications session.
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Specification