Apparatus and method for management of policies on the usage of telecommunications services

• US 6,574,321 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sentry Telecom Systems Incorporated (Wescorp Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sentry Telecom Systems Incorporated (Wescorp Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Neil B., Young, Cameron
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/285,446
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/189, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/199, 379/200, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/242, 379/243, 379/283, 379/377, 379/386
• US Class Current: 379/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks

Abstract

This invention allows enterprises to achieve specific objectives in the management and enforcement of policies related to the use of telecommunications services. It was conceived for use in connection with traditional telephone networks that carry voice, facsimile or voice-band-data (VBD) traffic, though it is not necessarily limited to such networks. It involves measurement of the properties of traffic on a communications channel, and the use of such knowledge in combination with various ancillary properties of telecommunications service usage to guide the conditional performance of prescribed actions based on user-defined policies. The measured traffic properties include classification of the type of traffic, where the set of possible classes include zero or more classes selected from a group of general categories comprising Voice, Facsimile, Voice-Band-Data, DTMF, Audible Network Signaling, Facsimile Handshaking, Voice-Band-Data Handshaking, Silence and Unknown. The ancillary properties may include network control parameters such as the apparent on-hook and off-hook state of the communications channel, the calling number, the called number, the side of the channel that originated the call, the side of the channel that is the dominant source of traffic for the call, the elapsed time since a call starts, and the time or day. The prescribed actions may include imposition of a recorded voice message, blockage of traffic on the communications channel, forced call termination through intervention with network signaling, direct notification of security personnel, generation of alarms, generation of call detail records, or other actions. The prescribed actions may also involve selecting or configuring a downstream telecommunications service for carriage of traffic with the observed traffic properties.

Claims

1. An apparatus for management of policies related to usage of telecommunications services of a telecommunications network, wherein said policies depend on properties of traffic on a communications channel, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a traffic property extractor coupled to said communications channel and operative to measure said properties of traffic on said communications channel, and

(b) a policy management enactor coupled to said traffic property extractor and to said communications channel and operative for conditional performance of prescribed actions, said conditional performance being based on said traffic properties.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus is employed by an end user of said telecommunications services.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communications channel is a ubiquitous channel for carrying voice, facsimile or voice-band-data traffic.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said properties of traffic comprise classifications of types of traffic present on said communications channel, and said apparatus is configured to select zero or more classes from a group of general categories comprising voice, facsimile, voice-band-data, DTMF, audible network signaling, facsimile handshaking, voice-band-data handshaking, silence, and unknown.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said prescribed actions are conditional on one or more items selected from the group of items consisting of:

apparent on-hook and off-hook states of each side of said communications channel, a calling number, a called number, a side of the channel that originated a call, a side of the channel that is a dominant source of traffic for a call, an elapsed time since a call start, and a time of day.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said prescribed actions can be disabled and said apparatus made operative for collection of data on a degree of compliance with said policies related to the usage of telecommunications services.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traffic property extractor comprises:

a first stage which measures properties of a signal on each side of said communications channel to provide one or more derived signal property vectors; and

a second stage having respective inputs thereto coupled to outputs from said first stage and providing an output traffic property indicator based on said derived signal property vectors for each side of said communications channel.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said derived signal property vectors and said output traffic property indicator each comprise classes selected from a group consisting of:

voice, facsimile, voice-band-data, DTMF, audible network signaling, facsimile handshaking, voice band-data handshaking, silence and unknown.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said first stage has two signal property analysis devices, one coupled to each side of said communications channel, each of said signal property analysis devices comprising:

(a) a spectrum classifier coupled to a corresponding side of said communications channel and operative to determine a likely signal classification based on an analysis of a spectrum of the signal;

(b) a handshaking and tone detector coupled to a corresponding side of said communications channel and operative to detect tones and handshaking signals of telecommunications network traffic;

(c) a signal amplitude tracker coupled to a corresponding side of said communications channel and operative to track an amplitude of the signal; and

,

(d) a signal classifier coupled to said spectrum classifier, to said signal amplitude tracker and to said handshaking and tone detector and operative to produce a derived signal property vector.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said handshaking and tone detector is operative to supply said signal classifier with indications of the presence and type of voice-band-data or facsimile handshaking signals, wherein said indications are considered in said signal classifier in producing said derived signal property vector.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said handshaking and tone detector is operative to supply said signal classifier with indications of the presence and type of DTMF signals, wherein said indications are considered in said signal classifier in producing said derived signal property vector.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first stage additionally comprises a network signal detector having an input coupled to a corresponding side of said communications channel and an output coupled to said signal classifier, said network signal detector operative to supply said signal classifier with indications of the presence and type of audible network signaling, wherein said indications are considered in said signal classifier in producing said derived signal property vector.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first stage additionally comprises a network signal detector having an input coupled to a corresponding side of said communications channel and an output coupled to said signal classifier, said network signal detector operative to supply said signal classifier with indications of the presence and type of signals that occur between calls on a communications channel, wherein said indications are considered in said signal classifier in producing said derived signal property vector.

14. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said second stage comprises:

(a) a pair of signal property mapping devices coupled to respective outputs of said signal property analysis devices and operative to derive a pair of intermediate classifications; and

(b) a traffic property classifier coupled to an output of each of said signal property mapping devices and operative to determine said output traffic property indicator based on said intermediate classifications and prior samples of said output traffic property indicator.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said signal property mapping devices are modified in response to the presence of predetermined signal properties.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traffic property extractor is operative to supply said policy management enactor with indications of which end of said communications channel is a dominant source of traffic, where said indications are considered in said policy management enactor in determining whether said policies related to usage of telecommunications services are being violated.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said policy management enactor performs said prescribed actions on said communications channel when specified combinations of said traffic properties occur, and when different specified combinations of said traffic properties fail to occur within a specified period of time.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said specified combinations are modified as a consequence of the passage of time or in response to combinations of traffic properties on said communications channel.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said prescribed actions of said policy management enactor comprise imposition of a voice message on said communications channel.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said prescribed actions comprise causing signaling for said communications channel to be forced to an on-hook state.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said prescribed actions of said policy management enactor comprise temporary manipulation of signals on said communications channel such that communication is disrupted.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said policy management enactor is additionally coupled to an external device, said external device operative for enacting said prescribed actions on behalf of said policy management enactor.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus for management of policies comprises a signaling monitor coupled to said communications channel and to said policy management enactor and operative to supply said policy management enactor with indications of a state of signaling for said communications channel, where said indications are used in said policy management enactor to conditionally configure said prescribed actions.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said signaling monitor extracts said indications of the state of signaling from control signals received over said telecommunications network.

25. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said Signaling Monitor is additionally coupled to an external device, said external device operative to supply said signaling monitor with said indications of the state of signaling.

26. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said indications of the state of signaling comprise indications of a call, said indications of a call being one or more items selected from the group of items consisting of:

apparent on-hook and off hook states of each side of said communications channel, a calling number, a called number and a side of the channel that originated the call.

27. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said policy management enactor relays said indications of the state of signaling to said traffic property extractor, wherein said indications of the state of signaling are used to refine said measurements of said properties of traffic.

28. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus for management of policies comprises a signaling monitor coupled to said communications channel and to said policy management enactor, said signaling monitor operative to participate in said prescribed actions by causing modification of signaling associated with calls on said communications channel.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said modification of the signaling comprises forcing the signaling to an on-hook state.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said signaling monitor is coupled with an external device, said external device operative to assist said signaling monitor in said modification of the signaling.

31. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus for management of policies is coupled to an external device, wherein said external device is operative for performance of one or more functions selected from a group of functions consisting of:

coordination of system configuration, reporting of alarms, detection of system failures, execution of periodic system integrity checks, gathering and storage of reports on said properties of traffic on said communications channel, and gathering and storage of reports on instances when said prescribed actions are activated.

32. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus for management of policies is coupled to an external device, wherein said external device is operative for selecting or configuring a downstream telecommunications service based on said properties of traffic.

33. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said prescribed actions have the effect of blocking said usage of telecommunications services when:

(a) network signaling indicates that both sides of said communications channel are in an off-hook state;

(b) a specified period of grace has elapsed since both sides of said communications channel went off-hook; and

(c) said properties of traffic observed on said communications channel are not consistent with a predetermined set of traffic properties that the telecommunications service user wishes to allow on said communications channel.

34. A method for managing and enforcing policies related to the use of services over a telecommunications network having network controlling devices and a communications channel so as to conditionally perform prescribed actions based upon properties of traffic on a communications channel, the method comprising:

(a) measuring properties of traffic on said communications channel,

(b) conditionally performing prescribed actions based upon said traffic properties.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said managing and enforcing are performed by an end user of said telecommunications network.

36. A method according to claim 34, comprising modifying said prescribed actions in response to information derived from network signaling.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein said information derived from network signaling comprises one or more items selected from the group of items consisting of:

apparent on-hook and off-hook states of each side of said communications channel, a calling number, a called number, a side of the channel that originated a call, a side of the channel that is a dominant source of traffic for the call, an elapsed time since a call commenced, and a time of day.

38. A method according to claim 34, comprising analyzing a signal on each side of said communications channel to provide a derived signal property vector and generating an output traffic property indicator based upon said derived signal property vectors.

39. A method according to claim 34, wherein said measuring step comprises:

(a) analyzing spectral characteristics of a signal on said communications channel and determining a likely signal classification from the spectral characteristics;

(b) detecting tones and handshaking signals of telecommunications network traffic;

(c) tracking an amplitude of the signal; and

(d) deriving an output signal property vector based on the results of steps (a), (b) and (c).

40. A method according to claim 34, wherein said prescribed actions comprise conditionally blocking said usage of telecommunications services based on said properties of traffic.

41. A method according to claim 34, wherein said prescribed actions comprise conditionally selecting or configuring a downstream telecommunications service based on said properties of traffic.

42. A method according to claim 34, wherein said communications channel is a ubiquitous one for carrying voice, facsimile and voice-band-data traffic.