Method for monitoring a subscriber of an intelligent network

• US 6,754,312 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Gundlach, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neurauter, George C
• Application Number:
  US09/454,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32-1-, 379/35, 379/1.01, 709/224
• US Class Current: 379/32.03
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

In a method, a call number of a subscriber that is to be monitored is flagged by an indication of subscribers that are authorized to monitor. A conference circuit between the subscriber which is to be monitored, a calling or called second communications subscriber and a third subscriber which is authorized to monitor is set up in a demand-controlled fashion if a communications link has been set up. If no communication takes place, only event data are transferred.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring subscribers of an intelligent network, which comprises:

flagging an identifier of a first communications subscriber to be monitored in a central database, the flagging containing an indication of at least one of a plurality of third communications subscribers authorized to monitor a communications link with the first communications subscriber to be monitored;

setting up, via an exchange having initiated a link to the central database, a conference circuit between the first communications subscriber to be monitored, a calling or called second communications subscriber and at least one of the third communications subscribers being authorized to monitor when the first communications subscriber to be monitored calling or being called by the calling or called second communications subscriber, and a decision as to whether monitoring of the first communications subscriber to be monitored is initiated by the exchange being made by the central database or a controller of the intelligent network depending on whether the first communication subscriber wants to contact a third communication subscriber; and

transferring subscriber data being characteristic of the subscribers of the intelligent network and corresponding event data directly from the central database or the controller of the intelligent network to the at least one third communications subscribers authorized to monitor when no communication is taking place between the first communications subscriber to be monitored and the calling or called second communications subscriber via the exchange.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises performing an initiation of the monitoring in the exchange only if the first communications subscriber to be monitored is called or the first communications subscriber calls the calling or called second communications subscriber.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises transmitting the characteristic subscriber data and the event data directly from one of the central database and the controller of the intelligent network to the at least one third communications subscribers authorized to monitor when the central database is accessed without the first communications subscriber to be monitored dialing a different call number or being called.