Method and system for call tracing

• US 6,925,164 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fellner, Paul W., Langdon, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/685,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20040146155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 340/FOR.312, 345/2.1, 379/32.01, 379/32.02, 379/32.03, 379/32.04, 379/32.05, 379/127.01, 379/142.17, 379/219, 379/242, 379/245, 379/246, 379/247, 379/249, 379/900, 379/FOR.102
• US Class Current: 379/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• 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 3/42144 by service provider
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

The present invention is drawn to a call trace system and method that is simple to establish in a short amount of time. The call trace is implemented through a Web browser page which remotely programs central offices to trace calls to particular number. When a trace is established a message is sent back to the Web browser which displays the calling number, the called number and the central office detecting the call. Also, a page is sent to a pager which displays the traced information.

Claims

1. Apparatus for initiating a call trace in a telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:

a network monitoring and analysis (NMA) system operative to communicate with central offices of the telecommunications network; and

web browser program code operative to display on a display unit an initial web page to collect data to establish the call trace in cooperation with the NMA system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the web browser program code comprises code operative to display a log on data entry screen on the initial web page.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the NMA system comprises:

first program code operative to collect information entered at the log on data entry screen; and

second program code operative to send messages to central offices of the telecommunications system based on the information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the central offices are categorized according to the telephone technology employed in the central offices and wherein the second program code produces the messages according to the category of each central office.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an object server to provide compatibility between the web browser program code and the NMA system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the NMA system comprises NMA program code.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a processor configured for operation under control of the web browser program code and the NMA program code.