Method and system for call tracing

• US 7,221,751 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US11/144,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20050226402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 340/FOR.312, 345/2.1, 379 3201- 3205, 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. A method for initiating a call trace in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

communicating with central offices of the telecommunications network using a network monitoring and analysis (NMA) system; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a log on data entry screen on the initial web page.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

collecting information entered at the log on data entry screen using the NMA system; and

sending messages to central offices of the telecommunications system based on the collected information.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending the messages according to category of each central office, the central offices being categorized according to telephone technology employed in the central offices.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

identifying an office type for each central office; and

formatting the messages in accordance with each respective office type.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein collecting information comprises:

collecting a telephone number on which a trace is to be placed.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein collecting information comprises:

collecting geographic information defining a geographic area to be monitored.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein collecting information comprises:

collecting one geographic area selected by a user from a plurality of geographic areas offered to the user in the web browser program.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein collecting information comprises:

collecting login information and password information.