Systems and methods for criteria-based recording of voice data

• US 7,227,930 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Speechink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Core Mobility (Smith Micro Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Othmer, Konstantin, Ruf, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Hemant
• Application Number:
  US10/969,487
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 379/85, 379/88.23, 379/88.25, 455/412.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 379/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• 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 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656

Abstract

Wireless telecommunications systems, methods and devices for processing voice data in connection with a wireless telecommunications system that includes a wireless remote device and a wireless recording device that are configured for communication with a network server. In connection with transmission of voice data from the remote device to the recording device, the recording device obtains information concerning the geographic location of the recording device or the remote device. The recording device accesses recording rules that cross-reference the geographic location of the recording device or the remote device with a corresponding recording statute. The recording device records the conversation if the recording statute indicates that such recording is lawful.

Claims

1. A method for processing voice data in a telecommunications system that includes a remote device and a recording device, the method comprising:

receiving at the recording device, voice data that has been transmitted from the remote device;

obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device;

performing conflict resolution between a first jurisdiction of the first geographical location and a second jurisdiction of the second geographical location by applying a set of rules to the first and second jurisdiction to identify at least one course of action concerning recording of the voice data, the set of rules including data recording rules for one or more jurisdictions;

implementing the at least one corresponding course of action;

automatically generating an access profile according to the set of rules; and

associating the access profile with any recording resulting from the at least one course of action, wherein the access profile specifies types of access that a user has with respect to the recording that was created by the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one corresponding course of action comprises at least one of:

advising a user that the first geographical location of the remote device cannot be determined;

advising a user as to whether the voice data may be recorded;

recording the voice data transmitted from the remote device;

recording voice data originating from the recording device;

advising a user as to whether a party associated with the remote device must be notified prior to recordation of the voice data;

preventing recording of the voice data;

enabling a user to record the voice data, notwithstanding any contrary provision in the voice data recording rules, if the user obtains consent from a party associated with the remote device;

notifying a party associated with the remote device that the voice data will be recorded;

recording the voice data and notifying a party associated with the remote device that the voice data is being recorded;

recording consent of a party, associated with the remote device, to recording of the voice data; and

associating recorded voice data with a corresponding recorded consent.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first jurisdiction of the remote device and the second jurisdiction of the recording device are different jurisdictions during the time that the voice data is transmitted from the remote device to the recording device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first jurisdiction of the remote device and the second jurisdiction of the recording device are same jurisdiction during the time that the voice data is transmitted from the remote device to the recording device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of data recording rules define conditions under which one or more jurisdictions permit recording of voice data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device comprises determining the geographical location of at least one of the remote device and the recording device using a global positioning system.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device comprises determining the first geographical location of at least one of the remote device or the second geographical location of the recording device by communicating with a network server than can identify the geographical location.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data recording rules are stored in at least one of the remote device and the recording device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the data recording rules are stored in a network server; and

performing conflict resolution comprises accessing the data recording rules from the network server.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein implementing the at least one course of action comprises:

recording the voice data that has been transmitted by the remote device; and

recording voice data generated by a user of the recording device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein recording the voice data is performed at the recording device.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein recording the voice data is performed at a location remote with respect to the recording device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein implementing the at least one course of action comprises recording only voice data originating from the recording device.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first or second geographical location comprises a particular state.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first or second geographical location comprises a jurisdiction having an associated recording statute.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the associated recording statute comprises one of:

a single party consent statute; and

, an all party consent statute.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device comprises obtaining information as to whether or not the first geographical location of the remote device can be identified.

18. In a recording device that operates with a remote device in a telecommunications system, a method for determining whether voice data associated with a communication session between the recording device and the remote device is to be recorded, the method comprising:

participating in a communication session between the recording device and the remote device during which outgoing voice data is transmitted from the recording device to the remote device and incoming voice data is transmitted from the remote device to the recording device;

obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the recording device;

associating the information concerning the first geographical location of the recording device with the outgoing voice data and the incoming voice data;

performing conflict resolution based on a set of voice data rules that includes a first jurisdiction associated with the geographical location of the recording device and a second geographical location associated with the remote device, wherein the conflict resolution determines;

whether the outgoing voice data is to be recorded;

whether the incoming voice data is to be recorded; and

whether a party using the remote device is to be notified that voice data is to be recorded;

generating a recording of at least one of the outgoing voice data and the incoming voice data;

automatically generating an access profile according to the set of voice data rules; and

associating the access profile with the recording, the access profile specifying types of access that one or more users have with respect to the recording.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the recording device comprises determining the first geographical location of the recording device using global positioning system capabilities of the recording device.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising obtaining information concerning the second geographical location of the remote device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising associating the information concerning the second geographical of the remote device with the outgoing voice data and the incoming voice data such that the set of voice data rules are applied with respect to the second geographical location of the remote device and the first geographical location of the recording device.

22. A computer apparatus for implementing a method for processing voice data in a telecommunications system that includes a remote device and a recording device, the computer apparatus comprising:

a computer readable medium embodying computer executable instructions for performing the method, wherein the method comprises;

receiving at the recording device, voice data that has been transmitted from the remote device;

obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device;

accessing a set of voice data recording rules;

performing conflict resolution between a first jurisdiction of the first geographical location and a second jurisdiction of the second geographical location by applying a set of rules to the first and second jurisdiction to identify at least one course of action concerning recording of the voice data, the set of rules including data recording rules for one or more jurisdictions;

recommending a particular course of action based on the conflict resolution from the at least one course of action;

implementing the particular course of action;

generating an access profile according to the set of rules; and

automatically associating the access profile with any recording resulting from the at least one course of action, wherein the access profile specifies types of access that a user has with respect to the recording.

23. The computer apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the particular course of action comprises at least one of:

advising a user as to whether the voice data may be recorded;

recording the voice data;

advising a user as to whether a party associated with the remote device must be notified prior to recordation of the voice data;

preventing recording of the voice data;

enabling a user to record the voice data, notwithstanding any contrary provision in the data recording rules, if the user obtains consent from a party associated with the remote device;

notifying a party associated with the remote device that the voice data will be recorded;

recording the voice data and notifying a party associated with the remote device that the voice data is being recorded; and

recording consent of a party, associated with the remote device, to recording of the voice data.

24. The computer apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the voice data recording rules are stored at the recording device.

25. The computer apparatus as reciting in claim 22, wherein:

the data recording rules are stored in a network server; and

accessing the data recording rules comprises accessing the data recording rules from the network server.

26. The computer apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the set of voice data recording rules comprises at least one of:

conditions under which a jurisdiction permits recording of voice data; and

at least one conflict resolution recommendation.

27. The computer apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device comprises determining the first or second geographical of at least one of the remote device and the recording device using global positioning system capabilities thereof.

28. The computer apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein obtaining information concerning a first geographical location of the remote device and concerning a second geographical location of the recording device comprises determining the first or second geographical location of at least one of the remote device and the recording device by communicating with a network server that can identify the first or second geographical location.

29. A method for processing voice data in a telecommunications system that includes a remote device and a recording device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the recording device, voice data that has been transmitted from the remote device;

performing conflict resolution using a set of rules that includes rules of a first jurisdiction associated with the recording device and rules of a second jurisdiction associated with the remote device, wherein the conflict resolution identifies a course of action that includes requiring consent from a user of the remote device;

recommending the course of action to a user of the recording device;

requesting consent data specifying that the user associated with the remote device has given consent to the recording of voice data;

if the consent data is received;

storing the consent data at the recording device; and

recording the voice data transmitted from the remote device, the consent data associated with the recorded voice data;

automatically generating an access profile according to the set of rules; and

associating the access profile with the recorded voice data, the access profile specifying actions that a user of the recording device can perform with respect to the recorded voice data.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising receiving and storing consent data from all users who are participating in a communication session between the recording device and one or more remote devices.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising recording only voice data originating from the recording device.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein recording only voice data originating from the recording device is performed in response to not receiving the consent data from the remote device.

33. A method for processing voice data in a telecommunications system that includes a remote device and a recording device, the method comprising:

storing, at the recording device, recording rules that identify a recording action that is to be performed on voice data in response to specified criteria;

receiving, at the recording device, voice data that has been transmitted from the remote device; and

in response to the receipt of the voice data;

performing conflict resolution based on a first location of the recording device, a second location of the remote device and on recording rules, the conflict resolution identifying a recording action to perform;

recommending the recording action to a user of the recording device based on the conflict resolution; and

performing the recording action unless the user of the recording device selects a different recording action, wherein the different recording action is performed;

generating a recording of the voice data;

automatically generating an access profile according to the recording rules; and

associating the access profile with the recording of the voice data, wherein the access profile specifies actions a party that made the recording of the voice data can perform with respect to the recording of the voice data.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising receiving and storing, at the recording device, consent data specifying that a user associated with at least one of the remote device and the recording device has given consent to the recording of voice data.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein performing conflict resolution further comprises determining that the recording rules identify the remote device and specify that when voice data is received from the remove device, a particular recording action is to be performed on the voice data.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein:

the method further comprises obtaining information;

that is related to the first location of the recording device and the second location of the remote device; and

the identifies a recording action that is to be performed on voice data in response to specified criteria that include said first location of the remote device or said second location of the recording device.

37. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising receiving user input at the recording device that defines the recording rules such that the recording action that is to be performed on voice data in response to specified criteria can be defined by a user of the recording device.