Intercepting voice over IP communications and other data communications

• US 8,422,507 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digifonica (International) Limited (VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bjorsell, Johan Emil Viktor, Sobolyev, Maksym
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US12/517,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100150138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/15 related to dial plan and call routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2022 Path replacement
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for intercepting communications in an Internet Protocol (IP) network involve maintaining dialing profiles for respective subscribers to the IP network, each dialing profile including a username associated with the corresponding subscriber, and associating intercept information with the dialing profile of a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored. Intercept information will include determination information for determining whether to intercept a communication involving the subscriber, and destination information identifying a device to which intercepted communications involving the subscriber are to be sent. When the determination information meets intercept criteria communications are established with a media relay through which communications involving the subscriber will be conducted or are being conducted to cause the media relay to send a copy of the communications involving the subscriber to a mediation device specified by the destination information.

Claims

1. A method for intercepting communications in an Internet Protocol (IP) network system in which communications between a subscriber of the system and another party occur through a media relay to which the subscriber and the another party address their communications destined for each other and which relays the communications between the subscriber and the another party, the method comprising:

determining whether determination information associated with a subscriber dialing profile associated with the subscriber meets intercept criteria;

producing a routing message for routing communications involving the subscriber through components of the IP network, after determining whether the determination information meets the intercept criteria, the routing message being separate from any message sent between the subscriber and the another party;

when the determination information meets the intercept criteria;

including at least some of the determination information and destination information associated with the subscriber dialing profile in the routing message; and

in response to the routing message, causing the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed to produce a copy of the communications between the subscriber and the another party, while the same media relay relays communications between the subscriber and the another party; and

in response to the routing message, causing the same media relay to send the copy to a mediation device identified by destination information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the determination information and the destination information with the dialing profile when communications involving the subscriber are not in progress.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the determination information and the destination information with the subscriber dialing profile when communications involving the subscriber are in progress.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein associating the determination information and the destination information comprises populating intercept information fields in the dialing profile of a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the determination information meets the intercept criteria comprises determining whether a current date and time is within a range specified by the determination information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein producing a routing message comprises identifying a media relay through which communications involving the subscriber will be conducted and including an identification of the media relay in the routing message such that the media relay acts as the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising pre-associating at least one media relay with the dialing profile associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored and wherein identifying the media relay comprises identifying the media relay pre-associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein pre-associating comprises populating media relay fields in the dialing profile with an identification of the at least one media relay.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein associating the determination information and the destination information comprises associating the determination information and the destination information with the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored, in response to receipt of an intercept request message, wherein the intercept request message comprises the determination information and the destination information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising invoking an intercept request message handler to:

a) find a dialing profile associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored;

b) perform the step of associating the determination information and the destination information with the dialing profile;

c) determine whether the intercept criteria are met; and

d) identify a media relay through which the communications are being conducted such that the media relay can be configured to act as the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the dialing profile includes a username identifier and further comprising maintaining active call records for communications in progress, the active call records comprising a username identifier and a media relay identifier identifying the media relay through which the communications are being conducted and wherein identifying a media relay through which the communications are being conducted comprises locating an active call record associated with communications of the subscriber whose communication are to be monitored to identify the media relay associated with the communications.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining direct-in-dial (DID) records associating Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) telephone numbers with usernames of users subscribing to the IP network, and wherein finding a dialing profile associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored comprises finding a username in a DID record bearing a PSTN number associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored and using the username to locate a dialing profile associated with the username.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein associating the determination information and the destination information comprises populating intercept information fields in the dialing profile of a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

14. An apparatus for intercepting communications in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the apparatus comprising:

means for accessing dialing profiles associated with respective subscribers of the IP network, at least one of the dialing profiles being associated with a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored, the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored including intercept information including determination information for determining whether to intercept a communication involving the subscriber, and destination information identifying a mediation device to which intercepted communications involving the subscriber are to be sent;

means for determining whether the determination information meets intercept criteria;

means for producing a routing message for routing communications involving the subscriber through components of the IP network, after the means for determining has determined that the determination information meets the intercept criteria, the routing message being separate from any message sent between the subscriber and the another party, and the routing message including at least some of the determination information and destination information associated with the subscriber dialing profile;

means for, in response to the routing message, causing the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed to produce a copy of the communications between the subscriber and the another party, while the media relay relays the communications between the subscriber and the another party; and

means for, in response to the routing message, causing the same media relay to send the copy of the communications to a mediation device identified by the destination information.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for associating the intercept information with the dialing profile when communications involving the subscriber are not in progress.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for associating the intercept information with the dialing profile when communications involving the subscriber are in progress.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for associating the intercept information is operably configured to populate intercept information fields in the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for determining whether the determination information meets the intercept criteria is operably configured to determine whether a current date and time is within a range specified by the determination information.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for producing the routing message is operably configured to identify a media relay through which communications involving the subscriber will be conducted and to include an identification of the media relay in the routing message such that the media relay acts as the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for pre-associating at least one media relay with the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored and wherein the routing means is operably configured to identify from the dialing profile the media relay pre-associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for pre-associating is operably configured to populate media relay fields in the dialing profile with an identification of at the least one media relay.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for associating the intercept information is operably configured to associate the intercept information associated with the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored, in response to receipt of an intercept request message, wherein the intercept request message comprises the intercept information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for handling an intercept request message, the means for handling the intercept request message comprising:

a) means for finding a dialing profile associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored, the means for finding a dialing profile cooperating with the means for associating the intercept information with the dialing profile to cause the intercept information to be associated with the dialing profile;

b) means for determining whether the intercept criteria are met; and

c) means for identifying a media relay through which the communications are being conducted such that the media relay can be configured as the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the dialing profile includes a username identifier and further comprising means for maintaining active call records for communications in progress, the active call records comprising a username identifier and a media relay identifier identifying a media relay through which the communications are being conducted and wherein the means for identifying a media relay is operably configured to locate an active call record associated with communications of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored to identify the media relay associated with the communications.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for maintaining direct-in-dial (DID) records associating Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) telephone numbers with usernames of users subscribing to the IP network, and wherein the means for finding a dialing profile associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored is operably configured to find a username in a DID record bearing a PSTN number associated with the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored and use the username to locate a dialing profile associated with the username.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for associating the intercept information is operably configured to populate intercept information fields in the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored.

27. An apparatus for intercepting communications in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the apparatus comprising:

a module configured to access dialing profiles associated with respective subscribers of the IP network, at least one of the dialing profiles being associated with a subscriber whose communications are to be monitored, the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored including intercept information including determination information for determining whether to intercept a communication involving the subscriber, and destination information identifying a mediation device to which intercepted communications involving the subscriber are to be sent;

a module configured to determine whether the determination information meets intercept criteria;

a module configured to produce a routing message for routing communications involving the subscriber through components of the IP network, after the determining module has determined that the determination information meets the intercept criteria, the routing message being separate from any message sent between the subscriber and the another party, and the routing message including at least some of the determination information and destination information associated with the subscriber dialing profile;

a module configured to cause, in response to the routing message, the same media relay through which communications between the subscriber and the another party are relayed to produce a copy of the communications between the subscriber and the another party, while the media relay relays the communications between the subscriber and the another party; and

a module configured to cause, in response to the routing message, the same media relay to send the copy of the communications to a mediation device identified by the destination information.