Apparatus and method for performing lawful intercept in group calls

• US 8,712,019 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Anchan, Kirankumar, Santhanam, Arvind V., Bhaskaran, Hamsini
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US13/296,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20130121480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 379/7, 379/32.01, 379/32.04, 379/32.05, 379/35, 455/414.3, 455/416, 455/402.2, 455/410, 370352-356
• US Class Current: 379/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing lawful intercept in group calls is described herein. When a group call is established having a monitoring target as a member, a monitoring component obtains signaling, location, and data related to the monitoring target, correlates this information, and provides it to a call intercept component.

Claims

1. A method of reporting call information, comprising:

establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

obtaining a bundle of information corresponding to the at least one target member device;

correlating the bundle of information with a corresponding portion of call signaling and corresponding voice content in real time, wherein the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content comprise packetized data; and

delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the bundle of information and the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to a call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bundle of information includes location information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding the call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call group comprises at least three members.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises delivering from a single call intercept component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing initial location information corresponding to the at least one target member device;

obtaining subsequent location information corresponding to the at least one target member device; and

determining that the subsequent location information represents a new location relative to the initial location information,

wherein the correlating the bundle of information further comprises correlating and delivering the subsequent location information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the group communication call further comprises initially hosting the group communication call for a first subset of the plurality of members devices not including the at least one target member device, and determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call after a time period of hosting the group communication call for the first subset of the plurality of members devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting call state information corresponding to the group communication call to the call intercept component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the call state information further comprises transmitting one or more of identification of member devices participating in the group communication call, identification of a member device having a floor for the group communication call, identification of a time period a member device maintaining the floor, identification of a member device joining the group communication call, or identification of a member device leaving the group communication call.

10. At least one processor configured to report call information, comprising:

a first module for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

a second module for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third module for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

a fourth module for obtaining a bundle of information corresponding to the at least one target member device;

a fifth module for correlating the bundle of information with a corresponding portion of call signaling and corresponding voice content in real time, wherein the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content comprise packetized data; and

a sixth module for delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the bundle of information and the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to a call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to establish a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to identify at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to determine that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to obtain a bundle of information corresponding to the at least one target member device;

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to correlate the bundle of information with a corresponding portion of call signaling and corresponding voice content in real time, wherein the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content comprise packetized data; and

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to deliver, based on the at least one target member device joining the call, the bundle of information and the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to a call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

means for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

means for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

means for obtaining a bundle of information corresponding to the at least one target member device;

means for correlating the bundle of information with a corresponding portion of call signaling and corresponding voice content in real time, wherein the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content comprise packetized data; and

means for delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the bundle of information and the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to a call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor comprising;

a call setup component for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices; and

a call hosting component for;

identifying a least one target member of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked, determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call,

obtaining a bundle of information corresponding to the at least one target member device,

correlating the bundle of information with a corresponding portion of call signaling and corresponding voice content, wherein the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content comprise packetized data, and

delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the bundle of information and the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to a call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding portion of the voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the bundle of information includes location information.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the call hosting function is further configured to add the call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices.

16. A method of reporting call information, comprising:

establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

adding a call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices;

delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call group and the call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time;

obtaining location information corresponding to the at least one target member device; and

correlating the location information with a corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content,

wherein delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises delivering the location information with the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call intercept component.

17. At least one processor configured to report call information, comprising:

a first module for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

a second module for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third module for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

a fourth module for adding a call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices;

a fifth module for delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call group and the call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time;

a sixth module for obtaining location information corresponding to the at least one target member device; and

a seventh module for correlating the location information with a corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content,

wherein delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises delivering the location information with the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call intercept component.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to establish a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to identify at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to determine that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to add a call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices;

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to deliver, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call group and the call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time;

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to obtain location information corresponding to the at least one target member device; and

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to correlate the location information with a corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content,

wherein delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises delivering the location information with the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call intercept component.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

means for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

means for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call;

means for adding a call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices;

means for delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call group and the call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time;

means for obtaining location information corresponding to the at least one target member device; and

means for correlating the location information with a corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content,

wherein the means for delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises means for delivering the location information with the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call intercept component.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor comprising;

a call setup component for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data; and

a call hosting function for;

identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked,

determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call,

adding a call intercept component as a party to the group communication call without knowledge of the plurality of member devices,

delivering, based on the at least one target member device joining the group communication call, the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call group and the call intercept component across a same path to the call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time,

obtaining location information corresponding to the at least one target member device, and

correlating the location information with a corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content,

wherein delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content further comprises delivering the location information with the corresponding portion of the call signaling and the corresponding voice content to the call intercept component.

21. A method of reporting call information, comprising:

establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call; and

delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content across a same path to a call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

22. At least one processor configured to report call information, comprising:

a first module for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

a second module for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third module for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call; and

a fourth module for delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content across a same path to a call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

23. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to establish a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to identify at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call; and

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to deliver the call signaling and the corresponding voice content across a same path to a call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data;

means for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked;

means for determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call; and

means for delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content across a same path to a call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor comprising;

a call setup component for establishing a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices, wherein the group communication call comprises call signaling and corresponding voice content, and wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data; and

a call hosting function for identifying at least one target member device of the plurality of member devices as corresponding to a subject to be tracked, determining that the at least one target member device has joined the group communication call, and delivering the call signaling and the corresponding voice content across a same path to a call intercept component such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at the call intercept component at a same time.

26. A method of providing call information in a lawfully intercepted wireless device, comprising:

joining a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

generating a bundle of information corresponding to the lawfully intercepted wireless device, the bundle of information including location information and call signaling information, and the call signaling information comprising packetized data; and

transmitting the bundle of information to a call intercept component across a same path such that the bundle of information is received at the call intercept component at a same time.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

overriding a privacy setting to generate and transmit the bundle of information when the privacy setting prohibits disclosing the location information.

28. At least one processor configured to provide call information in a lawfully intercepted wireless device, comprising:

a first module for joining a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

a second module for generating a bundle of information corresponding to the lawfully intercepted wireless device, the bundle of information including location information and call signaling information, and the call signaling information comprising packetized data; and

a third module for transmitting the bundle of information to a call intercept component across a same path such that the bundle of information is received at the call intercept component at a same time.

29. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to join a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to generate a bundle of information corresponding to a lawfully intercepted wireless device, the bundle of information including location information and call signaling information, and the call signaling information comprising packetized data; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to transmit the bundle of information to a call intercept component across a same path such that the bundle of information is received at the call intercept component at a same time.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

means for joining a group communication call for a call group having a plurality of member devices;

means for generating a bundle of information corresponding to a lawfully intercepted wireless device, the bundle of information including location information and call signaling information, and the call signaling information comprising packetized data; and

means for transmitting the bundle of information to a call intercept component across a same path such that the bundle of information is received at the call intercept component at one same time.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor comprising;

a call processing component for joining a group communication call for a group call having a plurality of member devices, generating a bundle of information corresponding to a lawfully intercepted wireless device, the bundle of information including location information and call signaling information, and the call signaling information including packetized data, and transmitting the bundle of information to a call intercept component across a same path such that the bundle of information is received at the call intercept component at a same time.

32. A method of monitoring call information, comprising:

transmitting an authorization to a monitoring component, the authorization providing identifying information for one or more monitoring targets;

receiving a notification that a group call including at least one monitoring target has been established; and

receiving call signaling and corresponding voice content associated with the group call across a same path such that the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received at a same time, wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content comprise packetized data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the call signaling and the corresponding voice content are received in a sequence of occurrence.