Method for performing lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance

• US 9,112,923 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalmanek, Charles Robert Jr., Marshall, William Todd, Mishra, Partho Pratim, Nortz, Douglas M, Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HOANG-CHUONG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/593,224
• Time in Patent Office: 3,207 Days
• Field of Search: 370389-392, 370/351, 370/352, 370/522, 370/523, 370/432, 379/114.22, 379/114.01, 379/114.21, 379/114.23, 379/120, 379/126, 379/127.01, 379/127.05, 379/386, 379/448, 379/372, 379/207.02, 379/257, 379/229, 379/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5625 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/203 ATM switching fabrics with multicast or broadcast capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/50 Overload detection or protection within a single switching element
• 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

Abstract

Lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance is performed. A call associated with a first party to be surveilled is verified, on a per-call basis. Packets associated with the call are sent to a second party. Copies of the packets are sent to a surveillance receiver.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

opening a gate for electronic surveillance of a call from a calling address to a called address;

establishing a timer associated with the gate;

routing packets of data associated with the call between the calling address and the called address;

sending copies of the packets of data to a surveillance receiver that performs the electronic surveillance of the call;

monitoring for receipt of an acknowledgment of the gate as the timer counts;

determining an expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgement;

terminating the gate in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment; and

terminating the electronic surveillance of the call in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment.

2. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a call from a calling address to a called address;

opening a gate associated with the call;

determining an electronic surveillance of the call based on at least one of the calling address and the called address

establishing a timer associated with the gate;

sending copies of packets of data associated with the call to a surveillance receiver for the electronic surveillance of the call;

monitoring for receipt of an acknowledgment of the gate as the timer counts;

determining an expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgement;

terminating the gate in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment; and

terminating the electronic surveillance of the call in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a quality-of-service indicator associated with the call.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising routing the packets of data associated with the call between the calling address and the called address.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising query a database to determine the electronic surveillance.

6. A server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory under direction of the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a request for a call from a calling address to a called address;

opening a gate associated with the call;

determining an electronic surveillance of the call based on at least one of the calling address and the called address

establishing a timer associated with the gate;

sending copies of packets of data associated with the call to a surveillance receiver for the electronic surveillance of the call;

monitoring for receipt of an acknowledgment of the gate as the timer counts;

determining an expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgement;

terminating the gate in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment; and

terminating the electronic surveillance of the call in response to the expiration of the timer without the receipt of the acknowledgment.