Call-content determinative selection of interception access points in a soft switch controlled network

• US 20030219103A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rao, Nagaraja, Schlicht, Ludger
• Granted Patent: US 7,277,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/32.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• 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 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1255 where the switching fabric and the switching logic are decomposed such as in Media Gateway Control

Abstract

By selecting access points specific to the various components of call-content of a call, a monitoring agency is ensured of obtaining the call-content of each participant in telephone call irrespective of call transfers and network reconfiguration. Devices in the telecommunications system such as network devices can provide appropriate access. Examples of suitable network devices may include gateway, an access gateways, trunk gateways, portals, ATM switches, routers, and border elements.

Claims

1. A method for intercepting a plurality of components of the content of a call transiting a telecommunications network, comprising:

identifying, for each component, a network device through which that component passes; and

intercepting the components at the respective identified network devices.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, where the step of identifying comprises identifying a network device through which the component will pass irrespective of a transfer or a reconfiguration of the call or a portion of the call.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of conveying at least one component to a law enforcement agency.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, where the step of identifying a network device comprises the step of identifying a device controlled by a switch.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, where

at least one component originates at a subscriber participating in the call;

and

the step of identifying a network device comprises the step of associating the subscriber with at least one network device.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, where the step of identifying a network device comprises the step of identifying a device not accessible to the subscriber providing the component.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, where the step of identifying a device not accessible to the subscriber comprises the step of configuring a device to be responsive to a soft switch and further comprising the step of providing a control path between the device and the soft switch.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, where the step of identifying a network device comprises the step of selecting a gateway, an access gateway, a trunk gateway, a portal, an ATM switch, a router, a network edge device, or a border element.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, where the telecommunications network is responsive to a plurality of soft switches.

10. A method for intercepting one or more components of the call content of subscribers participating in a call over a telecommunications network, comprising:

associating at least one subscriber with at least one network device not accessible to the subscriber, where the network device is controlled by a switch and is a gateway, an access gateway, a trunk gateway, a portal, an ATM switch, a router, a network edge device, or a border element;

identifying, for each component, a network device through which the component will pass irrespective of a transfer or a reconfiguration of the call or a portion of the call;

intercepting the components at the respective identified network devices; and

conveying at least one component to a law enforcement agency.

11. A system for intercepting a plurality of components of the content of a call transiting a telecommunications network, comprising:

means for identifying, for each component, a network device through which that component passes; and

a bearer path connection at each identified network device for intercepting the component.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, where the means for identifying comprises means for identifying a network device through which the component will pass irrespective of a transfer or a reconfiguration of the call or a portion of the call.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a channel for conveying at least one component to a law enforcement agency.

14. A system as set forth in claim 11, where the network device is responsive to a switch.

15. A system as set forth in claim 11, where

at least one component originates at a subscriber participating in the call;

and

the subscriber is associated with at least one network device.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15, where the network device is not accessible to the subscriber.

17. A system as set forth in claim 16, where the network device is responsive to the soft switch and further comprising a control path between the device and the soft switch.

18. A system as set forth in claim 11, where the network device is a gateway, an access gateway, a trunk gateway, a portal, an ATM switch, a router, a network edge device, or a border element.

19. A system as set forth in claim 11, where the telecommunications network is controlled by a plurality of soft switches.

20. A system for intercepting one or more components of the call content of subscribers participating in a call over a telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one network device with which a subscriber has been associated, where the network device is not accessible to the subscriber and responsive to a switch, and where the network device is a gateway, an access gateway, a trunk gateway, a portal, an ATM switch, a router, a network edge device, or a border element;

means for identifying, for each component, a network device through which the component will pass irrespective of a transfer or a reconfiguration of the call or a portion of the call;

a bearer path connection at each identified network device for intercepting the component; and

at least one bearer path connected to the bearer path connection for conveying the component to at least one law enforcement agency.

21. An apparatus for intercepting a component of the call content of a subscriber participating in a call over a telecommunications network, comprising:

at least one network device with which a subscriber has been associated, where the network device is not accessible to the subscriber and responsive to a switch, and where the network device is a gateway, an access gateway, a trunk gateway, a portal, an ATM switch, a router, a network edge device, or a border element;

means for identifying, for each component, a network device through which the component will pass irrespective of a transfer or a reconfiguration of the call or a portion of the call;

a bearer path connection at each identified network device for intercepting the component; and

at least one bearer path connected to the bearer path connection for conveying the component to at least one law enforcement agency.

22. A system for intercepting a call over a telecommunications network, comprising:

a plurality of network devices through which said call passes; and

a bearer path connection at each of said plurality of network devices for intercepting said call.