Systems and methods for performing authorized intercept in a satellite-based communications system
First Claim
1. A method of performing communication intercepts in a communications system comprising at least one satellite communications node and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising:
- maintaining a database of subscriber unit identifiers and jurisdictional information associated with each of the plurality of subscriber units;
selecting one of the plurality of subscriber units as a target subscriber unit;
identifying the at least one satellite communications node associated with the jurisdictional information associated with the target subscriber unit;
transmitting an intercept order comprising the identifier for the target subscriber unit to the identified at least one satellite communications node providing service to the target subscriber unit; and
receiving an intercepted communication with the target subscriber unit from the at least one satellite communications node.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Authorized intercepts of communications in a satellite communications system (10) are performed, according to which a law enforcement agency (LEA) can request the intercept of communications to and/or from subscriber units (SUs). In one embodiment, an LEA intercept request causes an intercept order for a particular target SU (420, FIG. 6) to be transmitted to one or more satellites (411-413, FIG. 6), where the intercept order is stored in an intercept table (410). Any communications traffic involving the target SU results in an intercept by a satellite, which routes a copy of the intercepted communications to the requesting LEA, either directly or via an associated intercept facility (426, FIG. 8).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of performing communication intercepts in a communications system comprising at least one satellite communications node and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising:
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maintaining a database of subscriber unit identifiers and jurisdictional information associated with each of the plurality of subscriber units;
selecting one of the plurality of subscriber units as a target subscriber unit;
identifying the at least one satellite communications node associated with the jurisdictional information associated with the target subscriber unit;
transmitting an intercept order comprising the identifier for the target subscriber unit to the identified at least one satellite communications node providing service to the target subscriber unit; and
receiving an intercepted communication with the target subscriber unit from the at least one satellite communications node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
the at least one satellite communications node storing the intercept order into an intercept table in the memory.
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4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein in the selecting operation more than one of the plurality of subscriber units is selected as a target subscriber unit, wherein the selecting operation is performed by at least one intercept requestor having an intercept requestor ID, and wherein the intercept table comprises a list of all target subscriber units within the footprint of the at least one satellite communications node, each target subscriber unit having associated therewith at least one intercept requestor ID.
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5. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the identifier comprises an encrypted subscriber unit ID corresponding to the target subscriber unit.
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6. The method recited in claim 5 and further comprising:
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the at least one satellite communications node determining whether a received communication comprises the subscriber unit ID for the target subscriber unit;
intercepting the communication when said at least one satellite communications node determines said communication comprises said subscriber unit ID; and
transmitting without intercepting the communication when said at least one satellite communications node determines said communication does not comprise said subscriber unit ID.
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7. The method recited in claim 6 wherein the communications system further comprises a network intercept facility, and wherein the intercept order comprises a network intercept facility ID identifying the network intercept facility, the method further comprising:
if the at least one satellite communications node intercepts the communication, transmitting the communication to the network intercept facility.
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8. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the communications system further comprises a network intercept facility, and wherein the intercept order comprises a network intercept facility ID identifying the network intercept facility, the method further comprising:
the at least one satellite communications node transmitting the communication to the network intercept facility.
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9. The method recited in claim 8 wherein the intercept order identifies an intercept requestor, the method further comprising:
the network intercept facility addressing a transmission of the intercepted communication to the intercept requestor.
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10. The method recited in claim 8 wherein the intercept order identifies an intercept requestor, the method further comprising:
the network intercept facility providing a transmission of the intercepted communication to the intercept requestor.
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11. A satellite communications node for use in a communications system having a plurality of communications nodes, the satellite communications node comprising:
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a transceiver to receive communications from one communications node and to transmit communications to another communications node;
a data processing system, including a processing element and a memory, to execute at least one computer program performing intercepts in the communications system, the at least one computer program when executed comprising the operations of;
receiving an intercept order from a network intercept facility, the intercept order comprising a target communications node ID assigned by a network operations facility;
decrypting the intercept order to thereby verify the network intercept facility;
separately decrypting the target communications node ID to the thereby verify the network operations facility;
evaluating a communication received by the transceiver to determine whether it comprises the target communications node ID;
if so, intercepting the communication; and
if not, controlling the transceiver to transmit the communication without intercepting it. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
if the communication is intercepted, generating a communication clone; and
controlling the transceiver to transmit the communication clone to another of the communications nodes.
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16. The satellite communications node recited in claim 15 wherein the intercept order further comprises an ID corresponding to the network intercept facility to which a communication clone is to be transmitted, and wherein the transceiver is controlled to transmit the communication clone to the network intercept facility.
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17. The satellite communications node recited in claim 16 wherein the intercept order further comprises a start time when evaluating is to start, wherein evaluating starts at the start time, and wherein the start time has a different granularity than a start time stored at the network intercept facility corresponding to the intercept order.
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18. The satellite communications node recited in claim 16 wherein the intercept order further comprises a start time when evaluating is to start, wherein evaluating starts at the start time, and wherein the start time has a different granularity than a stop time stored at the network intercept facility corresponding to the intercept order.
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19. The satellite communications node recited in claim 15 wherein the intercept order further comprises an ID corresponding to an intercept requestor to which a communication clone is to be transmitted, and wherein the transceiver is controlled to transmit the communication clone to the intercept requestor.
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20. A communications facility for use in a communications system comprising a plurality of communications nodes, including a plurality of subscriber nodes and at least one satellite communications node in which communications are intercepted, the communications facility comprising:
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a transceiver to receive communications from one communications node and to transmit communications to another communications node;
a data processing system, including a processing element and a memory, the processing element executing at least one computer program stored in the memory, the at least one computer program when executed comprising the operations of;
receiving an encrypted identifier for a target node of the plurality of subscriber nodes from a database associated with a network operations facility responsible for a jurisdiction served by the communications system in which the target node is located;
forming an intercept order comprising the encrypted identifier, wherein the intercept order is encrypted with a key that identifies the communications facility; and
transmitting the intercept order to the at least one satellite communications node providing service to the jurisdiction in which the target node is located.
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Specification