Voice over IP capturing

• US 8,165,114 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nice Ltd
• Original Assignee: Nice Systems Limited (Nice Ltd)
• Inventors: Halbraich, Eran, Portman, Leon, Lenchner, Yariv, Yachil, Gal, Knoll, Reuven
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rutkowski, Jeffrey M
• Application Number:
  US11/452,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 370/432, 370/217, 370252-253, 370/469, 370401-405, 379/35, 379/386, 713/201, 398/9, 709/224
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• 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 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for Voice over IP capturing in a network, comprising: a data receiver, tapping the network and configured to receive at least one data packet transmitted in the network, a VoIP identifier, associated with the data receiver, configured to determine if the received data packet is a VoIP data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device, and a forwarder, associated with the VoIP identifier, configured to forward a copy of the qualifying VoIP data packet to at least one capture device, and to forward the received data packets back to the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for Voice over IP capturing in a network, the apparatus comprising:

a data receiver, tapping the network, and configured to receive data packets transmitted over a communication link between a first party and a second party coupled to the network;

a VoIP identifier configured to determine if received data packets are Real-time transport protocol (RTP) VoIP data packets based on compliance with a known standard of the RTP and if the VoIP data packets are qualified for forwarding to a recording device based on Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) data; and

a forwarder configured to change a destination IP address and port of a copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets and to forward the copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets to the recording device via a first switch port external to the apparatus, and to forward the received data packets back to the network via a second switch port external to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to find only a data packet used for implementing a VoIP telephony service qualifying for forwarding to the recording device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to select said recording device from a plurality of recording devices according to a predefined forwarding-policy.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said receiver is further configured to receive said data packets directly from a VoIP telephony device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to determine if a data packet is a VoIP data-packet qualifying for forwarding according to at least one predefined rule.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to find each of said received VoIP data packets qualifying for forwarding to the recording device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is configured to determine if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device according to a predefined list of Media access Control (MAC) addresses.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to determine if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device according to a predefined list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said VoIP identifier is configured to determine if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device, by detecting implementation of a predefined protocol in said received data packet.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a relay device having a first relay unit for connecting the first party via a first channel and a second relay unit for connecting the second party via a second channel wherein the relay device is configured to enable the VoIP data packets to bypass the apparatus in case of a failure so as to maintain the connection of the link by electrically connecting the first channel and the second channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the forwarder is configured to forward to the recording device a list of devices accessible to the receiver.

12. A system for Voice over IP capturing in a network, the system comprising:

a remote recording device coupled to the network; and

an apparatus comprising;

a data receiver, tapping the network, and configured to receive data packets transmitted over a communication link between a first party and a second party coupled to the network;

a VoIP identifier configured to determine if received data packets are Real-time transport protocol (RTP) VoIP data packets based on compliance with a known standard of the RIP and if the VoIP data packets are qualified for forwarding to the remote recording device based on Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) data; and

a forwarder communicating with said remote recording device, and configured to change a destination IP address and port of a copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets and to forward the copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets via a first switch port external to the apparatus to said remote recording device, and to forward the received data packets back to the network via a second switch port external to the apparatus.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said VoIP identifier is further configured to find only a VoIP data packet used for implementing a VoIP Telephony Service qualifying for forwarding to the recording device.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of additional remote recording devices, wherein said forwarder is further configured to send a copy of said qualified VoIP data packets to said recording devices, and said VoIP identifier is further configured to select one of said recording devices according to a predefined forwarding-policy.

15. A method for Voice over IP capturing in a network, the method comprising:

receiving packets transmitted over a communication link between a first party and a second party coupled to the network, by an apparatus tapping the communication link;

determining if received data packets are Real-time transport protocol (RTP) VoIP data packets based on compliance with a known standard of the RTP and if the VoIP data packets are qualified for forwarding to a recording device according to Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) data;

changing destination IP address and port of a copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets;

forwarding the copy of qualified RTP VoIP data packets to the recording device via a first switch port external to the apparatus; and

forwarding said received data packets back to the network via a second switch port external to the apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein only a data packet used for implementing a VoIP Telephony Service is found to qualify for forwarding to the recording device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting the recording device from a plurality of recording devices according to a predefined forwarding-policy.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving said data packets directly from a VoIP telephony device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said determining if said received data packets qualifies for forwarding to the recording device is carried out according to at least one predefined rule.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising finding each VoIP data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device according to a predefined list of Median access Control (MAC) addresses.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device according to a predefined list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said determining if a received data packet is a data packet qualifying for forwarding to a capture device is carried out by detecting implementation of a predefined protocol in said received data packet.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a relay device having a first relay unit for connecting the first party via a first channel and a second relay unit for connecting the second party via a second channel and upon detection of a failure of the apparatus, the method further comprises:

electrically connecting the first channel and the second channel to enable the VoIP data packets to bypass the apparatus so as to maintain the connection of the communication link.

25. The method of claim 15, comprising forwarding to the recording device a list of accessible devices.