Using PSTN reachability to verify caller ID information in received VoIP calls

• US 8,204,047 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Jonathan, Jennings, Cullen F., Wing, Daniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheibel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US11/780,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20090022155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-354, 370/356, 370/386, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.31, 370/395.52, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/494
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00

Abstract

A system for verifying caller ID information in received VoIP calls. In particular implementations, a method includes receiving a caller identification (ID) identifying a calling party telephone number in a call initiation message transmitted from a VoIP call agent; determining the identity of the VoIP call agent; verifying that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at a VoIP call agent having the determined identity; and applying, responsive to the call initiation message, one or more rules based at least in part on the verifying step.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a caller identification (ID) identifying a calling party telephone number in a call initiation message transmitted from an originating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call agent, the call initiation message being for a VoIP call;

determining an identity of the originating VoIP call agent;

verifying that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at the originating VoIP call agent having the determined identity, the verifying comprising determining that at least one PSTN call to the calling party telephone number identified by the caller ID arrived at the originating VoIP call agent in response to receipt, from the originating VoIP call agent, of demonstrated knowledge of at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call that demonstrates knowledge of the at least one PSTN call; and

applying, responsive to the call initiation message, one or more rules based at least in part on the verifying step.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the verifying further comprises:

querying a registry that maps telephone numbers to identities of VoIP call agents; and

matching a returned identity from the query with the identity of the originating VoIP call agent.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the identity is an IP address.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the identity of the originating VoIP call agent is associated with a public key, and wherein the identity of the originating VoIP call agent making the VoIP call is determined through verification of key ownership.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the verifying further comprises verifying the originating VoIP call agent based on knowledge of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call, wherein the at least one PSTN call is made by a terminating VoIP call agent to the calling party telephone number.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the verifying comprises:

recording the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call;

transmitting a query for proof of awareness of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call made to a destination telephone number, the query transmitted to the originating VoIP call agent; and

receiving a response to the query from the originating VoIP call agent, the response comprising the demonstrated knowledge of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one attribute comprises one or more of a start call time, an end call time, a caller identification, a call length, and a call signature.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a call signature, wherein the call signature is based on one or more of frequency spectrum analysis, silence detection, and a password.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the verifying further comprises

accessing a cache of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call routing information, wherein the cache comprises a plurality of validated entries, and wherein each entry comprises a telephone number or prefix and a network address of a corresponding VoIP call agent;

searching the cache for a matching entry that matches the originating VoIP call agent; and

if the matching entry is found in the cache, applying one or more policies for VoIP call agents validated against the cache.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the verifying further comprises

accessing a registry of VoIP call routing information, wherein the registry comprises a plurality of entries, and wherein each entry comprises a telephone number or prefix and a network address of a corresponding VoIP call agent;

searching the registry for a matching entry that matches the calling party telephone number;

if the matching entry is found in the registry, applying one or more policies for VoIP call agents validated against the registry; and

if no matching entry is found in either the cache or the registry, applying one or more policies for unvalidated VoIP call agents.

11. Logic encoded in one or more tangible non-transitory media for execution and, when executed by a processor, operable to:

receive a caller identification (ID) identifying a calling party telephone number in a call initiation message transmitted from an originating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call agent, the call initiation message being for a VoIP call;

determine an identity of the originating VoIP call agent;

verify that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at the originating VoIP call agent having the determined identity, wherein the logic to verify that a PSTN call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at the originating VoIP call agent further comprises logic operable to determine that at least one PSTN call to the calling party telephone number identified by the caller ID arrived at the originating VoIP call agent in response to receipt, from the originating VoIP call agent, of demonstrated knowledge of at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call that demonstrates knowledge of the at least one PSTN call; and

apply, responsive to the call initiation message, one or more rules based at least in part on the verifying step.

12. The logic of claim 11 wherein the logic is further operable to:

query a registry that maps telephone numbers to identities of VoIP call agents; and

match a returned identity from the query with the identity of the originating VoIP call agent.

13. The logic of claim 12 wherein the identity of the originating VoIP call agent is an IP address.

14. The logic of claim 12 wherein the identity of the originating VoIP call agent is associated with a public key, and wherein the identity of the originating VoIP call agent making the VoIP call is determined through verification of key ownership.

15. The logic of claim 12, wherein the knowledge of the at least one PSTN call comprises knowledge of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call made by a terminating VoIP call agent to the calling party telephone number.

16. The logic of claim 15 wherein the logic is further operable to:

record the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call;

transmit a query for proof of awareness of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call to the originating VoIP call agent; and

receive a response to the query from the originating VoIP call agent, the response comprising the demonstrated knowledge of the at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call.

17. The logic of claim 15, wherein the at least one attribute comprises one or more of a start call time, an end call time, a caller identification, a call length, and a call signature.

18. The logic of claim 15, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a call signature, wherein the call signature is based on one or more of frequency spectrum analysis, silence detection, and a password.

19. The logic of claim 15 wherein the logic is further operable to:

access a cache of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call routing information, wherein the cache comprises a plurality of validated entries, and wherein each entry comprises a telephone number or prefix and a network address of a corresponding VoIP call agent;

search the cache for a matching entry that matches the originating VoIP call agent; and

if the matching entry is found in the cache, apply one or more policies for VoIP call agents validated against the cache.

20. The logic of claim 19 further wherein the logic is further operable to:

access a registry of VoIP call routing information, wherein the registry comprises a plurality of entries, and wherein each entry comprises a telephone number or prefix and a network address of a corresponding VoIP call agent;

search the registry for an entry that matches the calling party telephone number;

if the matching entry is found in the registry, apply one or more policies for VoIP call agents validated against the registry; and

if no matching entry is found in either the cache or the registry, apply one or more policies for unvalidated VoIP call agents.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a memory;

at least one processor; and

a call agent application physically stored in the memory comprising computer-readable instructions operative to cause the at least one processor to;

receive a caller identification (ID) identifying a calling party telephone number in a call initiation message transmitted from an originating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call agent, the call initiation message being for a VoIP call;

determine the identity of the originating VoIP call agent;

verify that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at the originating VoIP call agent having the determined identity, wherein the instructions executable to verify that a PSTN call to the calling party telephone number would arrive at the originating VoIP call agent further comprise instructions executable to determine that at least one PSTN call to the calling party telephone number identified by the caller ID arrived at the originating VoIP call agent in response to receipt, from the originating VoIP call agent, of demonstrated knowledge of at least one attribute of the at least one PSTN call that demonstrates knowledge of the at least one PSTN call; and

apply, responsive to the call initiation message, one or more rules based at least in part on the verifying step.