FR3054092A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING TERMINATION BY AN IP TELEPHONE SERVICE FROM A TELEPHONE CALL ISSUED TO A MOBILE PHONE NUMBER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (200) for detecting the termination of a telephone call transmitted to a mobile telephone number, said target number, by an IP telephony service, said method (200) comprising: - creation (202) an account with said IP telephony service with which said target number is associated; - transmitting (208) at least telephone communication, said test, to said target number; characterized in that it comprises a detection step (210-212) for determining whether said test communication has been received on an IP application (114) or a cellular mobile telephone application (108), for example of the GSM type. It also relates to a system implementing such a method.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for detecting the termination of a telephone call, sent to a mobile telephone number, by an IP telephony service. It also relates to a system implementing such a method.

The field of the invention is the field of detection of methods and system for detecting bypassing of a mobile telephone network, and in particular of methods and system for detecting a mode of termination of a telephone call.

State of the art

Mobile operators face various bypasses of their networks by different actors.

These circumventions began with actors carrying out fraudulent circumvention. These players propose to terminate calls made to and from a mobile telephone network by fraudulently connecting to an operator's network, in particular by using SIM cards from the same operator.

We are now witnessing the emergence of another type of circumvention, based on IP telephony services. The actors behind this type of bypass offer to end a telephone call made to a call number, using the mobile data connection (or "data" in English) of the user device receiving the call. To do this, an IP telephony application is installed on the user device, for example an application such as Viber®. When a telephone call is made to this user device, the call is intercepted by the IP telephony service and terminated on the OTT service application ("Over The Top") installed on the reception terminal using the Internet connection of the user device and not the cellular connection. By

- 2 Consequently, at the level of the user device, it is not the cellular application which receives the call but the IP telephony application.

Currently, there is no solution to detect this kind of workarounds.

The object of the invention is to propose a method and a system for detecting this kind of circumvention.

Statement of the Invention

The invention makes it possible to achieve at least one of the abovementioned aims by a method for detecting the termination of a telephone communication sent to a mobile telephone number, called the target number, by an IP telephony service, said method comprising the following steps for said target number:

- creation of a user account with said IP telephony service with which said target telephone number is associated;

- execution of a telephony application, called IP, of said IP telephony service with said user account;

- Transmission of at least one telephone communication, called test communication, to said target telephone number;

characterized in that it comprises a detection step for determining, if said test communication has been received on said IP application or a cellular mobile telephone application associated with said target telephone number, in particular a cellular telephone application installed on a device comprising a SIM card associated with said target number.

Thus, the method according to the invention proposes to create, for a target number, a user account with an IP telephony service, of the Viber® type for example, and to associate with this account a mobile call number. Then, a test telephone call is sent to this number, and the mode of termination of said test call is determined. If the test communication is ended through a cell phone application, this means that no bypass of the phone network

- 3 cell phones, by the IP telephony service, are not detected. Otherwise, if the communication is terminated through the IP telephony application, this means that the operator's cellular mobile telephone network has been bypassed by the IP telephony service.

Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to detect the circumvention of a cellular mobile telephone network of an operator by an IP telephone service.

In the present application, by "IP telephony application" or "IP application" means an application making it possible to carry out a telephone communication, such as making and / or receiving a telephone call or a text or voice message, using the Internet network, also called “data connection” in the rest of the request, for example through a connection by cellular technology of mobile telephony or by computer technology of the WIFI type.

By “cellular telephone application”, or “cellular application”, is meant an application making it possible to carry out a telephone communication, such as making and / or receiving a telephone call or a text or voice message, using the cellular cellular network, also called “cellular connection” in the rest of the request, such as a GSM application for example.

“Communication log” means a call log, in particular of received calls, when the test communication is a telephone call, and a message log, in particular of received messages, when the test communication is a message SMS, MMS or voice message type.

According to the invention, the target mobile call number can be stored in association with the user account of the IP application, in addition to a connection identifier for said application.

Alternatively, the target mobile call number can be the connection identifier of the user account of the IP application.

- 4 According to one embodiment, the detection step can comprise a reading of a communications log associated with the IP application.

In particular, to determine whether a test communication has been received by the IP application, the detection step may comprise a comparison of the caller identifier used to send the test communication to the caller identifiers of the received communications listed in the communications log of the IP application.

If the caller ID used to send the test communication is present in the communication log of the IP application, this means that the test communication was terminated by IP, and that there was a network bypass mobile phone.

In particular, the caller ID corresponds to the call number used to make the test call.

Alternatively or in addition, the detection step may include reading a communications log associated with the cellular telephone application.

In particular, to determine whether a test communication has been received by the cellular application, the detection step may include a comparison of the caller identifier used to send said test communication to the caller identifiers listed in the log. cell application call.

If the caller ID used to send the test call is present in the communication log of the cellular application, this means that the test call was terminated by the cellular mobile telephone, i.e. the cellular connection, and that there was no circumvention of the cellular mobile telephone network.

For each communication log, the comparison carried out may comprise, alternatively or in addition, a comparison of an hourly data item of transmission of the test communication to the hourly data of received communications listed in the, or each, communications log.

- 5 If the hourly data for receiving a communication listed in the communications log of the IP application, respectively for cellular telephony, corresponds to the hourly data for sending the test communication, this means that the test communication has been terminated by said IP application, respectively said cell phone application.

In a nonlimiting embodiment, the reading of the communications log associated with the IP application can be carried out by an application, called a monitoring application, installed on the same device as said IP application.

For example, the monitoring application can copy the communications log from the IP application to then analyze the data from said log, or transmit said log to a remote device, for example through a data connection.

According to a first version of the method according to the invention, the IP application and the cellular telephone application can be installed on two separate devices, in particular remote from each other.

This version of the method according to the invention allows greater flexibility, and greater ease, for implementing the detection method according to the invention. Indeed, in this version, the IP application can be installed on a device which is not in the covered area of a mobile operator, or a device which is in the area covered by the mobile operator but which n is not connected to the network of said mobile operator, managing the target number. Furthermore, the IP application can be located on a central server, for example common to several target numbers.

For example, in this version, the target number can be that of a mobile phone located in a first country, while the IP application associated with it can be located in another country.

In this first version, the two devices can be in communication:

- between them, in particular through a private virtual network, and / or

- 6 - with a server, remote from at least one of said devices.

Thus, the devices can exchange data with each other, and / or with a central server, such as for example data relating to the communication log of the IP application, respectively of the cellular telephone application.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the IP application can be installed on a device transmitting the test communication.

For example, the IP application associated with a target number can be installed on a robot for sending a test communication to said target number. In this case, the bypass detection is particularly easy to observe / perform.

Indeed, in this case, it is sufficient for the sending robot to send a test communication and monitor the IP application to determine if said IP application signals an incoming communication: if the IP application signals an incoming communication then there is bypass, in otherwise there is no workaround.

In this case, it is not necessarily necessary to have access to the communications log of the IP application, which further facilitates detection of bypass.

Advantageously, the IP application can be installed on a virtual machine, for example a virtual machine simulating the operation of a telephone or a Smartphone.

Thus, it is possible on the same device, such as a transmitting robot or a server, to install a multitude of IP applications associated, each with the same target number or for different target numbers.

According to another version of the method according to the invention, the IP application can be installed on the same device as the cellular telephone application, such as a telephone or a Smartphone, or even a robot for receiving communications.

According to another aspect of the same invention, there is proposed a system for detecting the termination of a telephone communication sent to a mobile telephone number, called the target number, by an IP telephony service, said system comprising:

an apparatus for executing a so-called IP telephony application of said IP telephony service with a user account with which said target number is associated, and

an apparatus for transmitting at least one telephone call, known as a test call, to said target number;

characterized in that it comprises at least one detection module for determining whether said test communication has been received on said IP application or on a cellular telephone application associated with said target number, in particular a cellular telephone application installed on a device comprising a SIM card associated with said target number.

Such a detection module can be arranged to determine whether the test communication has been received, or not, by the IP application, and / or by the cellular telephone application.

Such a determination can be made as a function of the data relating to the received communications listed in the communications log of the IP application, and / or of the data relating to the received communications listed in the communications log of the cellular telephone application.

In particular, the detection module can be arranged to determine whether or not the caller identifier used to send the test communication is in the communications log of the IP application, and / or in the communications log of the cell phone application.

Alternatively or in addition, the detection module can be arranged to determine whether an hourly datum for sending the test communication corresponds to an hourly datum for a communication in the communications log of the IP application, and / or in the cell phone application communications log.

- 8 Alternatively or in addition, the detection module can be configured to monitor at least one of the applications to determine whether it signals an incoming communication at the time of transmission of the test communication. Thus, when the IP application, respectively the cellular telephone application, signals an incoming communication at the time of the transmission of the test communication, this means that the test communication is terminated by IP channel, respectively by cellular telephone channel.

Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous or easy to set up when the IP application is installed and executed at the level of a device, in particular a transmitting robot, used to transmit the test communication.

In a first version of the system according to the invention, the IP application and the cellular telephone application can be installed on two different devices, in particular remote from each other.

In other words, the IP application can be installed on a device other than the device for receiving the test communication comprising the cell phone application, and possibly the SIM card associated with the target number.

In this first version, the two devices can be in communication:

- between them, in particular through a private virtual network, and / or

- with a server, remote from at least one of said two devices. Such a connection makes it possible to transfer from one of the devices to the other of the devices, respectively from each of the devices to the remote server, data relating to the communications received, such as for example:

- a log of calls and messages received respectively;

- data relating to caller IDs for one or more calls, respectively messages, received; and or

- reception time data relating to one or more calls, respectively messages, received.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the IP application can be installed on the device for sending the test communication, in particular on a sending robot.

In this case, the reception or not of a test communication by the IP application can be detected in a very simple manner, for example by determining whether the IP application signals an incoming communication when a test communication is sent. In this embodiment, it is not necessarily necessary to access the communication log of the IP application or the data relating to the communications received by the IP application.

According to an exemplary embodiment which is in no way limitative, the IP application can be installed on a virtual machine, for example simulating the operation of a telephone or a smartphone.

Thus, it is possible on the same physical device, such as a server, to have a multitude of IP applications associated with different target numbers or with the same target number.

Such an exemplary embodiment facilitates the deployment of IP applications associated with target numbers, and facilitates the transmission of data from IP applications to a central server.

Of course, according to another version of the system according to the invention, the IP application can be installed on the same device as the cell phone application, such as for example a smartphone or a telephone, a reception robot, a device simulating a phone or a Smartphone, a virtual machine, etc.

Description of the figures and embodiments

Other advantages and characteristics will appear on examining the detailed description of nonlimiting examples, and the appended drawings in which:

- 10 - FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of the principle of bypassing a mobile telephone network by an IP telephony service;

- FIGURE 2 is a schematic representation of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention; and

- FIGURES 3-5 are schematic representations of three non-limiting embodiments of a system according to the invention.

It is understood that the embodiments which will be described below are in no way limiting. It is possible in particular to imagine variants of the invention comprising only a selection of characteristics described hereinafter isolated from the other characteristics described, if this selection of characteristics is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art. This selection comprises at least one preferably functional characteristic without structural details, or with only a part of the structural details if this part only is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art.

In particular, all the variants and all the embodiments described can be combined with one another if there is nothing technically opposed to this combination.

The examples described below relate only to telephone calls. Of course, these examples can be transposed to the case of messages exchanged in mobile telephony, such as SMS or MMS or even voice messages.

In the figures, the elements common to several figures keep the same reference.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of an example of circumvention of a cellular mobile telephone network by an IP telephony service.

FIGURE 1 represents a situation in which a call is made from a device 102, called a caller, provided with an application 104 of cellular mobile telephony, of GSM type for example, to a device 106,

- He says called, also provided with an application 108 of cellular mobile telephony, of GSM type for example.

Generally, when a telephone call 110 is sent from the device 102 to the device 106, this call 110 is routed through one or more physical mobile telephone networks 112, and is received by the device called 106 at through its cell phone application 108, by GSM for example.

In the case of bypass, or call termination, implemented by an IP telephony service, the device called 106 is equipped with an IP telephony application, or VOIP, of said IP telephone service using the Internet connection of the device 106, through the physical mobile telephone network, or a WIFI connection for example.

Thus, when a conventional telephone call 116 is sent by the calling device 102, this call is detected and diverted by servers 118 of the IP telephony service. This call 116 is then transmitted, by one of the servers 118, to the device called 106, through a data connection thanks to the IP application 114 using the Internet network 120 and not thanks to the cellular application .

Consequently, the call 116, initially transmitted in a conventional manner, is terminated by an Internet connection, and is then not detected by the voice interconnection channels of the cellular mobile operator, which cannot bill it.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic representation of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention.

The method 200, shown in FIGURE 2, includes a step 202 of creating an account with an IP telephony service, such as Viber®. During this step, the access identifier used to create the account is identical to a call number, called the target number.

Alternatively, the call number can be simply associated with the account and not necessarily used as an access identifier.

This step 202 can be carried out before, after or simultaneously with a step 204 for loading, installing and executing the IP telephony application, for example the application 114 of FIGURE 1.

Steps 202-204 are repeated as many times as desired, to create as many user accounts for the IP telephony service as there are target call numbers.

Once one or more accounts have been created, the method 200 comprises a test phase 206.

This test phase 206 comprises a step 208 transmission of a test call to a target call number with which is associated a user account of the IP telephony service and for which an IP application is installed on a device.

Such a test call can be made for example by a call robot.

During a step 210, the method reads:

- the call log of the cellular application of the device for receiving the test call, such as for example that of the device comprising the SIM card associated with the target call number, and / or

- the call log of the IP telephony application. to determine how the test call is received.

During a step 212, the call number used to make the test call is compared with the call numbers present in the call log received from the cellular application, respectively from the IP application. If the call number used to make the test call is in the cell application's call log, this means that the test call was terminated by cell.

If the telephone number used to make the test call is in the call log of the IP application, this means that the test call has been terminated by the IP telephony service.

The call log of the cellular application, respectively of the IP application, can be obtained by an installed monitoring application

- 13 on the device comprising the cellular application, respectively the IP application.

Alternatively, the call log of the cellular application can be obtained from the mobile operator managing the target call number.

Alternatively, or in addition, the comparison may comprise a comparison of an hourly datum for sending the test call to the hourly data for receiving the calls present in the log of calls received from the cellular application, respectively from the IP application. In fact, if the hourly datum for sending the test call corresponds to one hourly datum for receiving a call in the log of the cellular application, respectively of the IP application, this means that the test call has been received by said application.

Alternatively, step 210 of reading a call log from the cellular application, respectively from the IP application, can be replaced by a step for monitoring the activity of said application, at the time of, or during , the transmission of the test call. If the cellular application, respectively the IP application, signals an incoming call, this means that the test call has been received by said application.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic representation of a first non-limiting embodiment of a system according to the invention.

The system 300, shown in FIGURE 3, comprises one or more call robots 302i-302 _n , connected to a server 304 of SIM cards to make test calls through a mobile telephone network 112, to one or more several apparatus 306 for receiving calls. In FIGURE 3, only a call reception device is shown so as not to add to the description.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the SIM card server 304 can be arranged on the same site as the call robots 302. Alternatively, the SIM card server 304 can be arranged on a site remote from the robots

- 14 calls 302 and connected to the call robots through a communication network, such as the Internet 120.

In addition, the 302i-302 _n call robots can be located on the same site or on several sites distant from each other.

In the example shown in FIGURE 3, each call receiving device 306 is equipped with a cellular application, such as the application 108 in FIGURE 1, with an IP telephony application, such as the application 114 of FIGURE 1. The apparatus 306 is also provided with an application 308, called monitoring, for accessing the call log of the cellular application 108, and / or the call log of the IP application 114.

The call reception apparatus 306 is connected to a remote server 310 through the Internet 120.

The remote server 310 can be on the same site as the call robots 302, and / or the SIM card server 304. Alternatively, as shown in FIGURE 3, the server 310 is remote from the call robots 302 and the SIM card server 304, and connected to the latter through a communication network, such as the Internet 120.

The remote server 310 includes an analysis module 312, configured to perform, for each test call sent, a comparison of the call number used to make the test call:

- the call numbers present in the call log received from the cellular application 108, and / or

- the call numbers present in the call log received from the IP 114 application;

to determine whether the test call, made by a call robot 302, has been received by the cellular application or by the IP application.

Each call reception device 306 can be a user device of the smartphone or telephone type.

Alternatively, each call reception device 306 can be a call robot, in the form of a physical machine or a virtual machine, simulating a telephone or a Smartphone.

- FIGURE 4 is a schematic representation of a second non-limiting embodiment of a system according to the invention.

The system 400, shown in FIGURE 4, includes all of the elements of the system 300 in FIGURE 3.

In the system 400, unlike the system 300, the IP application 112 and the monitoring application 308 are installed on a device 402 different from the device 306 comprising the cellular application 108.

The device 402 can be on the same site as the device 306.

Preferably, the device 402 is located on a site remote from the device 306. In particular, the devices 306 and 402 can be located in two different countries.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the device 402 is remote from the server 310 and connected to the server 310, for example through the Internet 120. Alternatively, the device 402 can be on the same site as the server 310, and / or on the same site as the call robots 302 and / or on the same site as the SIM card server 304.

The apparatus 402 can be a physical machine. Alternatively, the device 402 can be a virtual machine installed on a physical device executing other similar or identical virtual machines associated, each with a target call number.

The devices 306 and 402 can be in communication with each other, for example through a VPN.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic representation of a third non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a system according to the invention.

The system 500, shown in FIGURE 5, includes all of the elements of the system 400 in FIGURE 4.

In the system 500, unlike the system 400, the device 402 is a virtual machine installed directly on the server 310.

- 16 Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous modifications can be made to the examples described without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims (5)

1. A method (200) for detecting the termination of a telephone call sent to a mobile telephone number, called the target number, by an IP telephony service, said method (200) comprising the following steps for said target number: - Creation (202) of a user account with said IP telephony service, with which said target number is associated; execution (204) of a telephony application (114), called IP, of said IP telephony service with said user account, and - Transmission (208) of at least one telephone call, said test call, to said target number; characterized in that it comprises a detection step (210-212) for determining, if said test communication has been received on said IP application (114) or a cellular mobile telephone application (108) associated with said target number. 2. Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the detection step comprises a reading (210): - a communications log associated with the IP application (114), and / or - a communications log associated with the cell phone application (108). 3. Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the reading of the communications log associated with the IP application (114) is carried out by an application (308), called monitoring, installed on the same device (306 ; 402) as said IP application (114). 4. Method (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the IP application (114) and the cellular telephone application (108) are installed on two separate devices (306,402), in particular remote l of each other. - 18 5. Method (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the two devices (306,402) are in communication: - between them, in particular through a private virtual network, and / or - With a server (310) remote from at least one of the devices. 6. Method (200) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the IP application (114) is installed on a device (302) transmitting the test communication. 7. Method (200) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the IP application (114) is installed on a virtual machine (402). 8. Method (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the IP application (114) is installed on the same device (306) as the cell phone application (108). 9. System (300; 400; 500) for detecting the termination of a telephone call sent to a mobile telephone number, called the target number, by an IP telephone service, said system (300; 400; 500) comprising: - an apparatus (306; 402) for executing a telephony application (114), called IP, of said IP telephony service with a user account with which said target number is associated, and - an apparatus (302) for transmitting at least one telephone communication, called test communication, to said target number; characterized in that it comprises at least one detection module (312) for determining whether said test communication has been received on said IP application (114) or a cellular mobile telephone application (108) associated with said target number. 10. System (400; 500) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the IP application (114) and the cellular telephone application (108) are installed on two different devices (306,402), in particular remote one the other. - 19 11. System (400; 500) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the two devices (306,402) are in communication: - between them, in particular through a private virtual network, 5 and / or - With a server (310) remote from at least one of said two devices (306,402). 12. System according to any one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the IP application is installed on the device for sending the test communication. 13. System (500) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the IP application (114) is installed on a machine 15 virtual (402). 14. System (300) according to claim 9, characterized in that the IP application (114) is installed on the same device (306) as the cell phone application (108). 1/3