WO2007009108A2

WO2007009108A2 - System and method for providing conference servers with lawful intercept capabilities

Info

Publication number: WO2007009108A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/027604
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald Ryan
Original assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
Priority date: 2005-07-14
Filing date: 2006-07-14
Publication date: 2007-01-18
Also published as: WO2007009108A3

Abstract

System and method of providing collecting conference-related data for reporting to a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises, responsive to request from a subject to create a conference under control of a third party conferencing server, collecting conference-related data comprising at least one of conference server event information and conference instance event information; and transmitting the collected conference-related data to the LEA.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CONFERENCE SERVERS WITH LAWFUL INTERCEPT CAPABD_-1ITEES

FHCLD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to lawful intercept ("LI") reporting capabilities, and, more particularly, to mechanisms for providing the LI reporting capabilities needed to support a centralized conference server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current Communication Identifying Information ("CII") capabilities for LI with respect to conference calls generally provide the call/call leg manipulation capabilities to report associates added by the subject to an active subject conference call. These capabilities include adding a connection or party to a call ("Connection"), removing a connection or party from a call ("Connection Break"), and dropping or removing a party from or joining a party to a call ("Conference Party Change"):

These capabilities are limited with respect to reporting voice over DP ("VOIP") CII events associated with a centralized conference server. Specifically, the current LI reporting capabilities do not provide a mechanism for reporting that a subject has requested creation of a conference under control of a third party conferencing server, which may publish conferencing information (e.g., conference ID) to allow parties to join the conference and/or invite parties to the conference on behalf of the subject. Additional LI reporting capabilities are needed with such a centralized conference server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment is a method of collecting conference-related data for reporting to a Law Enforcement Agency ("LEA"). The method comprises, responsive to request from a subject to create a conference under control of a third patty conferencing server, collecting conference-related data comprising at least one of conference server event information and conference instance event information; and transmitting the collected conference-related data to the LEA.

BREEF DESCRDPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram modeling legal intercept ("LI") reporting for a conference server in accordance with one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first conferencing scenario in which a subject requests a conference server to create a subject conference and to invite both the subject and designated parties to the conference.

Figs. 3A and 3B are a diagram illustrating a second conferencing scenario in which a subject requests a conference server to create a conference without designating any parties to invite to the conference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to lawful intercept ("LI") reporting capabilities, and, more particularly, to mechanisms for providing the LI reporting capabilities needed to support a centralized conference server.

It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

The following terms are defined to have the indicated meanings when used herein:

Conference ID: Unique identifier for a specific Conference Instance. For SIP, this is a Conference URI.

Conference Instance: A specific instance of a conference that maintains an SIP signaling relationship with each participant in the conference.

Conference Server: A server that interacts with the party requesting a conference, initiates a Conference Instance to support the conference, allocates a Conference ID to identify the Conference Instance, publishes the Conference ID, and invites parties to the Conference Instance when requested.

Conference-State: The state of a Conference Instance; e.g., "Idle", "Active", or

"Ended".

Conf-Parties-Dropped: A party or parties dropped from a conference.

Conf-Party-to-Join A party to be joined to a conference.

Conf-Size: The number of parties allowed for a Conference Instance.

Conf-Start-Time: The start time for a Conference Instance.

Conf-Stop-Time: The stop time for a Conference Instance.

Create-Conf-Result: The result of a request to create a Conference Instance. Invited-Conf-Parties: Parties invited to join a Conference Instance.

Invite-Conf-Party-Result: The result of an invitation to a party to join a Conference Instance

; e.g., "Accepted" or "Rejected".

Join-Conf-Result: The result for a join Conference Instance request, e.g., "Joined" or

"Not Joined".

Requesting-Conf-Party: The party requesting a Conference Instance; i.e., the intercept subject for the LI.

FIG. 1 is a diagram modeling LI reporting for a conference server in accordance with one embodiment. In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. It is further noted that functions described herein may be performed by a processor such as a computer or electronic data processor in accordance with code such as computer program code, software, and/or integrated circuits that are coded to perform such functions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the direction of each arrow corresponds to the direction of a request represented by the arrow; responses to the requests are not shown in FIG. 1, but are assumed to be directed in the opposite direction. Initially, a requesting party, or a "subject" 12 sends a Create_Conference request 14 to a central conference server 16 to initiate creation of a conference. The request 14 indicates the details of the requested conference, such as start time ("Conf-Start- Time"), duration or stop time ("Conf-Stop-Time"), and number of parties to be included ("Conf- Size"). The request 14 may also identify various parties, which may include the subject 12 and one or more associates 18, to be invited to the conference by the conference server 16. The subject 12 may indicate the conference is to be created immediately and the subject immediately joined to the conference or the subject may choose not to be immediately joined to the conference e and may opt to join the conference at a later time. The subject 12 may invite one .or more associates 18 to the call using information about the conference returned in the response to the Create_Conference request 14, such as a Conference ID and pass code.

Next, the conference server 16 initiates a Conference Instance 20 according to the details provided by the subject 12 via a Create_Conference_Instance request 21. The identified one or more associates 18 are invited to participate in the Conference Instance 20 per the request of the subject 12 via an Invite_to_Conference message 22 issued to the one or more associates. Any party (whether or not invited by the conference server 16) may join the conference at an appointed time (e.g., Start-Time) via a Join_Conference request 24 to the Conference Instance 20. Enabling of the ability to engage in a conversation (i.e., mixing of communication paths) by the conference participants may be delayed until the subject 12 joins the conference.

Parties may leave (via a Leave_Conference request 26) and rejoin the Conference Instance 20 (via the Join_Conference request 24). Termination of the Conference Instance 20 is triggered by all conference participants, including the subject 12, leaving the Conference Instance, at which time the state of the Conference Instance goes to "Idle" or "Ended". The state of the Conference Instance 20 is "Active" if at least one party is joined thereto; otherwise, the state of the Conference Instance is "Idle" or "Ended".

In accordance with features of the embodiments described herein, Intercept Access Points ("IAPs") 30, 32, are provided at the conference server 16 and the Conference Instance 20. Each of the IAPs 30, 32, is the physical location for collecting data for LI reporting 33. Data that is lawfully intercepted at the IAPs 30, 32, is forwarded to a law enforcement agency ("LEA") 34. The paths between the IAPs 30, 32, and LEA 34 for LI reporting 33 may be direct or through intermediate functional elements (not shown). The format of the data may remain the same as at the IAPs 30, 32, or it may be converted to another format.

In the context of VoIP conferencing capabilities with respect to a conference server and a conference instance, some basic events can be reported to an LEA regarding a subject's conferencing activities. In this regard, it should be noted that a centralized conference server is acting on behalf of the subject and thus becomes a service of the subject and therefore subject to the LEA LI reporting. These events include both conference server events and conference instance events. Conference server events include:

Create-Conference A subject has requested the conference server to create a conference instance

Initiate-Conference The conference server has created a conference instance

Invite-to-Conference The conference server has invited parties to a conference instance

Conference instance events include:

Conference-State The state of the conference instance

Conference-Party- Join A party requests to join the conference instance

Conference-Party-Dropped A party has dropped from the conference instance

Exemplary parameters for each of the above-noted events are set forth in Tables I- VI below. It should be noted that, although the conference server and the conference instance are illustrated in the figures as separate entities, they may be implemented as a combined process in a single entity. This has no effect on LI reporting.

Fig. 2 illustrates a first conferencing scenario in which a subject requests a conference server to create a subject conference and to invite both the subject and designated parties to the conference. A time limit is specified for the duration of the conference. Although only one associate ("AE-I") is shown in Fig. 2 as joining the conference, joining other associates to the conference is performed in the same manner and will result in the same Lawfully Authorized Electronic Surveillance ("LAES") reporting (i.e., party joined to the subject conference).

Referring to Fig. 2, a subject ("SE") 40 sends a request 42 to create a conference to a conference server 44 via an SIP server 46. The request 42 includes an indication of the parties to invite, including the subject and one or more other parties, or "associates". In the illustrated example, only one associate ("AE-I") 47 is invited to join the conference. A time limit (e.g., Start- Time and Stop-Time) is also specified in the request 42. The conference server 44 accepts the request 42 and returns a response 48 that includes the conference identifier ("Conf-ID"). At this point, the conference server 44 sends an LAES message "Create-Conference" to an LEA (not shown in Fig. T). The conference server 44 starts a conference instance 50 via a Start Instance request 52 that includes a list of the parties to invite and sends an LAES message "Initiate- Conference" to the LEA. Once initialized, the conference instance 50 sends an LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Idle" condition to the LEA. The conference instance 50 then invites the subject 40 to join the conference via an INVITE request 54. When the subject 40 accepts the invitation, the subject is joined to the conference, as indicated by a bracket designated by a reference numeral 55, and the conference instance 50 sends the LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Active" condition to the LEA. The conference instance 50 sends the LAES message "Conference-Party- Join" to the LEA.

The conference instance 50 then invites the associate 47 to join the conference via an INVITE message 58 through an SIP server 59. When the associate 47 accepts the invitation, the associate is joined to the conference, as indicated by a bracket designated by a reference numeral 60, and the conference instance sends an LAES message "Conference-Party- Join" to the LEA. When time expires on the conference, the conference instance 50 sends an SIP "BYE" message 61 to the associate 47 to remove the associate from the conference and also sends the LAES message "Conference-Party-Dropped" to the LEA. The conference instance 50 sends an SIP "BYE" message 62 to the subject 40 to remove the subject from the conference and sends the LAES "Conference-Party-Dropped" message to the LEA. The conference server 44 then sends the LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Ended" condition to the LEA.

Figs. 3A and 3B collectively illustrate a second conferencing scenario in which a subject requests a conference server to create a conference. In this case, the request does not include any parties to invite to the conference, nor a time limit. The subject sends an SIP "REFER" message to associate(s) to join the conference and the subject joins the conference. As with the scenario illustrated in Fig. 2, although only one associate ("AE-I") is shown in Figs. 3A and 3B as joining the conference, joining other associates to the conference is performed in the same manner and will result in the same Lawfully Authorized Electronic Surveillance ("LAES") reporting (i.e., party joined to the subject conference).

Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B, a subject ("SE") 40' sends a request 42' to create a conference to a conference server 44' via an SIP server 46'. In this case, the request 42' includes neither a list of parties to invite, nor a time limit. The conference server 44' accepts the request 42' and returns a response 48' that includes the conference identifier ("Conf-ID"). At this point, the conference server 44' sends an LAES message "Create-Conference" to an LEA (not shown in Figs. 3 A and 3B). The conference server 44' starts a conference instance 50' via a Start Instance request 52' and sends an LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Idle" condition to the LEA. The conference instance 50' then invites the subject 40' to join the conference via an INVITE request 54'. When the subject 40' accepts the invitation, the subject is joined to the conference, as indicated by a bracket designated by a reference numeral 55', and the conference instance 50' sends the LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Active" condition to the LEA. The conference instance 50' sends the LAES message "Conference-Party- Join" to the LEA.

In response to an SP "REFER" message 57 from the subject 40' containing the Conf-ID, an associate ("AE-I") 47' sends an SIP "INVITE" message 58' to the conference instance 50' through an SIP server 59'. When the conference instance 50' accepts the invitation, the associate 47' is joined to the conference, as indicated by a bracket designated by a reference numeral 60', and the conference instance sends an LAES message "Conference-Party- Join" to the LEA. When the associate 47' leaves the conference, an SIP "BYE" message 61' is sent to the conference instance 50'. The conference instance 50' removes the associate 47' from the conference and sends the LAES message "Conference-Party-Dropped" to the LEA. Additionally, the subject 40' sends an SIP "BYE" message 62' to the conference instance 50'. The conference instance 50' removes the subject 40' from the conference and sends the LAES "Conference-Party-Dropped" message to the LEA. The conference server 44' then sends the LAES message "Conference-State" with an "Ended" condition to the LEA. Create-Conference Parameters

Table I

Initiate-Conference Parameters

Table H

Invite-to-Conference Parameters

Table m

Conference-State Parameters

Table IV Conference-Party-Join Parameters

Table V

Conference-Party-Dropped Parameters

Table VI

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such changes, substitutions and alterations are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus- function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of collecting conference-related data for reporting to a Law Enforcement Agency ("LEA"), the method comprising, responsive to request from a subject to create a :onference under control of a third party conferencing server: collecting conference-related data comprising at least one of conference server event nformation and conference instance event information; and transmitting the collected conference-related data to the LEA.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the conference server event information comprises it least one of information relating to creation of the conference, information relating to initiation of the conference, information relating to identification of parties invited to join the conference, ind information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the conference instance event information comprises at least one of information relating to a state of the conference, information relating to a request to join the conference, information relating to a party dropped from the conference, and information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the information relating to creation of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, identification of a party invited to the conference, a start time of the conference, a stop time of the conference, and a size of the conference.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the information relating to initiation of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, and identification of a party invited to the conference.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the information relating to identification of parties invited to join the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, identification of a party invited to the conference, and information indicative of whether the party invited to the conference successfully joined the conference.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the information relating to a state of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier and a conference state.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the information relating to a request to join the conference includes at least one of information identifying the conference, identification of a party requesting to join the conference, and information indicative of whether the party requesting to join the conference successfully joined the conference.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the information relating to a party dropped from the conference includes at least one of information identifying the conference and an identification of a party dropped from the conference.

10. A system for collecting conference-related data for reporting to a Law Enforcement Agency ("LEA"), the system comprising: means responsive to request from a subject to create a conference under control of a third party conferencing server for collecting conference-related data comprising at least one of conference server event information and conference instance event information; and means for transmitting the collected conference-related data to the LEA.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the conference server event information comprises at least one of information relating to creation of the conference, information relating to initiation of the conference, information relating to identification of parties invited to join the conference, and information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the conference instance event information comprises at least one of information relating to a state of the conference, information relating to a request to join the conference, information relating to a party dropped from the conference, and information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the information relating to creation of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, identification of a party invited to the conference, a start time of the conference, a stop time of the conference, and a size of the conference.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the information relating to initiation of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, and identification of a party invited to the conference.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the information relating to identification of parties invited to join the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier, identification of a party requesting the conference, identification of a party invited to the conference, and information indicative of whether the party invited to the conference successfully joined the conference.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the information relating to a state of the conference includes at least one of a conference identifier and a conference state.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the information relating to a request to join the conference includes at least one of information identifying the conference, identification of a party requesting to join the conference, and information indicative of whether the party requesting to join the conference successfully joined the conference.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the information relating to a party dropped from the conference includes at least one of information identifying the conference and an identification of a party dropped from the conference.

19. A system for collecting conference-related data for reporting to a Law Enforcement Agency ("LEA"), the system comprising: a centralized conference server for creating a conference instance in response to a request from a subject to create a conference; a first intercept access point ("IAP") associated with the conference server for transmitting conference server event information to the LEA; and a second IAP associated with the created conference instance for transmitting conferenece instance event information to the LEA.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the conference server event information comprises at least one of information relating to creation of the conference, information relating to initiation of the conference, information relating to identification of parties invited to join the conference, and information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference, and wherein the conference instance event information comprises at least one of information relating to a state of the conference, information relating to a request to join the conference, information relating to a party dropped from the conference, and information relating to identification of parties who joined the conference.