Method and apparatus for communications monitoring

Claim 2

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line or called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line or called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line or called party number are to be monitored; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; and only in response to finding said matching entry, establishing a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 or 3, wherein said matching entry comprises an identifier for said monitoring party, and wherein said step of establishing said bridge comprises routing said communication to said monitoring party at a location specified by said identifier.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein said identifier comprises a port number, and wherein said step of routing said communication to said monitoring party comprises establishing said bridge using said port number.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2, wherein said identifier comprises a monitor calling line number, and wherein said step of routing said communication to said monitoring party comprises establishing said bridge using said monitor calling line number.

Claim 6

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be monitored; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; only in response to finding said matching entry, (a) advising said monitoring party of said communication; (b) receiving disposition information regarding said communication, said disposition information compromising an indication to monitor said communication; and (c) establishing a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 7

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be monitored; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; only in response to finding said matching entry, (a) advising said monitoring party of said communication; (b) receiving disposition information regarding said communication, said disposition information compromising an indication to monitor said communication; and (c) establishing a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5, after said step of advising said monitoring party, further comprising the step of requesting said disposition information from said monitoring party.

Claim 9

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be monitored; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; only in response to finding said matching entry, establishing a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party; monitoring for an indication from said monitoring party to tear down said bridge; and responding to said indication by tearing down said bridge.

Claim 10

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be monitored; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; only in response to finding said matching entry, establishing a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party; monitoring for an indication from said monitoring party to tear down said bridge; and responding to said indication by tearing down said bridge.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 or 3, after said step of establishing said bridge, further comprising the step of recording said communication.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8, wherein said step of recording said communication comprises recording authentication information.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: means for monitoring for an indication from said monitoring party to disconnect said bridge; and means responsive to said disconnect indication for causing said means for establishing to discontinue said bridge.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means for establishing said bridge comprises means for recording said communication.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: means for recording said communication.

Claim 18

A communications system in an intelligent switched telephone network for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party,, comprising in combination: a switch operative to receive said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party and to read identification information associated with said communication; and a service node functionally connected to said switch, said service node having a database containing monitoring instructions; said switch being responsive to said identification information to provide said communication and said identification information to said service node; and said service node being responsive to said communication and said identification information to obtain said monitoring instructions for said communication from said database and to cause said switch to route said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network to said called party and to establish a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 19

A communications system in an intelligent switched telephone network for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be monitored by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party,, comprising in combination: a switch operative to receive said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party and to read identification information associated with said communication; and a service node functionally connected to said switch, said service node having a database containing monitoring instructions; said switch being responsive to said identification information to provide said communication and said identification information to said service node; and said service node being responsive to said communication and said identification information to obtain said monitoring instructions for said communication from said database and to cause said switch to route said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network to said called party and to establish a bridge from said communication to said monitoring party, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to monitor said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 20

The system of claim 14, wherein said identification information comprises at least one of a calling line number of said calling party or a calling line number of said called party and said switch provides at least one said calling line number to said database.

Claim 21

The system of claim 15, wherein said database is operative to search for said calling line number in a monitoring list to obtain said monitoring instructions.

Claim 22

The system of claim 14, wherein said monitoring instructions comprise a port number and said service node causes said switch to establish said bridge to said monitoring party using said port number.

Claim 23

The system of claim 14, wherein said monitoring instructions comprise a monitor calling line number and said service node causes said switch to establish said bridge to said monitoring party using said monitor calling line number.

Claim 24

The system of claim 14, wherein said service node is operative to receive an indication from said monitoring party to tear down said bridge and to respond to said indication by tearing down said bridge.

Claim 25

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be recorded by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be recorded; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; and only in response to finding said matching entry, establishing a bridge from said communication to a recorder and recording said communication, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to record said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 26

In an intelligent switched telephone network, a method for allowing a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party to be recorded by a monitoring party through said intelligent switched telephone network, regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party, comprising the steps of: receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network; reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number; searching for a matching entry to said calling line number or said called party number in a monitoring list maintained by said intelligent switched telephone network, said searching being conducted to determine whether communications to or from said calling line number or said called party number are to be recorded; routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network from said calling party to said called party; and only in response to finding said matching entry, establishing a bridge from said communication to a recorder and recording said communication, said bridge allowing said monitoring party to record said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network regardless of the respective locations of said calling party, said called party or said monitoring party.

Claim 27

The method of claim 20, after said step of reading said identification information, further comprising the steps of: advising a monitoring party of said communication; and receiving disposition information regarding said communication from said monitoring party, said disposition information comprising an indication to record said communication.

Claim 28

The method of claim 20, wherein said step of recording said communication comprises recording authentication information.