Method and apparatus for facilitating law enforcement agency monitoring of cellular telephone calls

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the calling line identification information includes the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the calling line identification information includes routing and switching information, and the step of processing further includes the step of processing the routing and switching information to trace the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call originates within the cellular telephone network.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call originates in a public switched telephone network external to the cellular telephone network.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network by integrated services user part trunk connections supporting transmission of calling line identification information, further including the step of passing the calling line identification information through from the public switched telephone network to the cellular telephone network.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network by at least one non-integrated services user part trunk connection supporting transmission of A-number identification information, further including the step of translating the transmitted A-number identification information associated with the monitored call into the calling line identification information transmitted through the cellular telephone network.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the translated A-number identification information includes routing and switching information, and the step of processing further includes the step of processing the routing and switching information to trace the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 10

In a telephone network including a cellular telephone network connected to a public switched telephone network, a system for monitoring cellular telephone calls, comprising: a tap connected to a certain one of a plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes involved in the handling of a law enforcement agency monitored cellular telephone call; a tape recorder connected to the tap for recording a conversation comprising the monitored cellular telephone call; a local printer connected to the certain cellular network switching node; and means associated with the certain switching node for outputting to the local printer information contained within a calling line identification field transmitted through the cellular network in association with the monitored cellular telephone call, the information contained in the calling line identification being useful in obtaining an identification of the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call, and for outputting a use authorization parameter for indicating that the information contained in the calling line identification field is to be used solely for law enforcement monitoring.

Claim 11

In a telephone network including a cellular telephone network connected to a public switched telephone network, a system for monitoring cellular telephone calls, comprising: a tap connected to a certain one of a plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes involved in the handling of a law enforcement agency monitored cellular telephone call; a tape recorder connected to the tap for recording a conversation comprising the monitored cellular telephone call; a local printer connected to the certain cellular network switching node; and means associated with the certain switching node for outputting to the local printer information contained within a calling line identification field transmitted through the cellular network in association with the monitored cellular telephone call, the information contained in the calling line identification being useful in obtaining an identification of the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call, and for outputting a use authorization parameter for indicating that the information contained in the calling line identification field is to be used solely for law enforcement monitoring.

Claim 12

The system of claim 9 wherein the means further outputs to the local printer a B-number identification for the monitored cellular telephone call in addition to the calling line identification information.

Claim 13

The system of claim 9 wherein the calling line identification information includes the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 14

The system of claim 9 wherein the calling line identification information includes routing and switching information useful in tracing the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 15

The system of claim 9 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call originates within the cellular telephone network.

Claim 16

The system of claim 9 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call originates in the public switched telephone network.

Claim 17

The system of claim 14 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network in whole by integrated services user part trunk connections supporting transmission of calling line identification information, an originating one of the cellular network switching nodes passing the calling line identification information through to the cellular network for output to the printer.

Claim 18

The system of claim 14 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network in part by non-integrated services user part trunk connections supporting transmission of A-number identification information, the system further including means associated with an originating one of the cellular network switching nodes for translating the transmitted A-number identification information into the calling line identification information transmitted through to the cellular network.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16 wherein the translated A-number identification information includes routing and switching information useful in tracing the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 wherein the calling line identification information includes the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 wherein the calling line identification information includes routing and switching information, and the step of processing further includes the step of processing the routing and switching information to trace the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 wherein the monitored cellular telephone call originates in a public switched telephone network external to the cellular telephone network.

Claim 25

The method of claim 18 wherein the translated A-number identification information includes routing and switching information, and the step of processing further includes the step of processing the routing and switching information to trace the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 26

In a telephone network including a cellular telephone network connected to a public switched telephone network, a system for monitoring cellular telephone calls originating in the public switched telephone network wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network in part by at least one non-integrated services user part trunk connection supporting transmission of A-number identification information, comprising: a plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes, wherein an originating one of the cellular network switching nodes receives A-number identification information transmitted by said at least one non-integrated services user part trunk connection and translates the A-number identification information into calling line identification information carried through the cellular network in a calling line identification field and including a use authorization parameter for indicating that the information contained in the calling line identification field is to be used for law enforcement monitoring; a tap connected to a certain one of the plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes involved in the handling of a law enforcement agency monitored cellular telephone call; a tape recorder connected to the tap for recording a conversation comprising the monitored cellular telephone call; a local printer connected to the certain cellular network switching node; and means associated with the certain switching node for outputting to the local printer information contained within a calling line identification field transmitted through the cellular network in association with the monitored cellular telephone call, the information contained in the calling line identification being useful in obtaining an identification of the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 27

In a telephone network including a cellular telephone network connected to a public switched telephone network, a system for monitoring cellular telephone calls originating in the public switched telephone network wherein the monitored cellular telephone call is carried in the public switched telephone network in part by at least one non-integrated services user part trunk connection supporting transmission of A-number identification information, comprising: a plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes, wherein an originating one of the cellular network switching nodes receives A-number identification information transmitted by said at least one non-integrated services user part trunk connection and translates the A-number identification information into calling line identification information carried through the cellular network in a calling line identification field and including a use authorization parameter for indicating that the information contained in the calling line identification field is to be used for law enforcement monitoring; a tap connected to a certain one of the plurality of interconnected cellular network switching nodes involved in the handling of a law enforcement agency monitored cellular telephone call; a tape recorder connected to the tap for recording a conversation comprising the monitored cellular telephone call; a local printer connected to the certain cellular network switching node; and means associated with the certain switching node for outputting to the local printer information contained within a calling line identification field transmitted through the cellular network in association with the monitored cellular telephone call, the information contained in the calling line identification being useful in obtaining an identification of the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 28

The system of claim 23 wherein the means further outputs to the local printer a B-number identification for the monitored cellular telephone call in addition to the calling line identification information.

Claim 29

The system of claim 23 wherein the calling line identification information includes the A-number for the monitored cellular telephone call.

Claim 30

The system of claim 23 wherein the calling line identification information includes routing and switching information useful in tracing the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.

Claim 31

The system of claim 23 wherein the translated A-number identification information includes routing and switching information useful in tracing the monitored cellular telephone call back to the A-number.