Lawful Intercept via Care-of Address in Roaming Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication networks face challenges in maintaining lawful intercept capabilities when route optimization techniques, such as those used in IPv6 networks, bypass the home agent, leading to missed opportunities for tapping communications intended for law enforcement agencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows a tap to be placed at an access node even when an end node is not connected via its home agent by using a care-of address to identify and direct the access node to establish a communication tap, ensuring that communications are replicated and forwarded to the mediation device for law enforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If route optimization techniques are implemented to bypass the home agent, then communication efficiency is improved, but lawful intercept capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a care-of address as an intermediary element that enables the lawful intercept system to identify and tap communications at the access node where the mobile node is currently located, rather than requiring all traffic to pass through the home agent. This mediator (care-of address) allows the intercept system to function correctly even when route optimization bypasses the home agent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by establishing the care-of address registration mechanism in advance, which pre-configures the lawful intercept system with the current location information of mobile nodes before communications occur. This allows the intercept system to proactively set up tapping at the correct access node rather than reacting after route optimization has already bypassed the home agent.
2Productivity
If home agent is bypassed for route optimization, then network performance is improved, but tap establishment capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The care-of address serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between the mobile node's current location and the lawful intercept system. It enables tap establishment at the access node without requiring traffic to route through the home agent, thus maintaining ease of operation for tap establishment while allowing route optimization to improve network performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the care-of address registration process to inform the lawful intercept system about the mobile node's current access node. This feedback mechanism ensures that tap establishment capability is maintained by providing the intercept system with real-time location information, even when the home agent is bypassed for routing.
Data Source
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AI summary
In an embodiment, a care-of address associated with a first node coupled to a communications network via an access node is received. The care-of address may be contained in a notification message sent by a home agent associated with the first node or by a binding update message sent by the first agent. The access node is identified using the care-of address. A request to tap communications associated with the first node at the access node is generated and the request is forwarded to the access node to cause communications associated with the first node to be tapped at the access node.