Lawful Interception in Cellular Networks via eNB Coordination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular networks, existing lawful interception (LI) methods are limited as they cannot apply LI to all communications, as they rely on specific network entities like Serving Gateways (S-GW) or Packet-Data-Network (PDN) Gateways, which may not handle all network traffic, leading to gaps in data interception.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where nodes in the cellular network, such as Evolved Node Bs (eNBs), receive LI indications to disable operations like edge caching and traffic offloading, ensuring that all content, including that not handled by LI entities, is intercepted and made available for lawful interception, by communicating through routes that involve the Core Network entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LI is performed only by core network entities like S-GW or P-GW, then the interception mechanism is simple to implement, but the coverage of intercepted communications is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the LI capability from core network entities (S-GW, P-GW) to include eNBs and other network nodes. By enabling multiple network entities to perform LI functions, the system achieves universal coverage of all communications regardless of which node handles the traffic, thus improving completeness of interception while distributing the functional load across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the MME acts as a coordinator between law enforcement requests and multiple network entities (eNBs, S-GW, P-GW). The MME receives LI requests, determines which nodes need to intercept, and coordinates their actions through standardized interfaces. This intermediary approach manages the complexity of multi-node interception by providing a centralized control point.
2Productivity
If edge caching and traffic offloading are enabled, then network efficiency is improved, but LI coverage is reduced for cached or offloaded content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by disabling edge caching and traffic offloading for communications that are subject to LI. Before these optimizations can interfere with interception, the system proactively prevents their activation for targeted traffic. This ensures that all content remains accessible to LI mechanisms while allowing these efficiency features to operate normally for non-targeted traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different quality settings to different traffic flows. For LI-targeted communications, edge caching and offloading are disabled to ensure interception reliability. For non-targeted traffic, these optimizations remain enabled to maintain network efficiency. This localized differentiation allows the system to simultaneously achieve both goals in different parts of the network.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of Lawful Interception (LI). For example, a device may communicate a message addressed to an Evolved Node B (eNB) over a cellular communication core network, the message including a Lawful Interception (LI) Information Element (IE) indicating that content corresponding to one or more User Equipment (UEs) connected to the eNB is to be subject to LI.