Intercepting voice over ip communications and other data communications

A system for causing Internet Protocol (IP) communications to be intercepted in an IP network system in which IP communications between a first party and a second party occur, the system comprising:

• an input/output component configured to receive from a call controller a request to establish IP communications between the first and second parties, and further configured to receive an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including:
• a) an identification of at least one party whose communications are to be monitored,
• b) intercept determination information for determining whether communications involving the at least one party are to be monitored, and
• c) destination information to identify a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one party are to be sent;
• a database access component configured to associate with the at least one party, the intercept determination information and the destination information;
• and
• a processing circuit configured to produce a routing message for receipt by the call controller and separate from any IP communication between the first party and the second party, the routing message providing routing information for routing the IP communications, wherein the routing message includes at least a portion of the intercept determination information and the destination information when the determination information meets an intercept criterion.

A method of operating a routing controller to cause communications, between first and second participants involved in communications on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to be monitored, the method comprising:

• receiving at the routing controller an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including:
• a) an identification of at least one participant whose communications are to be monitored;
• b) intercept information for determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored;
• and
• c) destination information identifying a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one participant are to be sent;
• associating with the at least one participant, the intercept information and the destination information;
• determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored based at least on some of the intercept information;
• and
• when the communications associated with the at least one participant are to be monitored, determining a communication controller identifier and a session identifier associated with communications in progress involving the at least one participant, and
• transmitting an in-progress intercept message separate from any communications between the first participant and the second participant while communications between the first participant and the second participant are in progress, the in-progress intercept message including the session identifier and the destination information, the in-progress intercept message being transmitted to a communication controller identified by the communication controller identifier to cause that communication controller to cause communications associated with the at least one participant to be sent to the destination identified by the destination information.

A system for causing communications, between first and second participants involved in communications on an Internet Protocol (IP) network, to be monitored, the system comprising:

• an input/output component configured to receive from a call controller an intercept request message from an entity, the intercept request message including:
• a) an identification of at least one participant whose communications are to be monitored;
• b) intercept information for determining whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored;
• and
• c) destination information identifying a destination to which copies of intercepted communications involving the at least one participant are to be sent;
• a database access component configured to associate with the at least one participant, the intercept information and the destination information;
• a processing circuit configured to:
• determine whether communications involving the at least one participant are to be monitored based at least on some of the intercept information;
• and
• when the communications associated with the at least one participant are to be monitored, determine a communication controller identifier and a session identifier associated with communications in progress involving the at least one participant, and
• transmit an in-progress intercept message separate from any communications between the first participant and the second participant while communications between the first participant and the second participant are in progress, the in-progress intercept message including the session identifier and the destination information, the in-progress intercept message transmitted to a communication controller identified by the communication controller identifier to cause that communication controller to cause communications associated with the at least one participant to be sent to the destination identified by the destination information.