Method and apparatus for communications monitoring

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.

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.

An apparatus in an intelligent switched telephone network for connecting a communication in said intelligent switched telephone network from a calling party to a called party and allowing said communication 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:

• means for receiving said communication in said intelligent switched telephone network;
• means for reading identification information associated with said communication for a calling line number or a called party number;
• means for 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;
• means for routing said communication through said intelligent switched telephone network to said called party;
• and
• means responsive to finding said matching entry for 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.

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.

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.