FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present subject matter relates to communication networks and,
particularly but not exclusively, to establishing a secure call between two
5 communication devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Communication devices, such as cellular phones, smart phones,
personal digital assistants (PDAs), and tablet computers are used by users to avail a
variety of communications services provided by network operators. These
10 communications services allow voice calls and data to be exchanged between the
users through communication networks, such as Global System for Mobile
Communication (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Public
Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). In order to avail a communication service, a
user of a communication device may send a request to a location server in the
15 communication network to establish a communication link with another
communication device.
SUMMARY
[0003] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to establishing
a secure call between two communication devices. This summary is not intended to
20 identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it directed to use in
determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0004] In an embodiment of the present subject matter, a method for handling a
secure call is disclosed. The method may include receiving, by a processor, a call
request from a calling device over a communication network. The method may also
25 include determining, by the processor, whether the call request is for establishing the
secure call. The secure call is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an
3
inbuilt earpiece of a called device. Further, the method may include activating, by
the processor, the inbuilt earpiece and temporarily disabling device settings of the
called device, upon determination of the call request for establishing the secure call.
[0005] In another embodiment of the present subject matter, a communication
device is disclosed. The communication device may include a processor, 5 a receiving
module coupled to the processor, and an activation module coupled to the processor.
The receiving module may receive a call request from a calling device over a
communication network. The call request may include a header field indicating a call
type parameter. Based on a call type parameter, the receiving module may determine
10 whether the call request is for establishing the secure call. The receiving module may
parse a header field of the call request for the determination. In addition, the
activation module may temporarily disable device settings, upon determination of the
call request for establishing the secure call.
[0006] In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, a method for
15 establishing a secure call between two communication devices is disclosed. The
method may include receiving, by a processor, a request from a calling device for
establishing the secure call with a called device. The secure call is indicative of a call
intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece of the called device. The method
may further include determining, by the processor, whether the called device
20 supports the secure call. The determining is based on at least one preference defined
by a user of the called device. Further, the method may include, upon determining
the capability to support the secure call by the called device, establishing, by the
processor, the secure call between the calling device and the called device.
[0007] In still another embodiment of the present subject matter, a call
25 establishment system is disclosed. The call establishment system may include a
processor, a determination module coupled to the processor, and a call management
module coupled to the processor. The determination module may receive a request
4
from a calling device for establishing a secure call with a called device. The secure
call is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece of the
called device. The determination module may based on the request, identify the
called device. The request may include at least one identifier indicative of the called
device. Further, the call management module 5 odule may determine whether the called
device supports the secure call. The determination is based on at least one preference
defined by a user of the called device. The call management module may establish
the secure call between the calling device and the called device, upon the
determination that the called device supports the secure call.
10 [0008] In still another embodiment of the present subject matter, a nontransitory
computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program
for executing a method for handling a secure call is disclosed. The method may
include receiving, by a processor, a call request from a calling device over a
communication network. The method may also include determining, by the
15 processor, whether the call request is for establishing the secure call. The secure call
is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece of a called
device. Further, the method may include activating, by the processor, the inbuilt
earpiece and temporarily disabling device settings of the called device, upon
determination of the call request for establishing the secure call.
20 [0009] In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, a nontransitory
computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program
for executing a method for establishing a secure call between two communication
devices is disclosed. The method may include receiving, at a switching server, a
request from a calling device for establishing the secure call with a called device.
25 The secure call is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an inbuilt
earpiece of the called device. The method may further include determining, by the
switching server, whether the called device supports the secure call. The determining
5
is based on at least one preference defined by a user of the called device. Further, the
method may include, upon determining the capability to support the secure call by
the called device, establishing, by the switching server, the secure call between the
calling device and the called device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE5 S
[0010] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying
figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the
figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used
throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some
10 embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the
present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with
reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0011] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an example communication network
environment implementing a call establishment system, in accordance with an
15 embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0012] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a call establishment system and a
communication device for establishing a secure call, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0013] Figure 3 schematically illustrates an example communication device, in
20 accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0014] Figure 4 illustrate an example call flow diagram indicating procedure for
establishing a secure call between two communication devices, in accordance with
an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0015] Figure 5 illustrates an example method for handling a secure call, in
25 accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
6
[0016] Figure 6 illustrates an example method for establishing a secure call
between two communication devices, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present subject matter.
[0017] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block
diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative systems 5 s embodying the
principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow
charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent
various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable
medium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer
10 or processor is explicitly shown.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0018] The present subject matter relates to establishing a secure call
between two communication devices. The secure call may be understood as a
confidential call and is intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece of
15 another communication device. The secure call may not be heard over insecure
modes, such as a speaker phone mode or a Bluetooth mode, as discussed below. The
communication devices can include, but are not limited to, cellular phones, smart
phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, and the like. The
communication networks in which the described method(s) can be implemented
20 include, but are not limited to, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Long Term
Evolution (LTE), and the like. Although the description herein is provided with
reference to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), the methods and systems may be
implemented using other communication protocols.
[0019] A network operator typically offers several services, such as voice
25 calls, data services, messaging services, mobile TV, video calling, internet browsing,
and the like, to users over a communication network. In some cases, the network
operator may offer some services over Internet Protocol (IP) as well, e.g., Voice over
7
Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP can be understood as a set of technologies that enable
routing of the voice communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as
the Internet. The user can avail these services through a communication device
registered with the network operator. The communication device may include, but is
not 5 limited to a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
laptop, and a personal computer.
[0020] The communication services provided by the network operators allow
voice calls to be established between users of the communication devices. While the
present subject matter is described with reference to voice calls, it can be
10 implemented in video calls also. Typically, to establish a voice call with another
communication device, a user of a first communication device, such as a calling
device, dials a contact number of a second communication device, such as a called
device. There exist certain scenarios where a user of the called device may instead of
using an inbuilt earpiece of the called device, attend the voice call using other means,
15 such as an inbuilt or external speaker, a Bluetooth earpiece, and a headset. Under
these scenarios, the conversation between the users of the called device and the
calling device may be audible to others as well.
[0021] There may be instances where the users of the calling device would
like only an intended recipient to hear the conversation exchanged during the call
20 and would not like the conversation to be heard by others. For example, as
mentioned above, a user of the calling device may have to share some confidential
information with the user of the called device over the voice call. In such a case, if
the user of the called device attends to the call over a speaker, the secrecy of the
information conveyed over the voice call may be lost.
25 [0022] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, methods
and systems for establishing a secure call between two communication devices are
described. The secure call may be understood as a confidential call intended to be
8
attended by using inbuilt earpiece of a communication device. In an implementation,
when a communication device becomes active, for example, when the
communication device is switched ON, the communication device may register its
location with a registration server. Further, the communication device may register
5 various capabilities supported by the communication device with the registration
server. Examples of the capabilities may include, but are not limited to, type of
communication, such as audio calls, video calls, or text communication, voicemail,
secure calls, and the like. In an implementation, the communication device may
register the capabilities with the registration server according to RFC 3840.
10 [0023] In another implementation, the communication device may also
register feature preferences set by the user of the communication device with the
registration server. The feature preferences may indicate various services that the
user of the communication device may want to access, such as the user may predefine
that he does not wish to divert the call to voicemail or would like to receive
15 secure calls, video calls, and the like. In an implementation, the communication
device may register the feature preferences with the registration server according to
RFC 3841. The registration server in turn may upload the capabilities and feature
preferences of the communication devices in a location server, such as a home
location register (HLR) or a visitor location register (VLR), in the communication
20 network.
[0024] In an implementation, when a user of the calling device attempts to
establish the secure call with the called device, a switching server may receive a call
request from the calling device. Based on the call request, the switching server may
receive information from the location server to determine whether the called device
25 supports the secure call or not. To do so, the switching server may check the
preferences of the called device as stored in the location server.
9
[0025] If the preferences does not indicate receiving the secure call, i.e., the
called device does not support the secure call, the switching server may drop the call
request. Accordingly, the calling device may receive a rejection message from the
switching server. The rejection message may be an audio message or a text message.
[0026] On 5 the other hand, if the preferences indicate that receiving the secure
call is supported by the called device, the switching server may forward the call
request to the called device. Upon receiving the call request, the called device may
parse the call request to determine whether the call request is made for establishing a
secure call or a normal voice call. As mentioned above, the header field of the call
10 request may include a parameter indicative of the secure call. The called device may,
upon the determination that the secure call, is to established, activate an inbuilt
earpiece and temporarily disable other device settings. The other device settings may
include speaker settings, external connection settings, record settings, and
supplementary services settings. In an example, the user of the called device may be
15 unable to attend the secure call through an inbuilt or external speaker. In another
example, the user of the called device may not be able to answer the secure call by
using external connections, such as a headset connected to 3.5mm audio jack or a
Bluetooth earpiece. Further, disabling of the device settings may include disabling
call forwarding facility, conference call facility, supplementary services, and the like.
20 Thus, the called device may enable the user to answer the call request by only using
an inbuilt earpiece of the communication device. Once the secure call is completed,
the other device settings may be enabled or activated.
[0027] In this manner, the present subject matter provides an example
method and system to establish a secure call between two communication devices.
25 When the user of the calling device marks a call request as a secure call, the called
device may detect the secure call request and allow the user of the called device to
pick the secure call through the inbuilt earpiece of the called device. Accordingly,
the present subject matter may ensure that the secrecy of the call is maintained. The
10
user of the calling communication device can ensure that the secure call is not heard
by anyone else other than an intended recipient. Once the secure call is completed,
the device settings of the called device may be activated or enabled.
[0028] The above methods and system are further described in conjunction
with the following figures. It should be noted that 5 at the description and figures merely
illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that
those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not
explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject
matter and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples recited
10 herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid
the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the
concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed
as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the
15 present subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to
encompass equivalents thereof.
[0029] It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the words
during, while, and when as used herein are not exact terms that mean an action takes
place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but
20 reasonable delay, such as a propagation delay, between the initial action and the
reaction that is initiated by the initial action. Additionally, the words “connected”
and “coupled” are used throughout, for clarity of the description and can include
either a direct connection or an indirect connection.
[0030] The manner in which the systems and methods for establishing a
25 secure call between two communication devices shall be explained in detail with
respect to the Figures 1-6. While the aspects of the described systems and methods
for establishing a secure call between the two communication devices can be
11
implemented in any number of different computing systems, transmission
environments, and/or configurations, the embodiments are described in context of
the following exemplary system(s).
[0031] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an example communication network
environment 100 implementing a call establishment 5 ent system 102, for establishing a
secure call between two communication devices, such as communication devices
104-1, 104-2, 104-3, …, 104-N, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
subject matter. The call establishment system 102 may be implemented in a
switching server, such as a Mobile Switching Center (MSC). The communication
10 devices 104-1, 104-2, 104-3, …, 104-N, may be collectively referred to as
communication devices 104. In the communication network environment 100, the
communication devices 104 communicate with each other through a communication
network 106. The communication devices 104 also interact with various network
entities, for example, to avail various communication services or to communicate
15 with other communication devices 104. The communication devices 104 may
include, without limitation, fixed/wired telephones, hand-held devices, tablet
computers, mobile phones, PDAs, smart phones, and the like. Each of the
communication devices 104 works on a communication protocol as defined by a
communication network 106 to which the communication device 104 is coupled.
20 [0032] The communication network 106 may be a wireless or a wired
network, or a combination thereof. The communication network 106 can be a
collection of individual networks, interconnected with each other and functioning as
a single large network (e.g., the internet or an intranet). Examples of such individual
networks include, but are not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communication
25 (GSM) network, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network,
Personal Communications Service (PCS) network, Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA) network, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, Next
12
Generation Network (NGN), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Depending on the technology, the
communication network 106 includes various network entities, such as gateways,
routers; however, such details have been omitted for the ease of understanding.
[0033] 5 The foregoing description is explained with reference to the
communication devices 104 and it will be understood that the same can be extended
to other communication devices as well. In order to communicate with each other,
the communication devices 104 connect to a base station controller (BSC) (not
shown in the figure), which provides local switching to effect handover between base
10 stations. The BSC is further connected to a MSC, for example the MSC
implementing the call establishment system 102, of the communication network 106,
which is responsible for establishing the secure call between the communication
devices 104.
[0034] In one embodiment, in order to provide one or more services, the
15 communication network 106 includes a registration server 108 connected to the call
establishment system 102. The registration server 108 accepts and handles SIP
REGISTER requests. The communication devices 104 register themselves with the
registration server 108 as soon as a communication device is switched ON. The
registration may involve authentication with a User ID and password. The User ID
20 for the communication devices 104 may be same as their phone number. Once
registered, calls may be easily routed to the communication devices 104, provided
that the call passes through the switching server, such as the MSC. The call
establishment system 102 communicates with the registration server 108, either
directly or through various entities (not shown in the figure), for providing various
25 services to the communication devices 104.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, a user of
the communication device 104 may try to establish a secure call with another user
13
having the communication device 104. For the purpose of explanation, the
communication device 104-2 from which the secure call is initiated, may be
hereinafter referred to as the calling device 104-2 and the communication device
104-1 at the receiving end may be referred to as the called device 104-1. In one
implementation, 5 entation, when the communication devices 104 are activated, such as
switched ON, a REGISTER message is sent to the registration server 108. The
REGISTER message may include one or more capabilities of the communication
devices 104. For example, the one or more capabilities, among other things, may
include, various SIP methods supported by the communication devices 104,
10 indication of whether or not the communication devices 104 support secure calls,
video calls, audio calls, text communication, conferencing services, and the like. The
REGISTER message may carry the capabilities of the communication devices 104 in
a contact header field thereof. In an implementation, the communication devices 104
may register the capabilities with the registration server 108 in accordance with RFC
15 3840.
[0036] Further, the communication devices 104 may share at least one
feature preference that may be defined by the user of the communication devices
104. The feature preferences may indicate various services that the user of the
communication device may want to access, such as the user may pre-define that he
20 does not wish to divert the call to voicemail or would like to receive the secure calls,
the video calls, make use of call forwarding services, and the like. To indicate the
feature preferences of the communication devices 104, an INVITE message is shared
with the registration server 108. The INVITE message carries the feature preferences
as indicated by the user of communication device 104. As mentioned above, the
25 communication device 104 that sends the INVITE message wants to communicate
with another communication device 104 that implements those features as indicated
in the INVITE message. For example, if the user of the communication device 104-1
would like to connect to other communication devices that support the establishment
14
of the secure call, the INVITE message shared with the registration server 108 may
indicate secure call as one of the feature preference. In an implementation, the
communication devices 104 may share the feature preferences with the registration
server 108 in accordance with RFC 3841.
[0037] Further, 5 the registration server 108 may upload the capabilities as well
as the feature preferences of the communication devices 104 in the location server
110. The location server 110 may be a home location register (HLR) or a visitor
location register (VLR). The location server 110 may be understood as a database
which stores information about a current location of a communication device 104.
10 [0038] In one implementation, the call establishment system 102 may include
a call management module 112 and the communication device, such as the
communication device 104-1 may include an activation module 114. In order to
establish the secure call, the calling device, such as the calling device 104-2 may
send a call request to the called device, such as the called device 104-1. The call
15 request may be received by the call management module 112 of the call
establishment system 102. As mentioned above, the call establishment system 102
may be implemented in a switching server, such as a mobile switching center (MSC).
The call management module 112 may determine whether the called device 104-1
supports the secure call feature or not. To do so, the call management module 112
20 may receive the feature preferences of the called device 104-1 from the location
server 110. Once it is determined that the called device 104-1 supports the secure
call, the call management module 112 may forward the call request to the called
device 104-1. The call request may indicate that the calling device 104-2 would like
to establish a call with the called device 104-1.
25 [0039] In an implementation, upon receiving the call request, the called
device 104-1 may determine whether the call request is for a secure call or not. Once
it is determined that the call request is for establishing the secure call, the activation
15
module 114 may activate an inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1. Further, the
activation module 114 may temporarily disable other device settings in the called
device 104-1. For example, the activation module 114 may temporarily disable
speaker settings, external connection settings, record settings, and supplementary
services associated with the called device 104-1. 5 Accordingly, the user of the called
device 104-1 may be restricted to hear the secure call through the inbuilt earpiece of
the called device 104-1. The present subject matter thus maintains the secrecy of the
information conveyed over the call.
[0040] Figure 2 schematically illustrates the call establishment system 102
10 and a communication device 104-1 for establishing the secure call, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present subject matter. In said embodiment, the call
establishment system 102 and the communication device 104-1 include processors
202-1, 202-2, respectively. The processors 202-1, 202-2, collectively referred to as
processor(s) 202 hereinafter, may be implemented as one or more microprocessors,
15 microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units,
logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational
instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor(s) 202 fetches and executes
computer-readable instructions stored in the memory.
[0041] The functions of the various elements shown in the figure, including
20 any functional blocks labeled as “processor(s)”, may be provided through the use of
dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association
with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be
provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a
plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, the
25 explicit use of the term “processor” should not be construed to refer exclusively to
hardware capable of executing software, and other hardware, conventional and/or
custom, may also be included.
16
[0042] The call establishment system 102 and the communication device
104-1 include I/O interface(s) 204-1 and 204-2, respectively. The I/O interface(s)
204-1 and 204-2, hereinafter collectively referred to as I/O interfaces 204, may
include a variety of software and hardware interfaces that allow the call
establishment system 102 and the communication device 104-5 04-1 to interact with the
communication network 106 and with each other. Further, the I/O interfaces 204
may enable the call establishment system 102 and the communication device 104-1
to communicate with other communication and computing devices, such as web
servers and external repositories.
10 [0043] The call establishment system 102 and the communication device
104-1 may include memory 206-1 and 206-2, respectively, collectively referred to as
memory 206. The memory 206-1 and 206-2, collectively referred to as memory 206
hereinafter, may be coupled to the processor 202-1, and the processor 202-2,
respectively. The memory 206 may include any computer-readable medium known
15 in the art including, for example, volatile memory (e.g., RAM), and/or non-volatile
memory (e.g., EPROM, flash memory, etc.).
[0044] The call establishment system 102 and the communication device
104-1 further include modules 208-1, 208-2, and data 210-1, 210-2, respectively,
collectively referred to as modules 208 and data 210, respectively. The modules 208
20 include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, which
perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The modules
208 further include modules that supplement applications on the call establishment
system 102 and the communication device 104-1, for example, modules of an
operating system.
25 [0045] Further, the modules 208 can be implemented in hardware,
instructions executed by a processing unit, or by a combination thereof. The
processing unit can comprise a computer, a processor, such as the processor 202, a
17
state machine, a logic array or any other suitable devices capable of processing
instructions. The processing unit can be a general-purpose processor which executes
instructions to cause the general-purpose processor to perform the tasks, or the
processing unit can be dedicated to perform the functions.
[0046] In another aspect of the present subject matter, the modules 5 odules 208 may
be machine-readable instructions (software) which, when executed by a
processor/processing unit, perform any of the described functionalities. The
machine-readable instructions may be stored on an electronic memory device, hard
disk, optical disk or other machine-readable storage medium or non-transitory
10 medium. In one implementation, the machine-readable instructions can also be
downloaded to the storage medium via a network connection. The data 210 serves,
amongst other things, as a repository for storing data that may be fetched, processed,
received, or generated by one or more of the modules 208. Although, the
processor(s) 202-2, the I/O interface(s) 204-2, and the memory 206-2 have been
15 shown for the communication device 104-1, it will be understood that the same will
be implemented in all the communication devices 104.
[0047] In an implementation, the modules 208-1 of the call establishment
system 102 include a determination module 212, the call management module 112,
and other module(s) 214. In said implementation, the data 210-1 of the call
20 establishment system 102 includes capability data 216, feature preference data 218,
and other data 220. The other module(s) 214 may include programs or coded
instructions that supplement the applications and functions, for example, programs in
the operating system of the call management system 102, and the other data 220
comprises data corresponding to one or more other module(s) 214.
25 [0048] Similarly, in an implementation, the modules 208-2 of the
communication device 104-1 include a receiving module 222, the activation module
114, and other module(s) 224. In said implementation, the data 210-2 of the
18
communication device 104-1 includes device settings data 226 and other data 228.
The other module(s) 224 may include programs or coded instructions that
supplement applications and functions, for example, programs in the operating
system of the communication device 104-1, and the other data 228 comprise data
5 corresponding to one or more other module(s) 224.
[0049] As described earlier, when communication devices 104 get activated,
they register their capabilities with the registration server 108 in accordance with
RFC 3840. In an implementation, the communication devices 104 may send a
REGISTER message, to the registration server 108, carrying the capabilities of the
10 communication devices 104. Similarly, the communication devices 104 may share
their feature preferences in accordance with RFC 3841. The registration server 108
may in turn store the capabilities and the preferences in the location server 110. To
be able to make a secure call, the calling device 104-2 may have to register the
secure call capability with the registration server 108. Also, to be able to receive the
15 secure call, the called device 104-1 may have to define the secure call as a feature
preference as per RFC 3841. The registration server 108 may upload the capabilities
and feature preferences of the communication devices 104 in the location server 110,
such as a home location register (HLR) or a visitor location register (VLR), in the
communication network 106.
20 [0050] When a user of the calling device 104-2 attempts to establish the
secure call with the called device 104-1, a call request may be sent to the
communication network 106. The secure call may be understood as a confidential
call intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1.
In an implementation, the call request may be received by the determination module
25 212 of the call establishment system 102. The call request may include details
regarding the destination of the called device 104-1 and an address where the calling
device 104-2 wishes to receive further Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) requests
from the called device 104-1. The call request further includes a parameter indicating
19
the secure call. Such details are available in a contact header field of the call request.
The call request may thus include the address and location details of the called
device 104-1 along with the address and location details of the calling device 104-2.
In one implementation, the calling device 104-2 may send the call request using a
caller identification number, 5 mber, say, a Mobile Station International Integrated Services
for Digital Network or a Mobile Station Integrated Services for Digital Network
(MSISDN) number associated with the called device 104-1.
[0051] In an implementation, based on the call request, the determination
module 212 may identify the called device 104-1. For example, the determination
10 module 212 may parse the contact header of the call request to identify the called
device 104-1. The contact header may include the address and location details of the
called device 104-1. The contact header may thus act as an identifier of the called
device 104-1. In an implementation, the determination module 212 may further
determine whether the called device 104-1 is in its home network or outside the
15 home network. Upon identification of the called device 104-1, the determination
module 212 may provide the details of the called device 104-1 with the call
management module 112.
[0052] The call management module 112 may communicate with the location
server 110 to receive the feature preferences of the called device 104-1. For example,
20 the call management module 112 may, based on a location of the called device 104-
1, send a request for obtaining information, such as capabilities and feature
preferences of the calling device 104-2 as well as the called device 104-1 for
processing the call request. In an example, if the calling device 104-2 initiates the
call request from a home network, the determination module 212 may send the
25 request for obtaining the information from the HLR. On the other hand, if the calling
device 104-2 initiates the call request from outside its home network, the call
management module 112 may send the request for obtaining the information from
the VLR.
20
[0053] Upon retrieving the feature preferences of the called device 104-1, the
call management module 112 may verify whether or not the called device 104-1
supports the secure call. The call management module 112 may store the capabilities
and the feature preferences of the communication devices 104 as capability data 216
and the feature preference data 218 respectively. 5 ectively. For example, if the feature
preferences obtained from the location server 110 include receiving of a secure call
as one of the feature preferences, the call management module 112 may forward the
call request to the called device 104-1. In case the feature preference does not
include secure call, the call management module 112 may verify that the called
10 device 104-1 does not support the secure call. In this case, the call management
module 112 may reject the call request. Upon rejection of the call request, the call
management module 112 may send a rejection message to the calling device 104-2.
In an implementation, the rejection message may be a text message, an audio
message, and the like.
15 [0054] In an implementation, if the call management module 112 determines
that the called device 104-1 supports the secure call, the call management module
112 may forward the call request to the called device 104-1. The call request may be
associated with a parameter indicating a type of the call. For example, the contact
header of the call request may indicate that the user of the calling device 104-2
20 would like to establish the secure call with the called device 104-1. The receiving
module 222 of the called device 104-1 may receive the call request from the call
management module 112. The receiving module 222 may further determine whether
the call request is for establishing the secure call or not. To do so, the receiving
module 222 may parse a header field of the call request. If the header indicates that
25 the call request is for establishing the secure call, the receiving module 222 may
share the information with the activation module 114.
[0055] The activation module 114 may, based on the determination of the
receiving module 222, activate the inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1. The
21
activation of the inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1 may be indicative of the
fact that the user of the called device 104-1 may hear to the conversation only via the
inbuilt earpiece and not by any other device settings. The activation module 114 may
therefore temporarily disable the device settings of the called device 104-1. The
device settings may include the settings that may 5 y be used for hearing the
conversation of the call. For example, the device settings may include speaker
settings, external connection settings, record settings, and supplementary services
settings. In an example, the user of the called device 104-1 may be unable to attend
the secure call through an inbuilt or an external speaker. The activation module 114
10 may store the device settings as the device settings data 226. In another example, the
user of the called device 104-1 may not be able to hear the secure call by using
external connections, such as a headset or a speaker connected to a 3.5mm audio jack
and a Bluetooth earpiece. Further, disabling of the device settings may include
disabling call forwarding facility, conference call facility, and other supplementary
15 services.
[0056] Therefore, the called device 104-1 may enable the user to hear the
secure call by using the inbuilt earpiece. Once the activation module 114 identifies
that the secure call is complete between the called device 104-1 and the calling
device 104-2, the activation module 114 may restore the device settings that were de20
activated temporarily. When the secure call is disconnected, the activation module
114 may restore the device settings to their previous state.
[0057] In an example, User A's manager User B would like to talk to User A
over a communication device regarding User A's appraisal for the year. As it is
appraisal related conversation, User B wants to ensure that nobody else except User
25 A can hear the conversation. Considering that User B is using the calling device 104-
2 which has registered for the secure call option in the capabilities as per RFC 3840.
Further, User A who is using the called device 104-1 has registered the secure call as
one its feature preferences as per RFC 3841.
22
[0058] To make the secure call, User B may dial User A's contact number
and press a secure call key from the calling device 104-2. The call establishment
system 102 may verify whether or not the called device 104-1 being used by User A
supports the secure call capability or not. As User A has registered with the
registration server 108 the secure call preference, 5 erence, the call establishment system 102
may forward User B's call request to User A. As the secure call is received by the
called device 104-1, the activation module 114 may temporarily de-activate the
device settings, such as speaker settings, external connection settings, and
supplementary services settings. Therefore, User A may hear the secure call via an
10 inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1.
[0059] In this manner, the call establishment system 102 facilitates in
establishing the secure call between two communication devices, such as the called
device 104-1 and the calling device 104-2. When the user of the calling device 104-2
marks a call request as a secure call, the called device 104-1 may detect the secure
15 call request and compels the user of the called device 104-1 to hear the secure call
through the inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1. Accordingly, the present
subject matter may ensure that the secrecy of the call is maintained. The user of the
calling device 104-2 can ensure that the secure call is not heard by anyone else other
than an intended recipient. Once the secure call is completed, the device settings of
20 the called device 104-1, which were temporarily disabled may be activated or
resumed.
[0060] Figure 3 schematically illustrates an example communication device
104, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. For
explanation, the communication device 104 may be the called device 104-1, i.e., the
25 communication device 104 used by a called user. As explained above, the
communication device 104 may register its capabilities and feature preferences with
the registration server 108 in the communication network 106. In an implementation,
the communication device 104 may send a REGISTER message to the registration
23
server 108, carrying the capabilities of the communication device 104. Similarly, the
communication device 104 may share its feature preferences in accordance with RFC
3841 with the registration server 108. The registration server 108 may in turn store
the capabilities and the preferences of the communication device 104 in the location
server 110, such as a home 5 location register (HLR) or a visitor location register
(VLR), in the communication network 106.
[0061] Upon receiving the call request, the receiving module 222 may determine
whether the call request is for establishing the secure call or not. To determine, the
receiving module 222 may parse a contact header field of the call request. Based on
10 the parsing, the receiving module 222 may determine that the call request is for
establishing the secure call. Based on the determination, the activation module 114
may activate the inbuilt earpiece 302 of the communication device 104. Accordingly,
the activation module 114 may compel the user of the communication device 104 to
hear the conversation of the secure call through the inbuilt earpiece 302, thereby
15 maintaining the secrecy of the information that may be conveyed over the call.
[0062] In an implementation, the activation module 114 may de-activate the
device settings for hearing the secure call of the communication device 104. For
example, the user of the communication device 104 may not be able to hear the
secure call by using an inbuilt speaker, as shown by the speaker key 304 of the
20 communication device 104. Further, the user of the communication device 104 may
be unable to connect an external speaker or a headset through a port, such as the port
306 for connecting a 3.5mm audio jack. In addition, the activation module 114 may
disable a Bluetooth initiation key, such as the key 308 of the communication device
104. Accordingly, the user of the communication device 104 may not be able to hear
25 to the conversation of the secure call by using a Bluetooth headset.
[0063] Furthermore, the activation module 114 may de-activate any
supplementary services of the communication device 104. For example, the user of
24
the communication device 104 may be unable to use conference call facility as well
as a call forwarding facility, as indicated by key 310-1 and 310-2 respectively. The
activation module 114 may, in addition, to the above-mentioned device settings may
temporarily disable the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port (not shown) of the
5 communication device 104.
[0064] Figure 4 is an example call flow diagram 400 for establishing a secure
call between two communication devices 104, according to an embodiment of the
present subject matter. The various arrow indicators used in the call-flow diagram
400 depict the transfer of data between the various entities in the communication
10 network 106 and between the communication devices 104 and the various entities in
the communication network 106. Although the description of Figure 4 has been
made in considerable detail with respect to a GSM network, it will be understood the
announcements can be provided to the communication device using other networks
as well, for example, CDMA network.
15 [0065] In one implementation, the communication device 104, such as the
calling device 104-2 and the called device 104-1, register their capabilities and
feature preferences with the registration server 108. The communication devices 104
register themselves with the registration server 108 as soon as the communication
devices 104 are activated. If a user of the communication device 104 changes the
20 location, the communication device 104 may have to register again with the
registration server 108 stating the latest contact information. The calling device 104-
2 may send a REGISTER (1) message to the registration server 108, as indicated in
step 402. The REGISTER (1) message may include capabilities of the calling device
104-2 as per RFC 3840. For example, the capabilities may include audio calls, video
25 calls, or text communication; voicemail, secure calls, and the like. Upon receiving
the REGISTER (1) message, as shown in step 404, the registration server 108 may
send a 200 OK (1) message to the calling device 104-2. The 200 OK (1) may be
indicative that the capabilities are received, understood, and accepted by the
25
registration server 108. The registration server 108 may forward the capabilities of
the calling device 104-2 to the location server 110. The registration server 108 may
send an UPDATE (1) message to the location server 110 to update the capabilities of
the calling device 104-2, as indicated in step 406.
[0066] Further, the called device 104-1 may send a REGISTER (2) 5 message
the to registration server 108, as indicated in step 408. The REGISTER (2) message
may include feature references of the called device 104-1 as per RFC 3841. For
example, the feature preferences may indicate various services that the user of the
called device 104-1 may want to access, such as the user may pre-define that he does
10 not wish to divert the call to voicemail or would like to receive secure calls, video
calls, and the like. Upon receiving the REGISTER (2) message, the registration
server 108 may send a 200 OK (2) message to the called device 104-1, as shown in
step 410. The 200 OK (2) may indicate that the feature preferences are received and
accepted by the registration server 108. Consequently, the registration server 108
15 may forward the feature preferences of the called device 104-1 to the location server
110. The registration server 108 may send an UPDATE (2) message to the location
server 110 to update the feature preferences of the called device 104-1, as indicated
in step 412.
[0067] In an implementation, the calling device 104-2 sends an INVITE (1)
20 request to the called device 104-1 and the same is indicated by step 414. The
INVITE (1) request in one implementation provides the call request to the called
device 104-1. The INVITE (1) request may include session description protocol
(SDP) parameters corresponding to the call request. The SDP parameters may
indicate the type of session requested by the calling device 104-2. The INVITE (1)
25 request may be received by the call establishment system 102. As mentioned earlier,
the call establishment module 102 may be implemented in the switching server, such
as the MSC. The INVITE (1) request may be associated with a contact header. The
contact header may include the address and location details of the called device 104-
26
1. The contact header may thus act as an identifier of the called device 104-1. Upon
receiving the INVITE (1) request, the call establishment system 102 may send a 100
TRYING message to the calling device 104-2, as shown in step 416. The 100
TRYING message indicates that the call establishment system 102 is trying to
connect 5 to the called device 104-1, and the call request is being processed.
[0068] Further, the call establishment system 102 may send a
INFORMATION request to the location server 110, at step 418. The
INFORMATION request may be sent to determine whether or not the called device
104-1 supports the secure call. In an implementation, the call establishment system
10 102 may, based on a location of the called device 104-1, send the INFORMATION
request to identify information, such as feature preferences of the called device 104-1
for processing the call request. In an example, if the called device 104-1 is in its
home network, the call establishment system 102 may send the INFORMATION
request to the HLR. On the other hand, if the called device 104-1 has moved outside
15 its home network, the call establishment system 102 may send the INFORMATION
request to the VLR.
[0069] At step 420, the location server 110 may share a NOTIFY message
with the call establishment system 102. The NOTIFY message may include details
about the location and the feature preferences of the called device 104-1. Upon
20 receiving the feature preferences, the call establishment system 102 may verify
whether or not the called device 104-1 supports the secure call, as shown in step 422.
If based on the verification, the call establishment system 102 determines that the
called device 104-1 supports the secure call, the call establishment system 102 may
send an INVITE (2) message to the called device 104-1, as shown in step 424. The
25 INVITE (2) message is indicative that the call establishment system 102 forwards
the call request to the called device 104-1 for establishing the secure call. On the
other hand, if the call establishment system 102 determines that the called device
104-1 does not support the secure call, the call establishment system 102 may drop
27
the call request. In addition, the call establishment system 102 may provide the
calling device 104-2 with a rejection message.
[0070] Figure 5 & Figure 6 illustrate a method 500 for handling a secure call
and a method 600 for establishing a secure call between two communication devices
104, according to an embodiment of the present 5 ent subject matter. The order in which
the method is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any
number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement
the methods 500 and 600 or any alternative method. Additionally, individual blocks
may be deleted from the method without departing from the spirit and scope of the
10 subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any
suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.
[0071] The methods 500 and 600 may be described in the general context of
computer executable instructions. Generally, computer executable instructions can
include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures,
15 modules, functions, etc., that perform particular functions or implement particular
abstract data types. The methods may also be practiced in a distributed computing
environment where functions are performed by remote processing devices that are
linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment,
computer executable instructions may be located in both local and remote computer
20 storage media, including memory storage devices.
[0072] A person skilled in the art will readily recognize that the steps of the
methods 500 and 600 can be performed by programmed computers. Herein, some
embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices or computer
readable medium, for example, digital data storage media, which are machine or
25 computer readable and encode machine-executable or computer-executable programs
of instructions, where said instructions perform some or all of the steps of the
described method. The program storage devices may be, for example, digital
28
memories, magnetic storage media, such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes,
hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. The embodiments are
also intended to cover both communication network and communication devices to
perform said steps of the method(s).
[0073] At block 502, the method 500 may 5 y include receiving a call request
from a calling device 104-2 over a communication network 106. Further, the call
request may include a header field indicating a call type parameter. In an
implementation, the receiving module 222 may receive the call request from a call
management system 102.
10 [0074] Further, at block 504, the method 500 may include determining
whether the call request is for establishing the secure call or not. In an example, the
determination is based on the call type parameter. In an implementation, the
receiving module 222 may parse a header field of the call request to determine
whether or not the call request is for the secure call. The secure call may be
15 indicative of a confidential call intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece
of the called device 104-1.
[0075] At block 506, the method 500 may include activating the inbuilt
earpiece of the called device 104-1 and by temporarily disabling device settings of
the called device 104-1. In an implementation, the activation module 114 may, upon
20 determination of the call request for establishing the secure call, activate the inbuilt
earpiece of the called device 104-1 for hearing the conversation of the secure call.
[0076] Referring to Figure 6, at block 602, the method 600 may include
receiving a request from the calling device 104-2 for establishing a secure call with
the called device 104-1. The secure call may be indicative of a call intended to be
25 received by using the inbuilt earpiece of the called device 104-1. In an
implementation, the determination module 212 may receive the call request from the
calling device 104-2. The determination module 212 may, based on the call request,
29
determine the location of the called device 104-1. Further, the call request includes a
contact header which includes information about the called device 104-1 and the
calling device 104-2.
[0077] At block 604, the method 600 may include identifying the called
device 104-1 based on the call 5 ll request. For example, the determination module 212
may parse the contact header of the call request to identify the called device 104-1.
The contact header may include the address and location details of the called device
104-1. The contact header may thus act as an identifier of the called device 104-1.
[0078] At block 606, the method 600 may include determining whether the
10 called device 104-1 supports the secure call or not. The determination is based on the
at least one preference defined by a user of the called device 104-1. In an
implementation, the call management module 112 may communicate with the
location server 110 to receive the feature preferences of the called device 104-1.
Upon obtaining the feature preferences of the called device 104-1, the call
15 management module 112 may verify whether or not the called device 104-1 supports
the secure call.
[0079] Further, at block 608, the method 600 may include establishing the
secure call upon determination that the called device 104-1 supports the secure call.
In an implementation, the call management module 112 may forward the call request
20 to the called device 104-1 for establishing the secure call request.
[0080] Although the embodiments for establishing a secure call between two
communication devices have been described in a language specific to structural
features or method(s), it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not
necessarily limited to the specific features or method(s) described. Rather, the
25 specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for establishing a secure
call between two communication devices.
30
I/We claim:
1. A method for handling a secure call, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor (202-2), a call request from a calling device
(104-2) over a communication network (106);
determining, 5 ining, by the processor (202-2), whether the call request is for
establishing the secure call, wherein the secure call is indicative of a call
intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece (302) of a called device
(104-1); and
activating, by the processor (202-2), the inbuilt earpiece (302) and
10 temporarily disabling device settings of the called device (104-1), upon
determination of the call request for establishing the secure call.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining comprises
parsing a header field of the call request to determine whether the call request
is for establishing the secure call.
15 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temporarily disabling
comprises receiving a message, from a switching server, indicating the device
settings to be temporarily disabled.
4. A communication device (104) comprising:
a processor (202-2);
20 a receiving module (222), coupled to the processor (202-2), to
receive a call request from a calling device (104-2) over a
communication network (106), wherein the call request comprises a
header field indicating a call type parameter;
determine whether the call request is for establishing the
25 secure call, based on the call type parameter, by parsing the header
field of the call request; and
31
an activation module (114), coupled to the processor (202-2), to
temporarily disable device settings, upon determination of the call
request for establishing the secure call.
5. The communication device (104) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device
5 settings comprise speaker settings, record settings, external connection
settings, and supplementary services settings.
6. The communication device (104) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
supplementary service settings comprise call forwarding, conference call, and
voice mail.
10 7. The communication device (104) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
activation module (114) further activates an inbuilt earpiece (302), upon
determination of the call request for establishing the secure call.
8. A method for establishing a secure call between two communication devices
(104), the method comprising:
15 receiving, by a processor (202-1), a request from a calling device
(104-2) for establishing the secure call with a called device (104-1), wherein
the secure call is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an
inbuilt earpiece of the called device (104-1);
determining, by the processor (202-1), whether the called device
20 (104-1) supports the secure call, wherein the determining is based on at least
one preference defined by a user of the called device (104-1); and
upon determining the capability to support the secure call by the
called device (104-1), establishing, by the processor (202-1), the secure call
between the calling device (104-2) and the called device (104-1).
25 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the determining comprises
identifying, by the processor (202-1), the called device (104-1) based on the
32
request, and wherein the request comprises of at least one identifier indicative
of the called device (104-1).
10. The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprises storing, by the processor
(202-1), secure call capabilities of the calling device (104-2) and the called
device (104-1), wherein the secure call capabilities are received 5 from a
registration server (108).
11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the establishing the secure call
comprises de-activating device settings of the called device (104-1).
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the device settings comprise a
10 speaker setting, a Bluetooth earpiece, connection of an audio jack, record
option, replay option, call forwarding, and putting the call on a conference.
13. A call establishment system (102) comprising:
a processor (202-1);
a determination module (212), coupled to the processor (202-1), to
15 receive a request from a calling device (104-2) for establishing
a secure call with a called device (104-1), wherein the secure call is
indicative of a call intended to be received by using an inbuilt
earpiece (302) of the called device (104-1);
based on the request, identify the called device (104-1),
20 wherein the request comprises at least one identifier indicative of the
called device (104-1); and
a call management module (112), coupled to the processor
(202-1), to,
determine whether the called device (104-1) supports the
25 secure call, wherein the determination is based on at least one
preference defined by a user of the called device (104-1); and
33
establish the secure call between the calling device (104-2)
and the called device (104-1), upon the determination that the called
device (104-1) supports the secure call.
14. The call establishment system (102) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
determination module (212) further receives 5 ves one or more capabilities of the
calling device (104-2) from a location server (110).
15. The call establishment system (102) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the one
or more capabilities are defined in accordance with RFC 3840.
16. The call establishment system (102) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
10 determination module (212) further receives at least one call preference from
the called device (104-1) from a location server (110).
17. The call establishment system (102) as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at
least one preference is defined in accordance with RFC 3841.
18. The call establishment system (102) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the call
15 management module (112) further rejects the secure call when the secure call
is not supported by the called device (104-1).
19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a
computer program for executing a method for handling a secure call, the
method comprising:
20 receiving, by a processor (202-2), a call request from a calling device
(104-2) over a communication network (106);
determining, by the processor (202-2), whether the call request is for
establishing the secure call, wherein the secure call is indicative of a call
intended to be received by using an inbuilt earpiece (302) of the called device
25 (104-1); and
34
temporarily disabling, by the processor (202-2), device settings of the
called device (104-1), upon determination of the call request for establishing
the secure call.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a
computer program for executing a method 5 hod for establishing a secure call
between two communication devices (104), the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor (202-1), a request from a calling device
(104-2) for establishing the secure call with a called device (104-1), wherein
the secure call is indicative of a call intended to be received by using an
10 inbuilt earpiece (302) of the called device (104-1);
determining, by the processor (202-1), whether the called device
(104-1) supports the secure call, wherein the determining is based on at least
one preference defined by a user of the called device (104-1); and
upon determining the capability to support the secure call by the
15 called device (104-1), establishing, by the processor (202-1), the secure call
between the calling device (104-2) and the called device (104-1).
Dated 28 July 2014
20 JAYA PANDEYA
IN/PA-1345
Agent for the Applicant
To,
The Controller of Patents
25 The Patent Office at New Delhi
35