Internet user finder

Abstract

Specialized telecom network users who burden the network, such as high-volume users of Internet services, are identified by analysis of network traffic data to identify addresses (e.g. telephone numbers) for callers to destinations associated with the particular call-in service. Destination telephone numbers may be identified from a list of known service providers or from a network traffic study, which identifies destination numbers receiving unique patterns of incoming traffic. Analysis of the records of calls to the destination numbers then identifies numbers for callers who made more than some minimum number of calls during the study or who accumulate more than some threshold amount of total connect time on such calls. The preferred embodiments utilize automated systems to compile and analyze call records from standard messages of a telephone network, such as interoffice signaling messages or automated accounting messages. Data from the records can be translated to identify the calling subscribers, e.g. by name and address or by point of connection to the network.