Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call charge metering or monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-12-04
Tieu, Binh (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call charge metering or monitoring
C379S032030, C379S207150, C379S230000, C379S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327350
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods and systems for processing SS
7
MSUs. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for creating call detail records (CDRs) from SS7 MSUs.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
SS7 is a common channel signaling protocol used by SS7 nodes to provide telecommunications services to end users. Messages that are transported between SS7 nodes to provide telecommunications services are referred to as signal units. There are three types of SS7 signal units: message signal units (MSUs); fill in signal units (FISUs); and link status signal units (LSSUs). FISUs are transmitted between SS7 nodes to constantly evaluate the status of SS7 links. FISUs do not carry any information relating to a call. LSSUs are sent between two signaling points to evaluate the status of a link between the two signaling points. Like FiSUS, LSSUs do not contain any information relating to a call. Message signal units carry routing information, user part information, and application part information relating to a call.
Many SS7 MSUs can be transmitted between SS7 nodes during a call. Accordingly, it is desirable to capture the SS7 MSUs and process the SS7 MSUs to generate call detail records. As used herein, a call detail record refers to any information extracted from one or more SS7 MSUs that can be used by an application to perform a specific function. For example, a call detail record for a call duration billing application may contain ISDN user part (ISUP) messages for a call. A call detail record for an interconnect billing application may contain transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) query and response MSUs. A call detail record for a calling card fraud detection application may contain both ISUP MSUs and TCAP query and response MSUs.
There are a variety of known systems for capturing and processing SS7 MSUs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,530 entitled “Telephone Dual Switch Monitors” discloses monitors that connect to a mated pair of SS7 signal transfer points (STPs). The monitors implement primary and secondary state machines to generate partial CDRs at each switch. Implementing primary and secondary state machines and generating partial CDRs at each switch increases the complexity of monitoring software. This complexity adds to the delay in CDR creation and prevents real time access to CDRs by downstream devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,570 entitled “Service Observation Equipment for Signaling System Seven Telephone Network” describes another system for monitoring an SS7 network. The system includes service observation equipment that connects to SS7 signaling links between an SS7 signaling point (SP) and an STP and to audio trunk connections between SS7 SPs. The monitoring of trunk connections in addition to SS7 signaling links increases the complexity of the monitoring equipment. Such complexity is unnecessary in modern common channel signaling networks where control information required to establish a call is sent exclusively on a separate channel from the voice trunks. In addition, the monitoring of SS7 MSUs at an SSP as described in the '570 Patent does not present the same correlation problems as monitoring MSUs at a mated pair of STPs because all messages sent to or from the SSP are guaranteed to pass through a single monitoring device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,371 entitled “Common Channel Signaling Network Applications Platform” provides a platform for diverse application programs to analyze SS7 signaling units. SS7 signaling units are filtered according to categories and type based on filters configured by a master station. The filters comprise linked lists of filtering criteria. Applications running on a separate machine from the master station receive the filtered MSUs. There is no disclosure of commands usable by the applications themselves to control filtering. Thus, while the '371 Patent discloses a common channel signaling network applications platform, control of the filtering and flow of the MSUs to an application must be manually performed by the operator of the master station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,929 entitled “Billing System for Telephone Signaling Network” discloses a billing system for a telephone signaling network. The billing system processes SS7 MSUs to produce usage data. The usage data indicates the service recipients and the service providers for the MSUs. The '929 Patent does not disclose an application interface for controlling the processing of MSUs or a method by which MSUs relating to a call are correlated.
In light of these difficulties associated with the prior art, there exists a long-felt need for novel methods and systems for processing SS7 MSUs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a system for processing SS7 MSUs. In the system, a monitoring device receives SS7 MSUs from SS7 signaling links. A call detail record generator receives the SS7 MSUs and processes the SS7 MSUs to create call detail records from the MSUs. An application interface kit (AIK) allows applications to control the flow and content of CDRs produced by the CDR generator.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to block diagrams and flow charts illustrating process components and steps for collecting and processing SS7 MSUs. It is understood that each of these components and steps can be implemented by computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium. Alternatively, the process components and steps can be implemented entirely in hardware. In yet another alternative, the process components and steps can be implemented by a combination of hardware and software.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel methods and systems for collecting and processing SS7 MSUs.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated hereinabove, other objects will be evident as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings as best described hereinbelow.
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Freedman Steven Michael
Spangler Richard James
Jenkins & Wilson, P.A.
Tekelec
Tieu Binh
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