Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call traffic recording or monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2002-03-19
Tieu, Binh (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call traffic recording or monitoring
C379S032010, C379S032020, C379S133000, C379S111000, C379S112010, C379S114010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06359976
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to monitoring service quality in a communications network, such as in a Signaling System Seven (SS7) network, and, more particularly, to real-time and historical processing of Call Detail Records (CDR) to determine network service quality.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Common channel signaling networks, such as the Signaling System Seven (SS7) based signal system, use dedicated channels to pass digital messages between systems for call setup, call control, call routing, and other functions. These dedicated signaling channels are part of a network that is separate from the network that carries the actual voice and data signals. An SS7 network is a separate switching system which is used prior to, during, and at the end of an actual voice or data call. The SS7 network is used to route control information. Whenever two switches or elements have to pass call control information during or prior to a phone call, they pass this data via the SS7 signaling network.
There are three basic types of network node elements in an SS7 network. One of them is the Service Switching Point (SSP), which may be a central office switch, a tandem switch or an end office switch. A second principal node element is the Service Control Point (SCP). An SCP acts as a database query server for the rest of the network. An SCP is used in such applications as translating ported telephone numbers, routing 800 calls, tracking roamers in a cellular network, and Alternate Billing Service/Line Identification Database services (or ABS/LIDB) which provide operator-type services. The third principal node element is the Signal Transfer point (STP). An STP is essentially a packet switch that routes the messages from SSPs and SCPs to SSPs and SCPs.
It is possible to combine these three different types of nodes into a single node. However, in North America, they are typically not combined. An SSP performs only switch functions, an SCP only control functions, and an STP only signal transfer functions. In European telecommunications systems, all of these different functions may be combined into one node.
The SS7 network carries a great deal of information and is extremely critical to the operation of the phone system. If an SS7 network is not functioning, or if portions of it are not operating, the phone system simply cannot deliver phone calls, even though all of the voice circuits are operating properly. The capacity and complexity of the SS7 network is small in terms of circuitry and bandwidth utilized by an end user compared to previous voice and data networks. The circuitry of the SS7 network is therefore much more critical. The actual elements in the SS7 network do not provide all the information required in network operations to manage and to determine the health and state of an SS7 network. It is therefore necessary for the telephone industry to deploy surveillance equipment to monitor the links connecting the nodes of the SS7 network.
The topology of the network is such that STPs are typically deployed in a mated pair configuration at geographically separate locations. Connected to a mated pair of STPs will be a set of SSPs and SCPs. This conglomeration of SSPs, SCPs and mated Pair STPs is called a cluster. Clusters are then connected by D-Quad links between STP mated pairs. The mated pair configuration system is not required and it is not used in all communications systems capable of employing the present invention.
When any call, transaction or message is sent between two different devices on the network, it is often the case that the messages going from switch A to switch B travel one route on the network while the messages going from switch B to switch A travel a different route. The network surveillance equipment that monitors the link is designed to capture and correlate as much signaling information as possible regardless of network activity. Because of the different data paths that messages may take, it is difficult to do this correlation above what is called the transport layer when monitoring links at the STP sites. An example of an application level problem would be where a subscriber has a problem getting his/her calls delivered. The telephone company may attempt to fix the problem by doing a trace of all data pertaining to that subscriber's phone number, but the data may not all be located at one point. The data may be all in one STP, or split in some fashion, partially in one STP and partially in the other STP of a mated pair, which may be in a different city many miles away.
It is an object of the present invention to process call detail records from a monitoring system that correlates substantially all calls and transactions in a communications network and generates call detail record data from the call and transaction records.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects, features and technical advantages are achieved by a system and method in which call detail records (CDR) are received from a network monitoring system. The monitoring system generates CDRs for calls, transactions, and/or other communication on a network. For example, the monitoring systems may have network monitors that capture communication messages and message signal units (MSU) from links in a communications network. The links may be between the originating, intermediate, and terminating nodes, switches or end offices. The messages or MSUs are captured and used to generate call detail records. A network of signal monitoring units may capture and correlate all messages for a particular call, transaction or other communication. Preferably, the monitors have a plurality of processors for processing the captured messages or MSUs. The processors may run any of a number of message or record processing applications.
Typically, CDR profiles are used to determine which messages or other data should be included in the CDRs. The CDR profile comprises particular parameters that are used to identify relevant calls, transactions or other communications. After a transaction record is selected, specific information is extracted to create a CDR record. Users define both the CDR profile, which is used to select relevant records, and the CDR format, which defines how the CDR data will be sent to the user. The CDR data is sent to a quality monitoring system in a formatted CDR stream. The CDR data may be used to monitor network quality in real-time. Additionally, the CDR data may be stored so that historical network analysis may be performed. The CDRs may also be processed by other applications, such as billing or fraud applications.
Typically, the CDR is generated when a call is completed. The CDR includes information such as the originating network, terminating network, and length of trunk usage for the call. Since the identity of the originating service provider and the duration of the call or transaction are contained in the CDR, a CDR billing application may be used for generating interconnection revenue for reciprocal compensation. External applications may use the CDR data to generate bills or track SS7 bandwidth use. The CDR data can be ported to a customer's external application, where the call can be rated and a bill or invoice can be generated for the transaction or call.
In the present invention, a quality assurance application provides an integrated platform for message tracking on a per customer and/or a per service provider basis. The tracked messages may be part of one of a number of message protocols, such as Integrated Services Digital Network—User Part (ISUP), Telephone User Part (TUP), Network User Part (TUP), Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP), Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) or Integrated Network Application Part (INAP) calls or transactions. The quality assurance application is useful for larger networks or for evaluating service quality of application-layer services, such as FNAP, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), AIN, IS-41 and 800/LIDB/CLASS.
The system disclosed herein comprises a number of monitors which are capable of non
Brehm Grant Michael
Chan Chunchun Jonina
Harper Chad Daniel
Kalyanpur Gaurang S.
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Inet Technologies, Inc.
Tieu Binh
Tran Quoc D.
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