Method and apparatus for managing signaling links in a signaling link set

• US 20030206562A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG-Ericsson Company Limited (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yi, Seung Hee
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing signaling links in a signaling link set accommodates a plurality of signaling links having different data link formats in a signaling link set connecting adjacent signaling points. The method is preferably one which manages signaling links a signaling system No. 7 (SS7) network. This method includes adding one or more signaling links having different data link formats to a signaling link set of the SS7 network, and processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points through one or more main signaling links which have superior bandwidth compared with the added links. Through this method, it is possible to make a natural development of a signaling network possible, boost stability of signaling network by diversifying media for transfer simultaneously, and get economic effects in constructing a signaling network through re-using data links used previously.

Claims

1. A method of managing signaling links in a signaling link set of a signaling system No. 7 (SS7) network, comprising:

adding a first signaling link to a signaling link set of the SS7 network, said first signaling link having a data link format different from a data link format of a second signaling link previously included in the signaling link set; and

processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points through the second signaling link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signaling link has a bandwidth different from a bandwidth of the first signaling link.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second signaling link has a bandwidth greater than a bandwidth of the first signaling link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising before said adding step:

determining whether a new signaling link may be added to the signaling link set by checking a number of signaling links in the signaling link set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inhibiting the first link if the data format of the first signaling link is not currently being used for signal message transfer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising

unhibiting the first signaling link when all signaling links in the signaling set having the data link format of the second signaling link become unavailable.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a failure occurs at the second signaling link while signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points is processed, checking whether an available signaling link having the same data link format as the data format of the second signaling link exists in the signaling link set; and

when the available signaling link exists, processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points by sharing the signal messages among the available main signaling links

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

if a failure occurs at the second signaling link while signal message transfer between signaling points is processed through the second signaling link, stopping signal message transfer trial through the second signaling link.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

when the available signaling link does not exist, processing signal message transfer between the adjacent signaling points by uninhibiting the first signaling links

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if a plurality of signaling links having the data format of the first signaling link exists in the signaling set, then uninhibiting the signaling link in said plurality of signaling links, having a greatest bandwidth among said plurality of signaling links.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if a failure occurs in the first signaling link while signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points is processed through the first signaling link, stopping signal message transfer trial through the first signaling links;

checking whether the available signaling link has the same data link format as the data link format of the first signaling link; and

,

when the available signaling link exists, processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points by sharing the signal messages among the available signaling link.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if a failure of the first or second signaling link is detected while signal message transfer between the adjacent signaling points is processed through the first signaling link among which the signal messages are shared, stopping signal message transfer trial by inhibiting the first signaling link among which the signal messages are shared; and

processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points through the second signaling link or the first signaling links of which failure is recovered.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a failure occurs at the first signaling link while signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points is processed through the first signaling link, performing a link failure process making the first signaling link unavailable.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a failure recovery is detected while signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points is processed, checking whether the signaling link of which failure is recovered is the first signaling link or the second signaling link;

when the signaling link of which failure is recovered is the second signaling link, performing a failure recovery process and checking whether the failure recovery is the first recovery at the second signaling link; and

,

when failure recovery is the first recovery at the second signaling link, inhibiting the first signaling link currently used for signal message transfer and processing signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points through the second signaling link of which failure is recovered.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if failure recovery at a signaling link is detected while signal message transfer between the adjacent signaling points is processed, checking whether the signaling link of which failure is recovered is the first signaling link or the second signaling link;

when the signaling link of which failure is recovered is the second signaling link, performing a failure recovery process and checking whether a signaling link currently used for signal message transfer corresponds to the first signaling link; and

when the signaling link currently used for signal message transfer is a first signaling link, inhibiting the first signaling link and processing signal message transfer between the adjacent signaling points through the second signaling link of which failure is recovered.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the signaling link of which failure is recovered is the first signaling link, performing a failure recovery process making the first signaling link available.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when the signaling link of which failure is recovered is a first signaling link, performing a failure recovery process making the first signaling link available.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the different data links processing part manages:

signaling link format information needed for performing the signaling link checking function;

information indicative of a type of signaling link currently used for signal message transfer; and

signaling link status information needed for performing the failure information managing function.

18. A system for managing signaling links in a signaling link set of a signaling system No. 7 (SS7) network, which includes a signal message processing part performing signal message routing, signal message discriminating and signal message distributing functions, comprising:

a different data links processing part which manages a plurality of signaling links having different data link formats, accommodated in a signaling link set used for signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points; and

a signaling network managing part, which adds signaling links having different data link formats to the signaling link set, activating the added signaling links, performing an inhibiting function and an uninhibiting function for signaling links having a certain data link format by cooperating with the different data links processing part, and performing a failure processing function for signaling links used for signal message transfer between adjacent signaling points.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the different data links processing part performs:

a signaling link checking function which checks whether one of the signaling links has a data link format to be inhibited; and

a failure information managing function for signaling links used for signal message transfer.

21. A signaling link set, comprising:

a first signaling link; and

a second signaling link,

wherein the first and second signaling links have different data link formats.

22. The signaling link set of claim 21, wherein the different data link formats correspond to different bandwidths.

23. The signaling link set of claim 21, wherein the first signaling link is an activated link and the second signaling link is an inactive link.

24. The signaling link set of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first and second signaling links carry signaling messages.

25. An SS7 network, comprising:

at least two signaling points; and

a signaling link set connecting the two signaling points and including first and second signaling links having different data link formats.

26. The signaling link set of claim 25, wherein the different data link formats correspond to different bandwidths.

27. The signaling link set of claim 25, wherein the first signaling link is an activated link and the second signaling link is an inactive link.

28. The signaling link set of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first and second signaling links carry signaling messages.

29. A link management system, comprising:

a manager which adds a first signaling link to a signaling link set which includes a second signaling link, said first and second signaling links having different data link formats; and

a router which routes messages through one of the first signaling link and second signaling link.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the different data link formats correspond to different bandwidths.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a checking unit which determines whether the first signaling link has a data link format different from a data link format of the second signaling link.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a processor which inhibits transfer of messages through the first signaling link.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a detector which detects a fault in the second signaling link, said manager activating the first signaling link when said fault is detected.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a fault recovery unit which corrects said fault in the second signaling link, said manager inhibiting the first signaling link and activating the second signaling link when said fault is corrected.