Edge device and method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs) using edge device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs), the method comprising:
- (a) connecting at least one SS7 link interface module of an edge device to a plurality of signaling points (SPs) using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting an Internet protocol (IP) interface module of the edge device to an IP-capable node using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(c) multiplexing signaling messages received from the SPs received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links, converting the signaling messages to the IP and transmitting the multiplexed, converted signaling messages to the IP-capable node over the variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein multiplexing the signaling messages includes using a message transfer part (MTP) level 3 routing function on the at least one SS7 link interface modules to send the signaling messages to the IP interface module; and
(d) at the IP interface module, receiving IP signaling messages over the variable-bandwidth signaling link that are destined for one of the SPs, converting the IP signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted signaling messages to the at least one SS7 link interface module using an MTP level 3 routing function on the IP interface module.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for interconnecting SS7 signaling points include connecting an edge device to a plurality of SS7 service switching points using fixed-bandwidth SS7 links. The edge device is connected to an SS7/IP gateway using a variable-bandwidth signaling link. The edge device multiplexes SS7 messages received over the fixed-bandwidth signaling links and transmits the message over the variable-bandwidth signaling link.
121 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs), the method comprising:
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(a) connecting at least one SS7 link interface module of an edge device to a plurality of signaling points (SPs) using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting an Internet protocol (IP) interface module of the edge device to an IP-capable node using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(c) multiplexing signaling messages received from the SPs received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links, converting the signaling messages to the IP and transmitting the multiplexed, converted signaling messages to the IP-capable node over the variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein multiplexing the signaling messages includes using a message transfer part (MTP) level 3 routing function on the at least one SS7 link interface modules to send the signaling messages to the IP interface module; and
(d) at the IP interface module, receiving IP signaling messages over the variable-bandwidth signaling link that are destined for one of the SPs, converting the IP signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted signaling messages to the at least one SS7 link interface module using an MTP level 3 routing function on the IP interface module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs) in a mesh network, the method comprising:
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(a) connecting at least one link interface module of a first edge device to first and second SPs in a mesh network using first and second fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting at least one link interface module of a second edge device to third and fourth SPs in the mesh network using third and fourth fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(c) connecting an IP interface module of the first edge device to an IP interface module of the second edge device using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(d) multiplexing signaling messages received from the first and second SPs using message transfer part level 3 routing functions resident on the at least one link interface module of the first edge device to send the signaling messages to the IP interface module on the first edge device and, at the IP interface module, encapsulating the signaling messages in IP datagrams and transmitting the IP-encapsulated, multiplexed signaling messages over the variable bandwidth signaling link; and
(e) at the IP interface module on the second edge device, receiving IP-encapsulated, multiplexed signaling messages from the first edge device, converting the IP-encapsulated, multiplexed signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted signaling messages to one of the at least one interface module of the second edge device using a message transfer part level 3 routing function resident on the IP interface module of the second edge device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An edge device comprising:
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(a) at least one SS7 link interface module for receiving SS7 signaling messages from first and second SS7 signaling points over first and second fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) an Internet protocol (IP) link interface module for receiving the SS7 signaling messages from the at least one SS7 link interface module, for converting the SS7 signaling messages to IP format, and for transmitting the IP-formatted signaling messages over a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(c) at least one message transfer part (MTP) routing function located on the at least one SS7 link interface module for determining whether the SS7 signaling messages received by the at least one SS7 link interface module are directed to a locally-connected SS7 signaling point, and, in response to determining that the SS7 signaling messages are not directed to a locally-connected SS7 signaling point, for routing the SS7 signaling messages to the IP interface module to be converted to IP format and transmitted over the variable-bandwidth signaling link and thereby multiplexing the SS7 signaling messages received over the first and second fixed-bandwidth signaling links; and
(d) a third MTP level 3 routing function located on the IP interface module for routing inbound SS7 signaling messages extracted from IP datagrams received by the IP link interface module and for routing the inbound SS7 signaling messages to the at least one SS7 link interface module. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for connecting SS7 signaling points (SPs) to an IP-capable node, the method comprising:
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(a) locating an edge device proximally to a plurality of SPs;
(b) connecting the edge device to the SPs using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links, wherein connecting the edge device to the SPs using fixed bandwidth signaling links includes connecting the SPs to at least one SS7 link interface module in the edge device;
(c) connecting the edge device to an Internet protocol (IP)-capable node located remotely from the edge device using a variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein connecting the edge device to an IP-capable node includes connecting the edge device to the IP-capable node using an IP interface module within the edge device;
(d) multiplexing SS7 signaling messages received from the SPs, wherein multiplexing the SS7 signaling messages includes using at least one message transfer part layer 3 routing function resident on the at least one link interface module to route the SS7 signaling messages to the IP interface module, and, at the IP interface module, encapsulating the multiplexed signaling messages in IP datagrams and transmitting the multiplexed, encapsulated signaling messages over the variable bandwidth signaling link; and
(e) forwarding SS7 signaling messages extracted from IP datagrams received by the IP interface module to the at least one SS7 link interface modules using a message transfer part layer 3 routing function resident on the IP interface module. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for performing network management in a network including at least one fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling link and at least one variable bandwidth IP signaling link, the method comprising:
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(a) determining whether a fixed bandwidth SS7 signaling link is down or congested;
(b) in response to determining that the fixed bandwidth SS7 signaling link is congested, buffering data and instructing a sending node to slow the flow of incoming IP-encapsulated SS7 messages destined for the fixed bandwidth SS7 signaling link; and
(c) in response to determining that the fixed bandwidth SS7 signaling link is down, instructing the sending node to stop the flow of incoming IP-encapsulated SS7 messages destined for the fixed bandwidth SS7 signaling link. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification