METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR MANAGING THE FLOW OF SIGNALING TRAFFIC ENTERING A SIGNALING SYSTEM 7 (SS7) BASED NETWORK

• US 20090034512A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bantukul, Apirux, Marsico, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network having a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering the SS7 based network includes generating, at a signaling node within the SS7 network, a route management message including information for identifying one of the plurality of gateways as the preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network. The message is sent to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

Claims

1. A method for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network, the method comprising:

at a signaling node within an SS7 network, the SS7 network having a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network;

generating a route management message, the message including information for identifying one of the plurality of gateways as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signaling node within the SS7 network comprises one of a signal transfer point (STP), a service switching point (SSP), a mobile switching center (MSC), and a media gateway controller (MGC).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the route management message comprises a non-SS7 protocol message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the route management message is generated in response to a network management event regarding an operating status of a portion of the SS7 network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the network management event regarding an operating status of a portion of the SS7 network comprises one of:

detection of congestion of a link within the SS7 network;

detection of congestion of a node within the SS7 network;

detection of a failure of a link within the SS7 network;

detection of a failure of a node within the SS7 network; and

receipt of a network configuration instruction.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the route management message includes information identifying which traffic is to be directed through the identified gateway.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the information identifying which traffic is to be directed through the identified gateway includes at least one of a routing number of an SS7 node, a directory number of a subscriber, a range of subscriber directory numbers, and a transaction type.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the route management message includes information indicating a status of a node within the SS7 network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the route management message includes information indicating a status of a route within the SS7 network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the information indicating a status of a route comprises information indicating at least one of:

a removal of the route from service;

a failure of the route;

a level of congestion of the route;

an amount of traffic throttling for the route;

a recovery of the route; and

a placement of the route into service.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network includes sending the message to a node in a session initiation protocol (SIP) network.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network includes sending the message to an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network node.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network includes sending the message to a breakout gateway control function (BGCF) node.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the information for identifying one of the plurality of gateways as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network comprises information identifying one of the plurality of gateways as a disfavored gateway for traffic into the SS7 network.

15. A method for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network, the method comprising:

generating, at a signaling node within an SS7 network, routing information for identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

communicating the generated routing information to a node in the non-SS7 network.

16. A signaling message processing node for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network, the signaling message processing node comprising:

a route management proxy module for generating a route management message, the message including information identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

a communications module for sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

17. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the node comprises one of a signal transfer point (STP), a service switching point (SSP), a mobile switching center (MSC), and a media gateway controller (MGC).

18. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the route management message comprises a non-SS7 protocol message.

19. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the route management proxy module generates the route management message in response to a network management event regarding an operating status of a portion of the SS7 network.

20. The signaling message processing node of claim 19 wherein the network management event regarding an operating status of a portion of the SS7 network comprises one of:

detection of congestion of a link within the SS7 network;

detection of congestion of a node within the SS7 network;

detection of a failure of a link within the SS7 network;

detection of a failure of a node within the SS7 network; and

receipt of a network configuration instruction.

21. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the route management message includes information identifying which traffic is to be directed through the identified gateway.

22. The signaling message processing node of claim 21 wherein the information identifying which traffic is to be directed through the identified gateway includes at least one of a routing number of an SS7 node, a directory number of a subscriber, a range of subscriber directory numbers, and a transaction type.

23. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the route management message includes information indicating a status of a node within the SS7 network.

24. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the route management message includes information indicating a status of a route within the SS7 network.

25. The signaling message processing node of claim 24 wherein the information indicating a status of a route comprises information indicating at least one of:

a removal of the route from service;

a failure of the route;

a level of congestion of the route;

an amount of traffic throttling for the route;

a recovery of the route; and

a placement of the route into service.

26. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the communications module is configured to send the message to a node in a session initiation protocol (SIP) network.

27. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the communications module is configured to send the message to an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network node.

28. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein the communications module is configured to send the message to a breakout gateway control function (BGCF) node.

29. The signaling message processing node of claim 16 wherein information identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 signaling node comprises information identifying one of the plurality of gateways as a disfavored gateway for traffic into the SS7 network.

30. A system for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network, the system comprising:

an SS7 network signaling node for generating and sending a route management message, the message including information identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

a node in the non-SS7 network for receiving the route management message identifying the preferred gateway and for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

31. A signaling message processing node for managing the flow of signaling traffic entering a signaling system 7 (SS7) based network, the signaling message processing node comprising:

a communications module for receiving a route management message, the message including information identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting the SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

a message processing module for identifying, based on the information included in the route management message, one of the plurality of gateways as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network and for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.

32. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

generating a route management message, the message including information for identifying one of a plurality of gateways for connecting an SS7 network to a non-SS7 network as a preferred gateway for traffic into the SS7 network; and

sending the message to a node in the non-SS7 network for directing traffic into the SS7 network via the identified gateway.