Enterprise Collection Bus

• US 20090207835A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lott, Robert Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented to collect raw data from a plurality of servers and nodes on a network. A Distributed Enterprise Collection Bus (DECB) architecture is employed at various points on a network. The DECB comprises a collector unit that is protocol agnostic, an orchestration unit, a rule database, a filtering unit, and a distribution unit. Packets of raw data such as Call Detail Records (CDRs) generated by switching centers are received, and distributed to relevant destinations. Relevant destinations include data warehouses, mediation, analytics, etc. The goal is to alleviate collection and filtration duties of the source and destination.

Claims

1. A method for collecting information on a network, comprising:

receiving a packet of raw data, wherein the packet of raw data is generated by a source server on the network and is related to an event; and

consulting a rule database to determine an appropriate destination server for the packet of raw data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing the packet of raw data to the appropriate destination server.

3. A method for collecting information on a network, comprising:

receiving a packet of raw data, wherein the packet of raw data is generated by a source server on the network and is related to an event;

consulting a rule database to determine an appropriate destination server for the packet of raw data; and

distributing the packet of raw data to the appropriate destination server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising discarding the packet of raw data in the case that no appropriate destination server exists for the packet of raw data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the network is a mobile network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the event is a service activity by a subscriber.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the packet of raw data comprises records related to the service activity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the packet of raw data is a Call Detail Record generated by a switching server.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the packet of raw data is generated and collected in real time.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the packet of raw data is collected by a collecting unit that is protocol agnostic.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a network operator an interface to update the rule database.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the appropriate destination server is a billing system.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the appropriate destination server is a data warehouse.

14. A network system, comprising:

a packet of data generated by a first address on the network;

a first logic unit programmed to receive the packet of data, wherein the first logic unit is protocol agnostic;

a second logic unit in communication with the first logic unit, wherein the second logic unit assigns an appropriate destination address to the packet of raw data;

a rule database in communication with the second logic unit, correlating a plurality of destination addresses on the network with the packet of raw data; and

a third logic unit programmed to deliver the packet of raw data to the appropriate destination address;

said third logic unit further programmed to discard the packet of raw data in the case that no appropriate destination address exists in the rule database.

15. The network system of claim 14, wherein a plurality of first, second, and third logic units along with a rule database form an Enterprise Collection Bus, wherein the plurality provides redundancy.

16. The network system of claim 15, wherein the Enterprise Collection Bus is protocol agnostic, and can be situated at any point in the network.

17. The network system of claim 16, wherein the Enterprise Collection Bus is situated in a pair configuration comprising two Enterprise Collection Buses.

18. An information collection system, comprising:

a collector unit that receives a packet of raw data from a network;

an orchestration unit that assigns a plurality of destination addresses to the packet of raw data; and

a delivery unit that forwards the packet of raw data to the plurality of destination addresses.

19. The information collection system of claim 18, further comprising:

a filtering unit to discard unwanted packets of raw data

20. The information collection system of claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of rules stored on a first database;

wherein the orchestration unit uses the plurality of rules to assign the plurality of destination addresses.

21. The information collection system of claim 18, wherein the packet of raw data is generated by a server on the network

22. The information collection system of claim 21, wherein the server is an application server

23. The information collection system of claim 18, wherein the packet of raw data comprises usage details for a subscriber on the network.

24. The information collection system of claim 23, wherein the packet of raw data comprises a Call Detail Record.