Apparatus and method for generating call duration billing records utilizing ISUP messages in the CCS/SS7 telecommunications network
First Claim
1. In a telephone network that includes a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network designed to transport SS7 Signal Units (SU), said SUs including Message Signal Units (MSU), said telephone network having switching offices with respect to which telephone calls can be set up and terminated, said switching offices setting up a particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call setup MSUs of respective call setup types containing call data identifying said particular call, said switching offices terminating said particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call terminating MSUs of respective call terminating types containing said call data, said CCS network including means for copying said SUs transitting said CCS network, apparatus for generating a call duration billing record for said particular call, comprising:
- input means for receiving said copied SUs and applying a timestamp to each of said copied SUs in accordance with the time of receipt thereof,filtering means responsive to said copied SUs for selectively passing MSUs of said call setup and call terminating types,correlating means responsive to said passed MSUs for correlating said call setup and call terminating MSUs with each other in accordance with said call data so as to obtain correlated call setup and call terminating MSUs for said particular call,elapsed time computing means responsive to said correlated call setup and call terminating MSUs for computing elapsed time of said particular call in accordance with the difference between a start time and an end time of said particular call, said start time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call setup MSUs and said end time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call terminating MSUs, andrecord generating means for generating said call duration billing record for said particular call from said correlated MSUs, said record generating means operative to generate said call duration billing record including said elapsed time of said particular call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer platform with a Call Billing application thereon monitors linksets of the CCS/SS7 network extending between Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Signaling Transfer Points (STP) and Competitive Access Provider (CAP) switches such as End Offices (EO) and Tandem Offices, where the CAP switches have access to the LEC switching offices in the LEC area for providing service therein. The platform receives SS7 Signal Units (SU) copied from the linksets and filters the SUs to pass ISUP MSUs of message types Initial Address Message (IAM), Exit Message (EXM), Address Complete Message (ACM), Answer Message (ANM), Reset Circuit Message (RSC) and Release Message (REL). The application correlates a received IAM against subsequently received and filtered ISUP messages in accordance with correlation search keys Originating Point Code (OPC), Destination Point Code (DPC) and Circuit Identification Code (CIC) so as to correlate the filtered ISUP MSUs that originate, set up and terminate a call. The elapsed time of the call is determined based on the difference between a call start time and a call end time where the start time is predicated on a call originating or setup MSU and the end time is predicated on a call terminating MSU. The call type can be for either "access" or "conversation" elapsed time depending on call direction and destination. Different ISUP MSU criteria are utilized for the two call types. For call type access, ACM may be utilized on which to base the start time, whereas for call time conversation, ANM may be utilized as the basis for the start time.
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Citations
95 Claims
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1. In a telephone network that includes a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network designed to transport SS7 Signal Units (SU), said SUs including Message Signal Units (MSU), said telephone network having switching offices with respect to which telephone calls can be set up and terminated, said switching offices setting up a particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call setup MSUs of respective call setup types containing call data identifying said particular call, said switching offices terminating said particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call terminating MSUs of respective call terminating types containing said call data, said CCS network including means for copying said SUs transitting said CCS network, apparatus for generating a call duration billing record for said particular call, comprising:
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input means for receiving said copied SUs and applying a timestamp to each of said copied SUs in accordance with the time of receipt thereof, filtering means responsive to said copied SUs for selectively passing MSUs of said call setup and call terminating types, correlating means responsive to said passed MSUs for correlating said call setup and call terminating MSUs with each other in accordance with said call data so as to obtain correlated call setup and call terminating MSUs for said particular call, elapsed time computing means responsive to said correlated call setup and call terminating MSUs for computing elapsed time of said particular call in accordance with the difference between a start time and an end time of said particular call, said start time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call setup MSUs and said end time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call terminating MSUs, and record generating means for generating said call duration billing record for said particular call from said correlated MSUs, said record generating means operative to generate said call duration billing record including said elapsed time of said particular call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. In a telephone network that includes a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network designed to transport SS7 Signal Units (SU), said SUs including Message Signal Units (MSU), said telephone network having switching offices with respect to which telephone calls can be set up and terminated, said switching offices setting up a particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call setup MSUs of respective call setup types containing call data identifying said particular call, said switching offices terminating said particular call by transmitting on said CCS network call terminating MSUs of respective call terminating types containing said call data, said CCS network including means for copying said SUs transitting said CCS network, a method for generating a call duration billing record for said particular call, comprising:
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receiving said copied SUs, applying a timestamp to each of said copied SUs in accordance with the time of receipt thereof, selectively passing MSUs of said call setup and call terminating types from said copied SUs, correlating said call setup and call terminating MSUs with each other in accordance with said call data so as to obtain correlated call setup and call terminating MSUs for said particular call, computing elapsed time of said particular call in accordance with the difference between a start time and an end time of said particular call, said start time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call setup MSUs and said end time based on the timestamp of one of said correlated call terminating MSUs, and generating said call duration billing record for said particular call from said correlated MSUs, said call duration billing record including said elapsed time of said particular call. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95)
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Specification