System and method for managing a telecommunications network by determining service impact

• US 5,999,604 A
• Filed: 03/03/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Walter, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/033,705
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111-115, 379/120, 379/127, 379/126, 379/133-134, 379/137, 379/139-140, 379/116-119
• US Class Current: 379/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording

Abstract

A system and method for managing a telecommunications network through near real time analysis of Call Detail Records (CDRs) is provided. The system and method of the invention reports how a particular call service is performing and how its performance deteriorates as a result of any type of network event, including both hardware and software related events. A feature of the invention is that it provides several levels of service impact reporting, thus providing users with more versatile and detailed network management capabilities.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing the effects of network events on call services comprising:

receiving a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) from a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of CDRs including a time stamp, call service data and call destination data;

grouping the plurality of CDRs into a plurality of first subgroups according to corresponding network devices and to the time stamps of the plurality of CDRs;

for each of the plurality of first subgroups, grouping the CDRs into a plurality of second subgroups according to a call service data and call destination data; and

generating call statistics indicative of a state of call services from data contained in the CDRs for each of the plurality of second subgroups.

2. An apparatus for analyzing the effect of network events on call services comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) from a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of CDRs including a time stamp, a call service data and a call destination data;

means for grouping the plurality of CDRs into a plurality of first subgroups according to corresponding network devices and to the time stamps of the plurality of CDRs;

means for grouping the CDR'"'"'s of each of the plurality of first subgroups into a plurality of second subgroups according to a call service data and call destination data; and

means for generating call statistics indicative of a state of call services from data contained in the CDRs for each of the plurality of second subgroups.

3. An apparatus for analyzing the effect of network events on call services, said apparatus including a computer programmed to:

receive a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) from a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of CDRs including a time stamp, call service data and call destination data;

group the plurality of CDRs into a plurality of first subgroups according to corresponding network devices and to the time stamps of the plurality of CDRs;

for each of the plurality of first subgroups, to group the CDRs into a plurality of second subgroups according to a call service data and call destination data; and

generate call statistics indicative of a state of call services from data contained in the CDRs for each of the plurality of second subgroups.

4. A system for analyzing the effect of network events on call services comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) from a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of CDRs including a time stamp, a call service data and a call destination data;

means for grouping the plurality of CDRs into a plurality of first subgroups according to corresponding network devices and to the time stamps of the plurality of CDRs;

means for grouping the CDR'"'"'s of each of the plurality of first subgroups into a plurality of second subgroups according to a call service data and call destination data;

means for generating call statistics from metrics contained in the CDRs for each of the plurality of second subgroups; and

means for displaying the statistics in a user friendly easily readable manner.

5. A method for analyzing the effects of network events on call services comprising:

receiving a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) from a plurality of network devices, each of the plurality of CDRs including a time stamp, call service data and call destination data;

grouping the plurality of CDRs into a plurality of first subgroups according to corresponding network devices and to the time stamps of the plurality of CDRs;

for each of the plurality of first subgroups, grouping the CDRs into a plurality of second subgroups according to a call service data and call destination data;

generating call statistics indicative of a state of call services from data contained in the CDRs for each of the plurality of second subgroups;

generating a threshold value for each call statistic, each threshold value including a dynamic mean value of a corresponding call statistic over a selected time period;

comparing each call statistic to a corresponding threshold value and visually coding the statistics responsive to the comparison; and

displaying the visually coded statistics to indicate call service alarm conditions.