System and method for monitoring performance statistics in a communications network
First Claim
1. A monitoring system for use in a communications network in which call control information pertaining to a communication link carrying voice or data signals between system users pass through one or more network components, wherein said network components are geographically separated from each other, said monitoring system comprising:
- processors associated with particular ones of said network components, said processors operable for receiving and temporarily storing therein selected call control information as said call control information passes through said associated network components, said stored call control information identifiable for a particular transaction, wherein said each of said processors comprise;
means for storing all selected call control information for a particular transaction in a unified list sorted by time of occurrence of said call control information;
means for communicating with other said processors, said communicating means permitting said processors to exchange data related to said particular transaction, wherein said processors comprise means for detecting said data having a same identifying code;
means for allowing said processors to identify one of said processors as a controlling processor for said particular transaction; and
means for combining said unified lists for all stored selected call control information for said particular transaction in said controlling processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for monitoring the operation of switching nodes in a telephone network. A first monitor is provided which is operable to capture data on all of the connection links of a first switching node in the network. A second monitor is provided which is operable to capture data on all of the connection links of a second switching node. The first and second monitors capture selected telephone switching messages on the links of the nodes. Each monitor compiles either a primary or secondary record of switching messages pertaining to a particular call or transaction being routed by switching nodes. The primary record is maintained by the monitor which detects the first message which initiates a particular call or transaction. Subsequent messages pertaining to that call or transaction that are captured by the other monitor are compiled in a secondary record. During the call or at the completion of the call or transaction, selected messages stored in the secondary call record are transferred to the monitor containing the primary record by means of a communications bus connecting the two monitors. The composite record is then analyzed by the monitor containing the primary record to evaluate the performance of the telephone switch and to generate performance statistics for the network.
123 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A monitoring system for use in a communications network in which call control information pertaining to a communication link carrying voice or data signals between system users pass through one or more network components, wherein said network components are geographically separated from each other, said monitoring system comprising:
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processors associated with particular ones of said network components, said processors operable for receiving and temporarily storing therein selected call control information as said call control information passes through said associated network components, said stored call control information identifiable for a particular transaction, wherein said each of said processors comprise; means for storing all selected call control information for a particular transaction in a unified list sorted by time of occurrence of said call control information; means for communicating with other said processors, said communicating means permitting said processors to exchange data related to said particular transaction, wherein said processors comprise means for detecting said data having a same identifying code; means for allowing said processors to identify one of said processors as a controlling processor for said particular transaction; and means for combining said unified lists for all stored selected call control information for said particular transaction in said controlling processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for monitoring statistics in a communications network having a plurality of Signaling Transfer Points (STPs), said network providing local number portability (LNP) capability to network users, said system comprising:
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a plurality of monitoring units, each of said monitoring units coupled to one of said STPs and functioning to capture LNP data messages passing through said one of said STPs, wherein said data messages are associated with particular transactions on said network, said monitoring units comprising; means for time stamping each of said data messages; means for identifying said data messages corresponding to particular transactions; and means for combining corresponding ones of said data messages in a call record for each of said particular transactions, wherein at least one of said data messages is selected from a group consisting of; data messages having a same identifying code; and data messages having more than one identifier; and means for identifying one of said monitoring units as a controlling monitor for a particular transaction. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for monitoring the performance characteristics of a telecommunications signaling network comprising:
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means for detecting signaling messages that are routed through at least one switching component; means for distinguishing among said detected signaling messages in order to associate each of said signaling messages with a particular call, wherein at least one of said signaling messages is selected from a group consisting of; signaling messages having a same identifying code; and signaling messages having more than one identifier; means for compiling a call record for said particular call, wherein said call record comprises detected signaling messages associated with said particular call; means for determining which of a plurality of monitoring units is an anchor monitor for said particular call, wherein each of said plurality of monitoring units maintain a partial call record for said particular call; means for transferring said partial call records to said anchor monitor in order to compile a substantially complete call record for said particular call; and means for compiling call statistics from a plurality of said substantially complete call records. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for use in a system for monitoring a telecommunications signaling network, said network having one or more switching components, the computer program product comprising:
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means for storing selected information for a particular transaction in a unified list sorted by time of detection of said information; means for communicating with processors, said communicating means permitting said processors to exchange data related to said particular transaction; means for allowing said processors to identify one of said processors as an anchor processor for said particular transaction; means for combining a plurality of unified lists for said particular transaction in said anchor processor, wherein said lists correspond to at least one of the following transactions from the group consisting of; a single transaction in which associated messages have more than one identifier; and a single transaction in which said processors detect a plurality of messages each having a same identifying code; and means for generating transaction statistics using said unified lists of said selected call control information. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for monitoring the performance characteristics of a telecommunications signaling network comprising the steps:
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detecting signaling messages that are routed through at least one switching component; identifying each said detected signaling message as associated with a particular transaction; compiling a call record for said particular transaction, wherein said call record comprises detected signaling messages associated with said particular transaction, and wherein said transaction corresponds to at least one of the following messages from the group consisting of; associated messages that have more than one identifier; and a plurality of messages each having a same identifying code; and determining which of a plurality of monitoring units is an anchor monitor for said particular transaction. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of monitoring a pair of telephone switches operating in mated relationship to one another such that a plurality of call control messages pertaining to a separate communication network carrying voice or data signals of a particular call or transaction over a selected communication channel between a calling party and a called party will always pass through one or both of the pair of switches, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing the call control messages of the particular transaction with a pair of monitoring devices, wherein each monitoring device is associated with one of the pair of telephone switches; storing the captured call control messages in a memory table in each monitoring device; establishing the memory table in one of the monitoring devices as a primary memory table and the memory table in the other device as a secondary memory table; truncating the captured call control messages in the secondary memory table into a subset record comprising calling party identification, called party identification and communication network link identification; transferring the subset record to the primary memory table; merging the subset record with the captured call control messages stored in the primary memory table that correspond to the particular transaction based on the calling party identification, called party identification and communication network link identification to thereby create a unified call record; and generating signaling network performance statistics from a plurality of said unified call records.
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52. A monitoring system for use in a communications network in which call control information pertaining to a communication link carrying voice or data signals between system users pass through one or more network components, wherein said network components are geographically separated from each other, said monitoring system comprising:
processors associated with particular ones of said network components, said processors operable for receiving and temporarily storing therein call control information as said call control information passes through said associated network components, said stored calling information identifiable for a particular transaction, wherein said each of said processors comprise; means for time stamping call control information for a particular transaction; means for allowing said processors to identify one of said processors as an anchor processor for said particular transaction using said time-stamped information; and means for communicating, from non-anchor monitors to said anchor monitor, all stored call control information for said particular transaction, wherein said call control information comprises said voice or data signals selected from a group consisting of; said signals having a same identifying code; and said signals having more than one identifier.
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53. A monitoring system for use in a communications network in which call control information pertaining to a communication link carrying voice or data signals between system users pass through one or more network components, wherein said network components are geographically separated from each other, said monitoring system comprising:
processors associated with particular ones of said network components, said processors operable for receiving and temporarily storing therein call control information as said call control information passes through said associated network components, said stored calling information identifiable for a particular call, wherein said each of said processors comprise; means for time stamping call control information for a particular call; means for allowing said processors to identify one of said processors as and anchor processor for said particular call using said time-stamped information; and means for communicating, from non-anchor monitors to said anchor monitor, all stored call control information for said particular call, wherein said call control information comprises said voice or data signals selected from a group consisting of; said signals having a same identifying code; and said signals having more than one identifier.
Specification