Method and apparatus for relieving the loading of a service function node in a telecommunications signalling network
First Claim
1. A method of relieving the loading of a service function node to which query messages are addressed over a telecommunications signalling network from a querying entity, said query messages each including source and destination data and giving rise to corresponding response messages returned to said querying entity over said signalling network;
- said method comprising the steps of;
(a) intercepting messages on at least one link of said signalling network and selecting from the intercepted messages at least certain of said query messages addressed to the service function node;
(b) for each selected query message, generating appropriate response data;
(c) replacing each said selected query message with a response message including said response data, the response message having its destination data set to the source data of the corresponding query message; and
(d) forwarding on over the signalling network the response messages provided in step (c), said response messages being forwarded in a direction corresponding to that in which said query messages were traveling when intercepted in step (a).
1 Assignment
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Abstract
In order to relieve the loading of a service control point SCP in a telecommunications signalling network, query messages addressed to the SCP are intercepted prior to receipt by the SCP. These intercepted query messages are examined and response data generated, at least for certain query types. For a query message for which response data is generated, the query message is replaced by a response message addressed to the querying entity. The response message is then forwarded on in the same sense as the received query message. In a preferred implementation, the forwarded response message will next be received by a signalling transfer point STP and be directed back to the querying entity.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of relieving the loading of a service function node to which query messages are addressed over a telecommunications signalling network from a querying entity, said query messages each including source and destination data and giving rise to corresponding response messages returned to said querying entity over said signalling network;
- said method comprising the steps of;
(a) intercepting messages on at least one link of said signalling network and selecting from the intercepted messages at least certain of said query messages addressed to the service function node; (b) for each selected query message, generating appropriate response data; (c) replacing each said selected query message with a response message including said response data, the response message having its destination data set to the source data of the corresponding query message; and (d) forwarding on over the signalling network the response messages provided in step (c), said response messages being forwarded in a direction corresponding to that in which said query messages were traveling when intercepted in step (a). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- said method comprising the steps of;
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10. Apparatus for relieving the loading of a service function node to which query messages are addressed over a telecommunications signalling network from a querying entity, said query messages each including source and destination data and giving rise to corresponding response messages returned to said querying entity over said signalling network;
- said apparatus comprising;
means for intercepting messages on at least one link of said signalling network and selecting from the intercepted messages at least certain of said query messages addressed to the service function node; means for generating, for each selected query message, appropriate response data; means for replacing each said selected query message with a response message including said response data, the response message having its destination data set to the source data of the corresponding query message; and means for forwarding on said response messages over the signalling network, said response messages being forwarded in a direction corresponding to that in which said query messages were traveling when intercepted in step (a).
- said apparatus comprising;
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11. A telecommunications system including a signalling network with signalling transfer points, a service function node connected to said signalling network for receiving query messages and returning corresponding response messages, and a querying entity connected to said signalling network for addressing query messages to said service function node and receiving back therefrom said corresponding response messages, each said query message including source and destination data;
- said system further comprising;
means connected into a link of said signalling system to intercept messages carried by that link, said link being one carrying query messages en route for said service function node via a said signalling transfer point of said signalling network; means for selecting from the intercepted messages at least certain of said query messages addressed to the service function node; means operative for each selected query message, to generate appropriate response data; means for replacing each said selected query message with a response message including said response data, the response message having its destination data set to the source data of the corresponding query message; and means for forwarding on said response messages over the signalling network in a direction corresponding to that in which said query messages were traveling when intercepted in step (a), via said signalling transfer point.
- said system further comprising;
Specification