System and method for monitoring service quality in a communications network

• US 6,381,306 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Texas, LLC (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Inet Technologies, Inc. (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Lawson, Gerald Ray, Harper, Chad Daniel, Brehm, Grant Michael, Kalyanpur, Gaurang S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Stella
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/093,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 379/34, 379/9, 379/10, 379/15, 379/112, 379/113, 379/133, 379/134, 379/32.01, 379/32.02, 379/32.03, 379/32.05, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.06, 379/112.07, 379/112.08, 379/114.01, 379/121.01, 379/114.28, 379/115.01
• US Class Current: 379/32.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• 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 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number

Abstract

A system and method for generating service quality statistics for a communications network is disclosed. Network monitors capture messages in a communications network, such as an SS7 network, and correlate related messages into records. The records are filtered using a call detail record profile to create call detail records which are provided to an statistics server. The statistics server generates certain statistics for the message records and stores the statistics to a database. A report application recalls the statistics from the database and presents statistics in a reporting format configured by the user. The reports indicate the statistical performance of network providers for selected called or calling telephone numbers or for selected services.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a communications network comprising:

means for capturing messages from links in said communications network;

means for sending, to a transaction tracking processor in a monitor, said captured messages;

means for correlating said captured messages into message records;

means for sending, to a CDR application in said monitor, said correlated captured messages;

if said captured messages are received out of sequence by said transaction tracking processor, means for sending said out of sequence messages to said CDR application;

means for generating, by said CDR application, call detail records from said message records;

means for attaching, by said CDR application, said out of sequence messages to said call detail records;

means for providing, by a CDR configuration application, a call detail record profile to said CDR application, wherein said CDR application sends said call detail records to a quality assurance statistics application based on said call detail record profile;

interface means for allowing users to configure said call detail record profiles;

means for gathering, by said quality assurance statistics application, statistics from said call detail records;

means for storing, by said quality assurance statistics application, said statistics to a database;

means for recalling, by a quality assurance report application, said statistics from said database;

means for formatting, by said quality assurance report application, said statistics;

interface means for configuring a report profile, wherein said report profile comprises said formatted statistics to be recalled from said database; and

means for displaying said statistics to said user.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

profile storage means for storing said call detail record profiles.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said call detail record profile comprises parameters selected from the group consisting of:

Call State that Triggers the CDR Generation;

Address Complete;

Answer;

Call Termination;

Application Type;

Point Codes;

Calling Party Numbers;

Called Party Numbers;

Translated Numbers;

Mobile Identification Number (MIN);

Routing Numbers;

Account Numbers;

Electronic Serial Number; and

Location Routing Number.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said call detail records comprise parameters selected from the group consisting of:

Length of Entire CDR;

Length of Fixed Fields;

CDR Sequence Number;

CDR Condition Indicator;

Time of Transaction Start;

Time of Transaction End;

Carrier Identification Codes;

Origination Point Code;

Destination Point Code;

Abort Reason;

Application;

Number of Calling Party Digits;

Calling Party Number;

Number of Called Party Digits; and

Called Party Number.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said statistics are selected from the group consisting of:

Number of Call Attempts;

Number of Call Attempts Answered;

Number of User Busy Calls;

Number of Ring No Answer (RNA) Calls;

Number of Normal Release Calls;

Number of Abnormal Release Calls;

Number of Unallocated Number Calls;

Number of Address Incomplete Calls;

Number of Transaction Aborts;

Number of Congested Transactions;

Number of Congested Calls;

Number of Circuit Unavailable Calls;

Number of Failed Transactions;

Number of Failed Calls;

Number of Undefined Release Cause Failed Calls;

Number of Destination Out of Order Failed Calls;

Average Call Set-Up Time;

Average Call Hold Time; and

Average Answer Seizure Ratio.

6. A monitoring method for a communications network comprising the steps of:

capturing messages from links in said communications network;

sending said captured messages to a transaction tracking processor in a monitor;

correlating said captured messages into message records;

sending said correlated captured messages to a CDR application in said monitor;

if said captured messages are received out of sequence by said transaction tracking processor, sending said out of sequence messages to said CDR application;

generating, by said CDR application, call detail records from said message records;

attaching, by said CDR application, said out of sequence messages to said call detail records;

providing, by a CDR configuration application, a call detail record profile to said CDR application, wherein said CDR application sends said call detail records to a quality assurance statistics application based on said call detail record profile;

receiving user input to configure said call detail record profiles from a user interface;

gathering, by said quality assurance statistics application, statistics from said call detail records;

storing, by said quality assurance statistics application, said statistics to a database;

recalling, by a quality assurance report application, said statistics from said database;

formatting, by said quality assurance report application, said statistics;

receiving user input for configuring a report profile from a user interface, wherein said report profile comprises said formatted statistics to be recalled from said database; and

displaying said statistics to said user.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

storing said call detail record profiles in a profile storage element.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said call detail record profile comprises parameters selected from the group consisting of:

Call State that Triggers the CDR Generation;

Address Complete;

Answer;

Call Termination;

Application Type;

Point Codes;

Calling Party Numbers;

Called Party Numbers;

Translated Numbers;

Mobile Identification Number (MIN);

Routing Numbers;

Account Numbers;

Electronic Serial Number; and

Location Routing Number.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said call detail records comprise parameters selected from the group consisting of:

Length of Entire CDR;

Length of Fixed Fields;

CDR Sequence Number;

CDR Condition Indicator;

Time of Transaction Start;

Time of Transaction End;

Carrier Identification Codes;

Origination Point Code;

Destination Point Code;

Abort Reason;

Application;

Number of Calling Party Digits;

Calling Party Number;

Number of Called Party Digits; and

Called Party Number.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said statistics are selected from the group consisting of:

Number of Call Attempts;

Number of Call Attempts Answered;

Number of User Busy Calls;

Number of Ring No Answer (RNA) Calls;

Number of Normal Release Calls;

Number of Abnormal Release Calls;

Number of Unallocated Number Calls;

Number of Address Incomplete Calls;

Number of Transaction Aborts;

Number of Congested Transactions;

Number of Congested Calls;

Number of Circuit Unavailable Calls;

Number of Failed Transactions;

Number of Failed Calls;

Number of Undefined Release Cause Failed Calls;

Number of Destination Out of Order Failed Calls;

Average Call Set-Up Time;

Average Call Hold Time; and

Average Answer Seizure Ratio.