System and method for generating quality of service statistics for an international communications network

• US 6,529,594 B1
• Filed: 06/05/1998
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Texas, LLC (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Inet Technologies, Inc. (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Kalyanpur, Guarang S., Brockman, Pierce Edward, Patterson, Timothy K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/092,256
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/32.02, 379/32.03, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.05, 379/114.01, 379/133, 379/134, 379/219, 379/32.05, 379/112.06, 379/112.07, 379/112.08, 379/115.01, 379/114.28, 379/115.03
• 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 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

A system and method for capturing signaling units at international gateways in a communications network is disclosed. The signaling units are processed to determine the source and destination networks for the associated calls. The country code, nature of address field, destination point code and origination point code is used to process each message. Data about the messages that pass through the international gateway is stored to a memory device. The data can be recalled for each originating or destination network in the form of performance or quality of service statistics.

Claims

1. A method for measuring network quality for a remote national communications network, wherein a plurality of national networks in different countries are coupled to each other by communications links through one or more international gateways, the method comprising:

providing one or more monitoring units at each of said international gateways, the monitoring units coupled to the communications links at said international gateways, wherein said monitoring units are adapted to communicate with other monitoring units via an intermonitor network;

capturing, at a monitoring unit located at a local national network, messages passing between said national networks across said communications links;

correlating associated ones of said captured messages into message records;

analyzing said message records to identify calls or transactions or both that were routed across said remote national network; and

generating network performance statistics for said remote national network using said message records.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step further comprises:

determining an origination network and a destination network for said messages; and

determining a call completion status for calls related to said messages.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said message records are call records wherein said associated ones of said captured messages relate to one call.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said message records are transaction records wherein said associated ones of said captured messages relate to one transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing statistics for two or more originating national networks.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

a number of outbound calls;

a number of transit calls;

a number of answered calls; and

a number of ring, no answer calls.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

an average hold time;

an average conversation time;

an average response time;

an average wait time for answered calls; and

an average wait time for not answered calls.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

a number of busy calls;

a number of circuit congestion calls;

a number of call fail calls;

a number of normal release calls;

a number of circuit unavailable calls;

a number of unallocated number calls;

a number of address incomplete calls; and

a number of destination out of order calls.

9. A system for measuring network quality for a remote national communications network, wherein a plurality of national networks in different countries are coupled to each other by communications links through one or more international gateways, the system comprising:

one or more monitoring units at each of said international gateways, the monitoring units coupled to the communications links at said international gateways, wherein said monitoring units are adapted to communicate with other monitoring units via an intermonitor network, wherein at least one of said monitoring units is located at a local national network, the monitoring units comprising;

means for capturing messages passing between said national networks across said communications links; and

means for correlating associated ones of said captured messages into message records;

the system further comprising;

means for analyzing said message records to identify calls or transactions or both that were routed across said remote national network; and

means for generating network performance statistics for said remote national network using said message records.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for generating further comprises:

means for determining an origination network and a destination network for said messages; and

means for determining a call completion status for calls related to said messages.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said message records are call records wherein said associated ones of said captured messages relate to one call.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said message records are transaction records wherein said associated ones of said captured messages relate to one transaction.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

comparing statistics for two or more originating national networks.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

a number of outbound calls;

a number of transit calls;

a number of answered calls; and

a number of ring, no answer calls.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

an average hold time;

an average conversation time;

an average response time;

an average wait time for answered calls; and

an average wait time for not answered calls.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said network performance statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of:

a number of busy calls;

a number of circuit congestion calls;

a number of call fail calls;

a number of normal release calls;

a number of circuit unavailable calls;

a number of unallocated number calls;

a number of address incomplete calls; and

a number of destination out of order calls.