System and method for monitoring signaling units on A-interface links in a GSM network

• US 6,633,555 B1
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Texas, LLC (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Inet Technologies, Inc. (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Miao, Xin, Venkataraman, Vijayakumar, Lu, Xingchen, Lin, Lisan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/156,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331, 370/337, 370/338, 370/347, 455/445, 455/436, 455/439, 455/432
• US Class Current: 370/331
• 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 15/04 Recording calls , or communications in printed, perforated or other permanent form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/31 Distributed metering or calculation of charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/96 Distributed calculation of charges, e.g. in different nodes like for mobiles between HLR and VLR, or between the terminal and the billing function

Abstract

A system and method for correlating messages from A interface links is disclosed. When an initial connection message for a new call connection is detected, a new anchor record and call record are created to capture messages for that call. When an initial handover connection is detected, a handover pending record is created to collect messages related to the handover connection. When either a handover-from or handover-to connection is detected, a handover connection reference record is sent to a rendezvous processor. Handover-to and handover-from connection reference records are correlated in the rendezvous processor by matching data keyed to the specific handover event. Once a handover pending record is paired to an existing anchor record, the handover pending record is converted to a routing record to route messages to the anchor record. If the handover pending record is not paired with an existing anchor record, then it is converted to an anchor record and a new call record is created to collect messages for the handover-to connection. All messages for a particular call on an MSC are correlated from each A interface in to a single call record. The A interface call record is then further correlated with other call and transaction records by a central server or processor.

Claims

1. A system for correlating messages in a communication network, wherein said messages include source data identifying a specific call connection, said system comprising:

means for creating an anchor record, wherein said anchor record identifies a call record to receive messages associated with said specific call connection;

means for creating a secondary record, wherein said secondary record identifies a processor having said anchor record;

means for creating a handover pending record when a handover-to connection is initiated;

means for determining whether said handover pending record corresponds to said specific call connection; and

means for converting said handover pending record to a routing record when said handover pending record corresponds to said specific call connection, wherein said routing record identifies a processor having said anchor record.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for converting said handover pending record to a second anchor record when said handover pending record does not correspond to said specific call connection.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said determining means further comprises:

means for creating a handover reference record for a first network link, wherein said first network link is associated with a handover-from connection;

means for creating a handover reference record for a second network link, wherein said second network link is associated with a handover-to connection; and

means for comparing said handover reference records for said first and second links.

4. A method for correlating messages in a communication network, wherein said messages include source data identifying a specific call connection between a base station and a switch, said system comprising:

creating an anchor record, wherein said anchor record identifies a call record to receive messages associated with a first call connection;

creating a secondary record, wherein said secondary record identifies a processor having said anchor record;

creating a handover pending record when a handover-to call connection is initiated;

determining whether said handover pending record corresponds to said first call connection; and

converting said handover pending record to a routing record when said handover pending record corresponds to said first call connection, wherein said routing record identifies a processor having said anchor record.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

converting said handover pending record to a second anchor record when said handover pending record does not correspond to said specific call connection.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said determining step further comprises:

creating a handover reference record for a first network link, wherein said first network link is associated with a handover-from connection;

creating a handover reference record for a second network link, wherein said second network link is associated with a handover-to connection; and

comparing said handover reference records for said first and second links.

7. A method of correlating a connection on a first communication link to a connection on a second communication link comprising the steps of:

detecting a handover-from message on said first communication link;

creating a first handover reference record for said connection on said first link;

detecting a handover-to message on said second communication link;

creating a second handover reference record for said connection on said second link;

comparing said first and second handover reference records; and

combining said first and second handover reference records into a communication record.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first handover reference record comprises a first cell identifier and said second handover reference record comprises a second cell identifier;

and

wherein said comparing step further comprises;

comparing said first and second cell identifiers.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said first handover reference record comprises a first handover reference number and said second handover reference record comprises a second handover reference number;

and

wherein said comparing step further comprises;

comparing said first and second handover reference numbers.

10. A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon for use in a system for correlating messages in a communications network, said computer readable medium comprising:

means for correlating messages captured from a first link in said communications network and for combining said first link messages into a first call record, wherein said call record is associated with a call connection on said first link;

means for collecting messages captured from a second link in said communications network and for determining whether said second link messages correspond to said call connection on said first link; and

means for collecting messages captured from a third link in said communications network and for determining whether said third link messages correspond to said call connection on said second link.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

means for combining said second link messages into said first call record.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising:

means for combining said second link messages into a second call record, wherein said call record corresponds to a call connection on said second link.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein said call connection on said second link is not associated with said call connection on said first link.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

means for combining said third link messages with said call record.

15. A system for correlating a plurality of diverse messages into a single record representing a particular communication on one or more communication networks, said system comprising:

means for correlating related messages of a first type into a first message record;

means for correlating related messages of a second type into a second message record;

means for determining whether said first and second message records are associated with a single communication;

means for combining said first and second message records into a first communication record, wherein said first communication record is associated with a particular communication;

means for correlating related messages of a third type into a third message record; and

means for determining whether said third message record is associated with said particular communication.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for combining said third message record into said first communication record.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said messages of a first type are transaction messages, and wherein said messages of a second type are call messages.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said messages of a first type are transaction messages, and wherein said messages of a second type are A interface messages.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said messages of a first type are A interface messages, and wherein said messages of a second type are call messages.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said messages of a first type are captured on a first communication network and wherein said messages of a second type are captured on a second communication network, wherein said first and second communication networks carry different legs of a same communication.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for analyzing a plurality of communication records and for generating statistics representing a status of one or more communications networks.