Transfer of SS7 signalling message contents over packet broadcasting network (LAN) from multiple signalling points to single point (multiple point-to-point)

• US 6,781,954 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Aalto, Petri, Takamaki, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US09/481,720
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 370/236, 370/242, 370/241, 370/250, 370/338, 370/389, 370/390, 370/409, 370/410, 370/432, 370/522, 370/349, 370/350, 370/352, 370/381, 370/385, 379/22.03, 379/115.01, 379/145, 379/230
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for signal monitoring of messages in a telecommunications network having a plurality of switches and network elements therein alleviate the need for external hardware to be hooked up to nodes of the network to determine whether faults have occurred at the nodes. A signal monitoring application disclosed herein stores related message signals and messages in a relational database wherein messages and signals having common elements can be easily and quickly viewed. The SIMO application cross-references the messages and signals in the relational database according to a transaction table which categorizes and stores the messages according to parameters set out in the transaction table. This allows the messages to be ranked and viewed very quickly without the need to process them and expend valuable computational time and resources.

Claims

1. A method of signal monitoring of a message signal at a signaling point in a communications system, comprising the steps of connecting a processor running a signal monitoring application to the signaling point through a communication network;

and monitoring, by the processor running the signal monitoring application, the message signal at the signaling point at a logical level of the signaling point.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of referencing the message signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table to process the message signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining whether the trigger condition for the message signal has occurred and capturing the message signal for message signal processing if the trigger condition has occurred.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of collecting and storing message signaling information relating to the message signal traversing the signaling point.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining whether the trigger condition for the message signal has occurred and capturing the message signal for message signal processing if the trigger condition has occurred.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of collecting and storing message signaling information relating to the message signal traversing the signaling point.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the referencing step further comprises the step of breaking up the message signal into a message table for storage in the database.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the database is a relational database.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the transaction table contains all information related to a single message traversing the system and the message table is operable to contain all parameters related to the message signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the collecting step further comprises monitoring centrally the signaling point, thereby alleviating a need to provide more than one signaling point to perform signal monitoring.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication system is a telecommunication system.

7. A method of signal monitoring of a message signal at a signaling point in a communications system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring the signaling point at a logical level of the signaling point;

referencing the message signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table to process the message signal;

determining whether the trigger condition for the message signal has occurred and capturing the message signal for message signal processing if the trigger condition has occurred;

collecting and storing message signaling information relating to the message signal traversing the signaling point; and

storing the referenced message signal in a database having stored therein other message signals which have been similarly referenced according to the transaction table when a trigger condition has occurred for the other message signals.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining step further comprises setting the trigger for the message signal and storing the message signal in the relational database.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the signaling point is a switch.

15. A method of signal monitoring of a message signal at a signaling point in a communications system, comprising the steps of:

referencing the message signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table to process the message signal;

determining whether the trigger condition for the message signal has occurred and capturing the message signal for message signal processing if the trigger condition has occurred;

collecting and storing message signaling information relating to the message signal traversing the signaling point; and

storing the referenced message signal in a database having stored therein other message signals which have been similarly referenced according to the transaction table.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the referencing step further comprises the step of breaking up the message signal into a message table for storage in the database.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the database is a relational database.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining step further comprises setting the trigger for the message signal and storing the message signal in the relational database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transaction table contains all information related to a single message traversing the system and the message table is operable to contain all parameters related to the message signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the collecting step further comprises monitoring centrally the signaling point, thereby alleviating a need to provide more than one signaling point to perform signal monitoring.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the monitoring step comprises monitoring the signaling point at a logical level of the signaling point.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the signaling point is a switch.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication system is a telecommunication system.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the communications system comprises a processor and further comprising the steps of monitoring a message signal at the signaling point and forwarding signaling information between the processor and the signaling point via a packet broadcasting network.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of forwarding signaling information about the messages via an asynchronous transfer mode network.

26. A communication system including at least one signaling point to be monitored at a logical level of the signaling point, comprising a processor running a signal monitoring application connected to a communication network, said processor being in communication with the at least one signaling point through communication network for performing signal monitoring of a signaling message at a logical level of the signaling point.

27. The communication system of claim 26, further comprising a database for collecting and storing the signaling data regarding the state of the messages, wherein the signaling point determines if a trigger condition has occurred and if so forwards the signaling message to the processor which references the signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table.

28. A communication system including at least one signaling point to be monitored at a logical level of the signaling point, comprising:

a processor in communication with the signaling point for performing signal monitoring of a signaling message at a logical level of the signaling point;

a database for collecting and storing the signaling data regarding the state of the messages, wherein the signaling point determines if a trigger condition has occurred and if so forwards the signaling message to the processor which references the signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table; and

a message table in communication with the transaction table, wherein the processor further references the signal by breaking up the message signal into the message table for storage in the database.

29. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the signaling messages are forwarded to the processor via a packet broadcasting network.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein the database is a relational database.

31. The communication system of claim 30, wherein the processor sets the trigger for the message signal and stores the message signal in the relational database.

32. The communication system of claim 31, wherein the transaction table further comprises all information related to a single message traversing the system and the message table comprises all parameters related to the message signal.

33. The communication system of claim 32, wherein the signaling point comprises a switch element.

34. A network element in a communication system for monitoring signal messages comprising an element for monitoring a signaling point wherein messages are stored and collected to the element, the element comprising a database for collecting and storing the signaling data regarding the state of the messages, wherein the signaling point determines if a trigger condition has occurred and if so forwards the signaling message to the element which references the signal according to parameters set out in a transaction table;

and

a message table in communication with the transaction table, wherein the processor further references the signal by breaking up the message signal into the message table for storage in the database.