Edge device and method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points(SPs) using edge device
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs), the method comprising:
- (a) connecting a plurality of SS7 link interface modules of an edge device to a plurality of signaling points (SPs) using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting an Internet protocol (IP) interface module of the edge device to an IP-capable node using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(c) multiplexing call signaling messages received from the SPs received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links, converting the call signaling messages to the IP and transmitting the multiplexed, converted call signaling messages to the IP-capable node over the variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein multiplexing the call signaling messages includes using a message transfer part (MTP) level 3 routing function on each of the SS7 link interface modules to send the call signaling messages to the IP interface module; and
(d) at the IP interface module, receiving IP call signaling messages over the variable-bandwidth signaling link that are destined for one of the SPs, converting the IP call signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted call signaling messages to the SS7 link interface modules using an MTP level 3 routing function on the IP interface module.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for interconnecting SS7 signaling points include connecting an edge device to a plurality of SS7 service switching points using fixed-bandwidth SS7 links. The edge device is connected to an SS7/IP gateway using a variable-bandwidth signaling link. The edge device multiplexes SS7 messages received over the fixed-bandwidth signaling links and transmits the message over the variable-bandwidth signaling link.
192 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs), the method comprising:
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(a) connecting a plurality of SS7 link interface modules of an edge device to a plurality of signaling points (SPs) using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting an Internet protocol (IP) interface module of the edge device to an IP-capable node using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(c) multiplexing call signaling messages received from the SPs received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links, converting the call signaling messages to the IP and transmitting the multiplexed, converted call signaling messages to the IP-capable node over the variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein multiplexing the call signaling messages includes using a message transfer part (MTP) level 3 routing function on each of the SS7 link interface modules to send the call signaling messages to the IP interface module; and
(d) at the IP interface module, receiving IP call signaling messages over the variable-bandwidth signaling link that are destined for one of the SPs, converting the IP call signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted call signaling messages to the SS7 link interface modules using an MTP level 3 routing function on the IP interface module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for interconnecting SS7 signaling points (SPs) in a mesh network, the method comprising:
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(a) connecting first and second link interface modules of a first edge device to first and second SPs in a mesh network using first and second fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(b) connecting first and second link interface modules of a second edge device to third and fourth SPs in the mesh network using third and fourth fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling links;
(c) connecting an IP interface module of the first edge device to a an IP interface module of the second edge device using a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(d) multiplexing call signaling messages received from the first and second SPs using message transfer part level 3 routing functions resident on the first and second link interface modules of the first edge device to send the call signaling messages to the IP interface module on the first edge device and, at the IP interface module, encapsulating the call signaling messages in IP datagrams and transmitting the IP-encapsulated, multiplexed call signaling messages over the variable bandwidth signaling link; and
(e) at the IP interface module on the second edge device, receiving IP-encapsulated, multiplexed call signaling messages from the first edge device, converting the IP-encapsulated, multiplexed call signaling messages to SS7 format, and forwarding the SS7-formatted call signaling messages to one of the first and second interface modules of the second edge device using a message transfer part level 3 routing function resident on the IP interface module of the second edge device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An edge device comprising:
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(a) a first SS7 link interface module for receiving SS7 call signaling messages from a first SS7 signaling point over a first fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling;
(b) a second SS7 link interface module for receiving SS7 call signaling messages from a second SS7 signaling point over a second fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling link;
(c) an Internet protocol (IP) link interface module for receiving call signaling messages from first and second SS7 link interface modules, for converting the SS7 call signaling messages to IP format, and for transmitting the IP-formatted call signaling messages over a variable-bandwidth signaling link;
(d) first and second message transfer part (MTP) routing functions respectively located on the first and second SS7 link interface modules for determining whether the SS7 call signaling messages received by the first and second SS7 link interface modules are directed to a locally-connected SS7 signaling point, and, in response to determining that the SS7 call signaling messages are not directed to a locally-connected SS7 signaling point, for routing the messages to the IP interface module to be converted to IP format and transmitted over the variable-bandwidth signaling link and thereby multiplexing the SS7 call signaling messages received over the first and second fixed-bandwidth signaling links; and
(e) a third MTP level 3 routing function located on the IP interface module for routing inbound SS7 call signaling messages extracted from IP datagrams received by the IP link interface module and for routing the inbound SS7 call signaling messages to one of the first and second SS7 link interface modules. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for connecting SS7 signaling points (SPs) to an IP-capable node, the method comprising:
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(a) locating an edge device proximally to a plurality of SPs;
(b) connecting the edge device to the SPs using a plurality of fixed-bandwidth SS7s signaling links SS7 link, wherein connecting the edge device to the SPs using fixed bandwidth signaling links includes connecting each of the SPs to one of a plurality of SS7 link interface modules in the edge device;
(c) connecting the edge device to an Internet protocol (IP)-capable node located remotely from the edge device using a variable-bandwidth signaling link, wherein connecting the edge device to an IP-capable node includes connecting the edge device to an IP-capable node includes connecting the edge device to the IP-capable node using an IP interface module within the edge device;
(d) multiplexing SS7 call signaling messages received from the SPs, wherein multiplexing the SS7 call signaling messages includes using message transfer part layer 3 routing functions resident on the link interface modules to route the SS7 call signaling messages to the IP interface module, and, at the IP interface module, encapsulating the multiplexed call signaling messages in IP datagrams and transmitting the multiplexed, encapsulated call signaling messages over the variable bandwidth signaling link; and
(e) forwarding SS7 call signaling messages extracted from IP datagrams received by the IP interface module to one of the SS7 link interface modules using a message transfer part layer 3 routing function resident on the IP interface module. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:
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at an edge device;
(a) receiving signaling system seven (SS7) signaling units over at least one fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling link;
(b) filtering out predetermined first types of the SS7 signaling units received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling link;
(c) passing predetermined second types of the SS7 signaling units received over the fixed-bandwidth SS7 signaling link; and
(d) encapsulating the predetermined second types of SS7 signaling units in Internet protocol (IP) datagrams, and forwarding the IP datagrams to an IP-capable node over a variable-bandwidth signaling link. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification