Distributed signaling system 7 (SS7) message routing gateway
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A distributed call signaling message routing gateway comprising:
- (a) a first distributed gateway routing element including a first interface for sending SS7 call signaling messages to and receiving SS7 call signaling messages from a first SS7 network element via a first SS7 signaling link and for performing SS7 routing functions for the SS7 messages received from the first SS7 network element and a second interface for sending the SS7-routed messages over a virtual bus and for setting quality of service parameters in the SS7-routed messages sent over the virtual bus, wherein the SS7 call signaling messages sent over the second interface include a plurality of different signaling message types and wherein setting quality of service parameters includes determining a required quality of service parameter for each SS7 call signaling message sent over the second interface based on the signaling message type of each SS7 call signaling message; and
(b) at least one second distributed gateway routing element including a first interface for receiving the SS7-routed messages from the first distributed gateway routing element and a second interface for SS7-routing the received messages to a second SS7 network element via a second SS7 signaling link, wherein the first and second distributed gateway routing elements are adapted to be located at geographically diverse locations and to share an SS7 point code and thereby function as a geographically distributed STP associated with different SS7 signaling points.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed gateway includes distributed gateway routing elements co-located with SS7 network elements. Each distributed gateway routing element performs an SS7 routing function, such an MTP level 3 routing function. The distributed gateway routing elements communicate with each other over a virtual bus that guarantees quality of service for SS7 message packets. Accordingly, the distributed gateway routing elements set quality of service parameters in the SS7 message packets that are forwarded over the virtual bus.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A distributed call signaling message routing gateway comprising:
-
(a) a first distributed gateway routing element including a first interface for sending SS7 call signaling messages to and receiving SS7 call signaling messages from a first SS7 network element via a first SS7 signaling link and for performing SS7 routing functions for the SS7 messages received from the first SS7 network element and a second interface for sending the SS7-routed messages over a virtual bus and for setting quality of service parameters in the SS7-routed messages sent over the virtual bus, wherein the SS7 call signaling messages sent over the second interface include a plurality of different signaling message types and wherein setting quality of service parameters includes determining a required quality of service parameter for each SS7 call signaling message sent over the second interface based on the signaling message type of each SS7 call signaling message; and
(b) at least one second distributed gateway routing element including a first interface for receiving the SS7-routed messages from the first distributed gateway routing element and a second interface for SS7-routing the received messages to a second SS7 network element via a second SS7 signaling link, wherein the first and second distributed gateway routing elements are adapted to be located at geographically diverse locations and to share an SS7 point code and thereby function as a geographically distributed STP associated with different SS7 signaling points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A distributed gateway comprising:
-
(a) a first distributed gateway routing element co-located with an SS7 service switching point for receiving call signaling messages from the service switching point via an SS7 signaling link, for determining quality of service parameters for the call signaling messages, for generating and adding a header to each of the call signaling messages, the header including the quality of service parameters, and for forwarding the call signaling messages over a virtual bus, wherein the call signaling messages include a plurality of different signaling message types and wherein determining quality of service parameters for the call signaling messages includes determining the quality of service parameters based on the signaling message types of the call signaling messages; and
(b) a second distributed gateway routing element co-located with a second service switching point for receiving the call signaling messages from the virtual bus, removing the headers, and for forwarding the call signaling messages to the second service switching point via an SS7 signaling link, wherein the second distributed gateway routing element and the second service switching point are located remotely from the first distributed gateway routing element and the first service switching point, and wherein the first and second distributed gateway routing elements share an SS7 point code and thereby function as a geographically distributed STP having routing elements located at different SS7 service switching points. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method for routing SS7 messages using a distributed gateway, the method comprising:
-
(a) sharing an SS7 point code between first and second geographically distributed routing elements respectively co-located with first and second SS7 network elements and thereby functioning as a geographically distributed STP;
(b) receiving, at the first routing element, an SS7 call signaling message from a first SS7 network element via a first SS7 signaling link;
(c) performing SS7 routing operations on the SS7 call signaling message;
(d) determining quality of service parameters for the SS7 call signaling message, wherein SS7 call signaling messages sent or received by the first routing element include a plurality of different signaling message types and wherein determining quality of service parameters for the call signaling message includes, at the first routing element, determining quality of service parameters based on the signaling message type of the SS7 call signaling message;
(e) adding a virtual bus header to the SS7 call signaling message and setting the quality of service parameters in the virtual bus header; and
(f) sending the call signaling message over the virtual bus to the second routing element associated with the second SS7 network element. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification