Methods and systems for communicating SS7 messages over packet-based network using transport adapter layer interface

• US 7,002,988 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Brendes, Dan Alan, Sprague, David Michael, Benedyk, Robby Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Levitan, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US09/588,852
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/393, 370/400, 370/401, 370/410, 370/464, 370/466, 370/467, 370/469, 370/474, 709/249, 709/227
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/066 where the auxiliary connection is via an Internet Protocol network interworking of signalling system number 7 (SS7) with Internet Protocol-based session control protocols H04M7/1265, H04M7/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

A transport adapter layer interface (TALI) includes messages, processes, and packet structures for sending and receiving SS7 information over a stream-oriented connection, such as a TCP/IP connection. For example, the TALI interface includes test messages for testing the status of a connection and allow and prohibit messages for enabling and disabling service data communications without invoking a TCP handshaking procedure. The TALI interface also includes SYNC and LENGTH fields for facilitating extraction of individual message packets over a stream-oriented connection.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a signaling connection control part (SCCP) message in an Internet protocol (IP) datagram using a transport adapter layer interface (TALI), the method comprising:

(a) receiving an SS7 message signal unit (MSU), the SS7 MSU including message transfer part (MTP) layers 1, 2, and 3 and an SCCP layer;

(b) discarding MTP layer 1 and 2 information from the SS7 MSU;

(c) placing the SCCP layer in a service portion of a TALI packet;

(d) adding a TALI header to the TALI packet; and

(e) adding transport and network layer headers to the TALI packet.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising placing MTP layer 3 information without modification into the service portion of the TALI packet.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising extracting MTP layer 3 information from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein extracting MTP layer 3 information includes extracting an originating point code (OPC) value from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer includes placing the OPC value in a calling party address field in the SCCP layer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein extracting MTP layer 3 information includes extracting a destination point code (DPC) value from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer includes placing the DPC value in a called party address field in the SCCP layer.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising setting a SYNC field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value indicating the beginning of the TALI packet for stream-oriented communications.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising setting a LENGTH field in the TALI packet to a value indicative of the LENGTH of the service portion of the TALI packet.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising setting an OPCODE field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value for identifying the TALI packet as an SCCP packet.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein adding a transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the TALI packet.

11. A method for encapsulating a message transfer part layer 3 (MTP3) packet in an Internet protocol (IP) datagram using a transport adapter layer interface (TALI), the method comprising:

(a) receiving an MTP3 message signal unit (MSU), the MTP3 MSU including MTP layers 1, 2, and 3;

(b) discarding MTP layers 1 and 2 from the MTP3 MSU;

(c) placing MTP layer 3 information from the MTP3 MSU in a service portion of a TALI packet;

(d) adding a TALI header to the TALI packet; and

(e) adding transport and network layer headers to the TALI packet.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein placing the MTP layer 3 information in the service portion includes placing a routing label and a service indicator octet (SIO) in the service portion of the TALI packet.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein placing the MTP layer 3 information in the service portion includes placing layer 3 information in addition to the routing label and the SIO in the service portion of the TALI packet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein placing information in addition to the routing label and the SIO includes placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing changeover information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing changeback information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing flow control information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein placing information in addition to the routing label and the SIO includes placing network testing information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein placing network testing information in the service portion of a TALI packet includes placing signaling-route-set-test information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

20. The method of claim 11 comprising setting a SYNC field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value indicating the beginning of the TALI packet for stream-oriented communications.

21. The method of claim 11 comprising setting a LENGTH field in the TALI packet to a value indicative of the LENGTH of the service portion of the TALI packet.

22. The method of claim 11 comprising setting the OPCODE field to a predetermined value for identifying the TALI packet as an MTP3 packet.

23. The method of claim 11 comprising adding an application layer sequence number to the TALI packet.

24. The method of claim 23 comprising adding an application layer sequence number includes adding a service specific connection oriented protocol (SSCOP) trailer to the TALI packet.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein adding a transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the TALI packet.

27. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) receiving an SS7 message signal unit (MSU), the SS7 MSU including message transfer part (MTP) layers 1, 2, and 3 and an SCCP layer;

(b) discarding MTP layer 1 and 2 information from the SS7 MSU;

(c) placing the SCCP layer in a service portion of a TALI packet;

(d) adding a TALI header to the TALI packet; and

(e) adding transport and network layer headers to the TALI packet.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 comprising placing MTP layer 3 information without modification into the service portion of the TALI packet.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 comprising extracting MTP layer 3 information from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein extracting MTP layer 3 information includes extracting an originating point code (OPC) value from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer includes placing the OPC value in a calling party address field in the SCCP layer.

31. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein extracting MTP layer 3 information includes extracting a destination point code (DPC) value from the SS7 MSU and placing the MTP layer 3 information in the SCCP layer includes placing the DPC value in a called party field address in the SCCP layer.

32. The computer program product of claim 27 comprising setting a SYNC field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value indicating the beginning of the TALI packet for stream-oriented communications.

33. The computer program product of claim 27 comprising setting a LENGTH field in the TALI packet to a value indicative of the LENGTH of the service portion of the TALI packet.

34. The computer program product of claim 27 comprising setting an OPCODE field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value for identifying the TALI packet as an SCCP packet.

35. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein adding a transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the TALI packet.

37. A computer program product for comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) receiving an MTP3 message signal unit (MSU), the SS7 MSU including MTP layers 1, 2, and 3;

(b) discarding MTP layers 1 and 2 from the MTP3 MSU;

(c) placing MTP layer 3 information from the MTP3 MSU in a service portion of a TALI packet;

(d) adding a TALI header to the TALI packet; and

(e) adding transport and network layer headers to the TALI packet.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein placing the MTP layer 3 information in the service portion includes placing a routing label and a service indicator octet (SIO) in the service portion of the TALI packet.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein placing the MTP layer 3 information in the service portion includes placing layer 3 information in addition to the routing label and the SIO in the service portion of the TALI packet.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein placing information in addition to the routing label and the SIO includes placing network testing information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein placing network testing information in the service portion of a TALI packet includes placing signaling-route-set-test information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

42. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein placing information in addition to the routing label and the SIO, includes placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

43. The computer program product of claim 42 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing changeover information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

44. The computer program product of claim 42 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing changeback information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

45. The computer program product of claim 42 wherein placing network management information in the service portion of the TALI packet includes placing flow control information in the service portion of the TALI packet.

46. The computer program product of claim 37 comprising setting a SYNC field in the TALI packet to a predetermined value indicating the beginning of the TALI packet for stream-oriented communications.

47. The computer program product of claim 37 comprising setting a LENGTH field in the TALI packet to a value indicative of the LENGTH of the service portion of the TALI packet.

48. The computer program product of claim 37 comprising setting the OPCODE field to a predetermined value for identifying the TALI packet as an MTP3 packet.

49. The computer program product of claim 37 comprising adding an application layer sequence number to the TALI packet.

50. The computer program product of claim 49 comprising adding an application layer sequence number includes adding a service specific connection oriented protocol (SSCOP) trailer to the TALI packet.

51. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein adding a transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet.

52. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein adding a stream-oriented transport layer header to the TALI packet includes adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the TALI packet.

53. A communications network element for implementing a transport adapter layer interface (TALI) protocol stack, the communications network element comprising:

(a) a TALI process for receiving SS7 messages, discarding SS7 layer 1 and 2 information from the SS7 messages, and for adding a TALI header to each of the SS7 messages to form TALI messages; and

(b) a stream oriented communications process for receiving the TALI messages from the TALI process, adding transport and network layer headers to the TALI messages, and forwarding the TALI messages to a receiving application over an IP network based on the TCP and IP headers.

54. The communications network element of claim 53 comprising a data communications module (DCM) including hardware for sending and receiving messages over the IP network, wherein the TALI process is implemented on the DCM.

55. The communications network element of claim 54 wherein the stream-oriented communications process is implemented on the DCM.

56. The communications network element of claim 53 wherein the stream oriented communications process is adapted to receive a stream of TCP data from the IP network.

57. The communications network element of claim 56 wherein the TALI process is adapted to receive the stream of TCP data from the TCP/IP process and to identify individual TALI message boundaries in the stream.

58. The communications network element of claim 53 wherein the stream oriented communications process comprises a TCP/IP process for receiving the TALI messages from the TALI process and adding TCP and IP headers to the TALI messages.