Network planning traffic measurement program

• US 7,027,574 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Nolting, Thomas Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/783,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/32.03, 379/32.05, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379133-134, 379/120, 379/127.01, 379/229, 379/230, 379/126, 379/219
• US Class Current: 379/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls

Abstract

In a public switched telephone network, real time monitors on SS7 links will collect interoffice signaling messages. A site processor compiles data from the signaling messages relating to individual calls, to form call detail records (CDRs) for all interoffice call attempts. The site servers upload the CDRs to a central server. Automatic Message Accounting (AMA) records also are accumulated for at least selected central office switching systems and uploaded to a server. Programs running on the servers enable network operations personal to analyze a variety of network traffic patterns, for example to study the number of calls to particular numbers during various times periods and the hold time of the calls in order to identify the numbers of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). As another example, the traffic analysis may indicate the amount of traffic between two end offices and the percentage thereof routed through a tandem office, to allow network planners to design trunk upgrades between the various offices and/or to plan the addition of new offices.

Claims

1. In a switched telecommunications network having end office switching systems controlled by a common channel signaling system connected to the end office switching systems and to paired signal transfer points, the method comprising:

monitoring the signaling between the end office switching systems and the signal transfer points and selecting the signaling relating to multiple switched calls and creating a plurality of flat files;

collating the flat files by transaction;

processing the collated flat files to create relational files relating to multiple switched calls for multiple called numbers;

performing an on line analysis program to obtain a multidimensional database from the multiple switched calls to multiple called numbers of said relational files, said on line analysis program supporting interactive analysis for one or more users; and

generating an on line network voice traffic load report from the multidimensional database based at least in part on said interactive analysis.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said multiple switched calls comprise completed dialed telecommunication sessions between a calling terminal and a called terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said multiple switched calls also comprise uncompleted dialed attempts to establish telecommunication sessions between a calling terminal and a called terminal.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said traffic load report includes calls dialed to a designated terminal in a designated time period.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said report includes data relating to the time of connection of completed calls.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said report includes data relating to the number of uncompleted calls within a time frame.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein said multiple switched calls comprise completed dialed telecommunication sessions between a calling terminal and a called terminal, and said report includes calls dialed to a designated terminal in a designated time period and data regarding the lengths thereof.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said multiple switched calls also comprise uncompleted attempts to establish dialed telecommunication sessions between a calling terminal and a called terminal, and said report includes the uncompleted calls dialed to said designated terminal in said designated time period.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein said report includes information regarding the routing of said calls.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said report includes information as to whether said calls were routed through a tandem switching system.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said report includes information identifying the originating switching systems, the tandem switching systems, and the terminating switching systems for said calls.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said report includes information as to whether said calls were routed through a tandem switching facility without routing through the tandem switching facility.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said report includes information as to whether said calls were routed through the switch in said tandem switching installation.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said common channel signaling system is an SS7 system and said monitoring occurs on A links in that system.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said monitoring occurs on A links to the originating switching systems and to the terminating switching systems.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said monitoring also occurs on A links to a tandem switching system connected between said originating and said terminating switching systems.

17. A method according to claim 15 including the step of providing a report of calls dialed to a designated terminal in a designated time period and including identification of the originating switching systems.

43. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

44. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

18. In a switched telecommunications network having end office switching systems controlled by an SS7 common channel signaling system using packet switching via A, B, C, and D links connected to paired signal transfer points connected to one another by D links and connected by A links to the end office switching systems, the method comprising:

monitoring the signaling in said A links and selecting the A link signaling relating to call set up;

collating said selected signaling by call;

processing said collated signaling to create relational files relating to multiple switched calls for multiple called numbers;

performing an on line analysis program to obtain a multidimensional database from the multiple switched calls to multiple called numbers of said relational files, said on line analysis program supporting interactive analysis for one or more users; and

generating an on line network voice traffic load report from the multidimensional database that summarizes ongoing call attempts and completions based at least in part on said interactive analysis.

19. A method according to claim 18 including the step of providing a report of calls dialed to a designated terminal in a designated time period.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said report includes data relating to time of connection of completed calls.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said report includes data relating to the number of incompleted calls within a time frame.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein said report includes information regarding the routing of said calls.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said report includes information as to whether said calls were routed through a tandem switching system.

45. The method according to claim 18, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

46. The method according to claim 18, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

24. In a switched telecommunications network having trunked end office and tandem switching systems controlled by an SS7 common channel signaling system using packet switching via A, B, C, and D links connected to paired signal transfer points connected to one another by C links and connected by A links to end office and tandem switching systems, the method comprising:

monitoring the signaling in said A links and selecting the A link signaling relating to call set up between end office switching systems through a tandem switching system;

collating said selected signaling by call based at least in part on A link signaling to and from said tandem switching system;

processing said collated signaling to create relational files relating to multiple calls;

performing an on line analysis program to obtain a multidimensional database from multiple switched calls of said relational files, said on line analysis program supporting interactive analysis for one or more users; and

generating an on line network voice traffic load report from the multidimensional database based at least in part on said interactive analysis that summarizes successful and unsuccessful attempts to route calls to multiple called numbers through said tandem switching system.

25. A method according to claim 24 including the steps of providing reports of the identity of the end office switching systems from which calls were routed to said tandem switching system.

26. A method according to claim 25 including the steps of providing reports of the identity of the end office switching systems to which calls were routed from said tandem switching system.

47. The method according to claim 24, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

48. The method according to claim 24, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

27. A switched telecommunications network having a trunked end office and tandem switching systems controlled by an SS7 common channel signaling system using packet switching via A, B, C and D links connected to paired signal transfer points connected to one another by C links and connected by A links to the end office and tandem switching systems, comprising:

monitors interfacing to the signaling in said A links and selecting the A link signaling relating to call set up between end office switching systems through a tandem switching system;

processing means collating said selected signaling by call based at least in part on A link signaling to and from said tandem switching system;

processing means processing said collated signaling to create relational files relating to multiple switched calls to multiple called numbers;

on line analytical processing means providing a multidimensional database and supporting interactive analysis for one or more users, wherein said relational files are processed to consolidate and summarize successful and unsuccessful attempts to route calls to multiple called numbers through said tandem switching system and provide voice traffic load reports thereof.

28. A switched telecommunications network according to claim 27 wherein said online analytical processing means provides a data warehouse including multiple related tables which said on line analytical processor drills into to retrieve additional information.

29. A switched telecommunications network according to claim 28 wherein said on line analytical processor is object oriented.

30. A switched telecommunications network according to claim 28 wherein at least part of said information is obtained from switching systems in said switched telecommunications network.

31. A switched telecommunications network according to claim 28 wherein at least part of said information is obtained from an automated message accounting system in said switched telecommunications network.

32. A switched telecommunications network according to claim 28 wherein at least part of said information relates to calls completed through intra switching system connections.

49. The method according to claim 27, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

50. The method according to claim 27, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

33. In a switched telecommunications network having end office switching systems controlled by a common channel signaling system connected to the end office switching systems and to paired signal transfer points, and including automatic message accounting equipment recording call details of a connection transaction, the method comprising:

monitoring the common channel signaling between the end office switching systems and the signal transfer points and selecting the signaling relating to multiple switched calls;

collating the selected common channel signaling by a call of the multiple switched calls;

collating automatic message accounting equipment output recording call detail; and

processing the collated common channel signaling and automatic message accounting output to provide a multidimensional database to consolidate and summarize ongoing multiple switched calls and provide voice traffic load reports thereof;

wherein said last named processing is performed at least in part by on line analytical processing means providing a multidimensional database, wherein relational data is processed to consolidate and summarize successful and unsuccessful attempts to route calls to completion.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein said on line analytical processing means extracts data from storages in said switched telecommunications network in addition to said common channel signaling and said automatic message accounting equipment to provide said reports.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein said storages at least in part comprise storage associated with end office switching systems.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein said extracted data relates to equipment associated with the switching system.

51. The method according to claim 33, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

52. The method according to claim 33, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

37. A switched telecommunications network having trunked end office and tandem switching systems controlled an SS7 common channel signaling system using packet switching via A, B, C, and D links connected to paired signal transfer points connected to one another by C links and connected by A links to the end office and tandem switching systems, said network including:

monitors interfacing to the signaling in said A links and selecting the A link signaling relating to call set up between end office switching systems;

processing means collating said selected signaling by call based at least in part on A link signaling to and from said end office switching systems;

processing means processing said collated signaling to create relational files relating to multiple switched calls to multiple called numbers;

automatic message accounting equipment recording call details of call set up and tear down;

on line analytical processing means supporting interactive analysis for one or more users and providing a multidimensional database, including information relating to said call set up and tear down obtained from said relational files; and

a program for processing said multidimensional database to consolidate and summarize successful and unsuccessful attempts to route calls to multiple called numbers through said tandem switching system and to provide voice traffic load reports thereof based at least in part on said interactive analysis.

53. The method according to claim 37, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

54. The method according to claim 37, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

38. A voice-switching telecommunications network having service switching points controlled by a common channel signaling system connected to the service switching points and to paired signal transfer points that maintain normal operation of the voice-switching telecommunications network, the method comprising:

monitoring signaling between the service switching points and the signal transfer points and selecting the signaling relating to multiple interoffice calls over a period of time and creating a plurality of flat files;

collating the flat files by transaction;

processing the collated flat files to create relational files relating to the multiple interoffice calls for multiple called numbers;

performing an on line analysis program to obtain a multidimensional database from the multiple interoffice calls to multiple called numbers of said relational files, said on line analysis program supporting interactive analysis for one or more users; and

generating an on line network voice traffic load report from the multidimensional database based at least in part on said interactive analysis.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the service switching points are central office switches, tandem switches, or end office switches, method.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of unbalanced loading between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring for congestion in a trunking network as a result of routing utilization between the service switching points in the voice-switching telecommunications network.

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein the period of time relating to the monitoring signaling between the service switching points and the signal transfer points and selecting the signaling relating to multiple interoffice calls is greater than twenty-four hours.