Method for encapsulating a signaling system seven (SS7) user part message in an internet protocol (IP) packet for transmission over an IP network

• US 7,190,702 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tekelec Global, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Brendes, Dan Alan, Sprague, David Michael, Ravishankar, Venkatarmaiah, Miller, Paul Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye; Saba
• Application Number:
  US10/403,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20030231652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354, 370/382, 370392-394, 370/395.52, 370/401, 370/410, 370465-467, 370/469, 370473-475
• US Class Current: 370/474
• 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 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

Methods and systems for transmitting user part messages between signaling system seven (SS7) signaling points over an internet protocol (IP) network include receiving, at a signal transfer point, a first SS7 user part message. The first SS7 user part message can be received from a first SS7 signaling point, such as a service switching point (SSP). The first SS7 signaling point is encapsulated in a first IP packet. The first IP packet is transmitted to a second SS7 signaling point over an IP network.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a signaling system seven (SS7) user part message in an Internet protocol (IP) packet for transmission over an IP network, the method comprising:

(a) extracting at least a portion of SS7 layer 3 and layer 4 information from an SS7 message signaling unit (MSU), the extracted portion including SS7 routing information and user part information;

(b) encapsulating the extracted portion in a transport adapter layer interface packet including an application-level sequence number and excluding at least SS7 layer 2 information in the SS7 MSU from the transport adapter layer interface packet; and

(c) adding an IP header including an IP address to the transport adapter layer interface packet to produce an IP packet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein encapsulating the extracted portion in a transport adapter layer interface packet includes adding an operation code to the extracted portion, the operation code indicating the SS7 message type.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the transport adapter layer interface packet.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising adding a user datagram protocol (UDP) header to the transport adapter layer interface packet.

5. A signaling system seven/internet protocol (SS7/IP) user part message communicator comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) extracting at least a portion of SS7 layer 3 and layer 4 information from an SS7 message signaling unit (MSU), The extracted portion including SS7 routing information for the MSU and user part information for The MSU;

(b) encapsulating the extracted portion in a transport adapter layer interface packet including an application-level sequence number and excluding at least SS7 lever 2 information in the SS7 MSU from the transoort adapter layer Interface packet; and

(c) adding an IP header including an IP address to the transport adapter layer interface packet to produce an IP packet.

6. The SS7/IP user part message communicator of claim 5 wherein encapsulating the extracted portion in a transport adapter layer interface packet includes adding an operation code to the extracted portion, the operation code indicating the SS7 message type.

7. The SS7/IP user part message communicator of claim 5 comprising adding a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the transport adapter layer interface packet.

8. The SS7/IP user part message oommunicator of claim 5 comprising adding a user datagram protocol (UDP) header to the transport adapter layer interface packet.