System for communicating signaling system 7 messages over an internet protocol network

• US 7,242,695 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• 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): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye; Saba
• Application Number:
  US10/403,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20030231651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 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: 370/467
• 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 signal transfer point (STP) comprising:

(a) means for receiving an incoming signaling system seven (SS7 ) message transmitted from a first SS7 node and for determining whether the message is destined for an external node; and

(b) a signaling system seven/internet protocol (SS7/IP) user part message communicator for, in response to a determination that the message is destined for an external node, for adding an internet protocol (IP) header to the message, for removing a portion of message transfer part (MTP) level information from the message, and transmitting the message to a second SS7 node over an IP network.

2. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator comprises an application layer and an SS7/IP converter, the application layer being adapted to determine components of the SS7 message to be passed to the SS7/IP converter, the SS7/IP converter being adapted to add the IP header to components of the message received from the application layer.

3. The signal transfer point of claim 2 wherein the application layer is adapted to pass at least some of message transfer part (MTP) layer three information to the SS7/IP converter.

4. The signal transfer point of claim 2 wherein the SS7/IP converter is adapted to add an application-level sequence number to the components of the message received from the application layer.

5. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving comprises a message discrimination function for determining whether the message is destined for an external signaling point, and a routing function for routing the message to the SS7/IP user part message communicator in response to a determination that the message is destined for an external node.

6. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to add a transmission control protocol (TCP) header to the message.

7. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to add a user datagram protocol (UDP) header transport layer to the message.

8. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to receive an incoming IP-encapsulated user part message and remove IP layer information from the IP-encapsulated user part message.

9. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to transmit the message to a local SSP over an IP network, and the IP network thereby functions as an SS7 A link.

10. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to transmit the message to an STP over an IP network, and the IP network thereby functions as an SS7 B link.

11. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to transmit the message to an STP over an IP network, and the IP network thereby functions as an SS7 C link.

12. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to transmit the message to an STP over an IP network, and the IP network thereby functions as an SS7 D link.

13. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to transmit the message to a remote SSP over an IP network, and the IP network thereby functions as an SS7 E link.

14. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator is adapted to remove MTP levels 1 and 2 information from the message.

15. The signal transfer point of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving comprises an SS7 link interface module for providing an input/output terminal for SS7 links and further comprising a data communications module for bidirectionally communicating SS7 user part messages over IP links, wherein the SS7/IP user part message communicator resides on the data communications module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the link interface module comprises a printed circuit bond having processing circuitry configured to provide the input/output terminal for the SS7 links and wherein the data communications module comprises a printed circuit board having processing circuitry configured to perform the bidirectional communication of the user part messages over the IP links.