Methods and systems for communicating signaling system 7 (SS7) user part messages among SS7 signaling points (SPs) and internet protocol (IP) nodes using signal transfer points (STPs)

• US 7,839,889 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tekelec Global, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Ravishankar, Venkataramaiah, Brendes, Dan Alan, Sprague, David Michael, Miller, Paul Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye; Saba
• Application Number:
  US11/282,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 370353-354, 370/386, 370/401, 370/410, 370/426, 370/467, 370/469, 370/522, 370/524, 370465-466, 379228-230
• 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 method for processing an internet protocol (IP) encapsulated signaling system seven (SS7) user part message utilizing a signal transfer point (STP), the method comprising:

at a first STP;

(a) receiving an IP-encapsulated SS7 user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link, wherein the user part message excludes at least message transfer part (MTP) level 2 information;

(b) removing an IP header from the message;

(c) adding at least MTP level 2 information to the message;

(d) reading at least MTP level 3 information from the message; and

(e) routing the message from the bi-directional IP signaling link to a bi-directional SS7 signaling link based on at least the MTP level 3 information.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising removing a transmission control protocol (TCP) header from the message.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising removing a user datagram protocol (UDP) header from the message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein reading at least MTP level 3 information includes reading a destination point code (DPC) from the message and wherein routing the message includes routing the message based on the DPC.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising removing a transport adapter layer interface header from the message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a local service switching point (SSP), and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 A link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP of the same hierarchical level as the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 B link between the first and second STPs.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP, the first and second STPs comprising a mated pair of STPs, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 C link between the first and second STPs.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over an IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP of a different hierarchical level than the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 D link between the first and second STPs.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a service switching point (SSP) located in a different local area from the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 E link between the first STP and the SSP.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein performing steps (a)-(e) at a first STP includes performing steps (a)-(e) at a first STP having a distributed internal processing architecture in which IP signaling link interface functionality is separated from SS7 signaling link interface functionality.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) is performed at a data communications module (DCM) within the first STP and wherein step (e) includes routing the message from the DCM to an SS7 link interface module (LIM) separate from the DCM and associated with the SS7 signaling link.

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

at a first STP;

(a) receiving an internet protocol (IP) encapsulated signaling system seven (SS7) user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link, wherein the user part message excludes at least message transfer part (MTP) level 2 information;

(b) removing an IP header from the message;

(c) adding at least MTP level 2 information to the message;

(d) reading at least MTP level 3 information from the message; and

(e) routing the message from the bi-directional IP signaling link to a bi-directional SS7 signaling link based on at least the MTP level 3 information.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 comprising removing a transmission control protocol (TCP) header from the message.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 comprising removing a user datagram protocol (UDP) header from the message.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein reading at least MTP level 3 information includes reading a destination point code (DPC) from the message and wherein routing the message includes routing the message based on the DPC.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 comprising removing a transport adapter layer interface header from the message.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over an IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a local service switching point (SSP), and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 A link.

19. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP of the same hierarchical level as the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 B link between the first and second STPs.

20. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP, the first and second STPs comprising a mated pair of STPs, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 C link between the first and second STPs.

21. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point over a bi-directional IP signaling link comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a second STP of a different hierarchical level than the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 D link between the first and second STPs.

22. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message transmitted from a first SS7 signaling point comprises receiving an IP-encapsulated user part message from a service switching point (SSP) located in a different local area from the first STP, and the IP signaling link thereby functions as an SS7 E link between the first STP and the SSP.

23. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein performing steps (a)-(e) at a first STP includes performing steps (a)-(e) at a first STP having a distributed internal processing architecture in which IP signaling link interface functionality is separated from SS7 signaling link interface functionality.

24. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein step (a) is performed at a data communications module (DCM) within the first STP and wherein step (e) includes routing the message from the DCM to an SS7 link interface module (LIM) separate from the DCM and associated with the SS7 signaling link.