Expert call analyzer and next generation telephony network configuration system
First Claim
1. A call processing system for monitoring status of a call in a network comprising:
- a first set of sensors connected to one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits, the first set of sensors configured to sense raw call progress signaling information on the circuit;
a second set of sensors connected to a call control channel of a next generation telephony network (NGTN) network element, the second set of sensors configured to sense NGTN call control message information from the NGTN network element; and
an event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors, the event analyzer configured to;
selectively receive the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information, andprocess the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information to generate logical call handling events;
wherein the event analyzer comprises a call progress event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and configured to receive the raw call progress signaling information, the call progress event analyzer comprising;
a call progress event processor configured to;
convert the raw call progress signaling information into logical call handling events,pass the logical call handing events to a protocol independent call processor, andaccumulate dialed and mid-call digit information for channel associated signaling circuits and element information for common channel signaling circuits; and
a call progress state machine configured to;
receive and analyze logical event information from the protocol independent call processor, andreceive and analyze the digit information and the element information from the call progress event processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining and monitoring the status of telephone calls in a Next Generation Telephony Network (NGTN) is disclosed. The method detects protocols occurring between two or more network elements of a telecommunication circuit and control protocol used to initiate or to react to the events generated by the network elements. One sensor is connected to the telecommunication circuits to sense raw call progress signaling information indicative of an event relative to the call on the monitored line. Another sensor is connected to call control channel of a NGTN network element. The sensors are connected to a call processing system. The call processing system includes a call progress event analyzer module consisting of a call progress event processor and a call progress state machine, a NGTN event processor and a NGTN state machine. The call processing system also includes a protocol independent call processor module and a multi protocol analysis module. Raw call progress signaling information and NGTN message information are converted to logical call handling events and forwarded to the protocol independent call processor module for processing. The protocol independent call processor module includes a timer processor to keep track of timing of events. The call processing system also includes an alarm handler to keep track and generate alarms when an error condition occur after processing the call progress events and the NGTN message events.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A call processing system for monitoring status of a call in a network comprising:
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a first set of sensors connected to one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits, the first set of sensors configured to sense raw call progress signaling information on the circuit; a second set of sensors connected to a call control channel of a next generation telephony network (NGTN) network element, the second set of sensors configured to sense NGTN call control message information from the NGTN network element; and an event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors, the event analyzer configured to; selectively receive the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information, and process the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information to generate logical call handling events; wherein the event analyzer comprises a call progress event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and configured to receive the raw call progress signaling information, the call progress event analyzer comprising; a call progress event processor configured to; convert the raw call progress signaling information into logical call handling events, pass the logical call handing events to a protocol independent call processor, and accumulate dialed and mid-call digit information for channel associated signaling circuits and element information for common channel signaling circuits; and a call progress state machine configured to; receive and analyze logical event information from the protocol independent call processor, and receive and analyze the digit information and the element information from the call progress event processor.
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2. A call processing system for monitoring status of a call in a network comprising:
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a first set of sensors connected to one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits, the first set of sensors configured to sense raw call progress signaling information on the circuit; a second set of sensors connected to a call control channel of a next generation telephony network (NGTN) network element, the second set of sensors configured to sense NGTN call control message information from the NGTN network element; and an event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors, the event analyzer configured to; selectively receive the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information, and process the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information to generate logical call handling events; wherein the event analyzer further comprises an NGTN event analyzer coupled to the second set of sensors and configured to receive the NGTN call control message information, the NGTN event analyzer comprising; a NGTN message processor configured to; decode NGTN call control message information, convert the NGTN call control message information into logical call handling events, pass the logical call handling events to a protocol independent call processor; and accumulate call control message information element information; and a NGTN state machine configured to; receive and analyze the logical event information from the protocol independent call processor, and receive and analyze call control message information element information from the NGTN message processor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A call processing system for monitoring status of a call in a network comprising:
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a first set of sensors connected to one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits, the first set of sensors configured to sense raw call progress signaling information on the circuit; a second set of sensors connected to a call control channel of a next generation telephony network (NGTN) network element, the second set of sensors configured to sense NGTN call control message information from the NGTN network element; an event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors, the event analyzer configured to; selectively receive the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information, and process the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information to generate logical call handling events; and a multi-protocol call analyzer triggered by the timer processor at timer expiration and at end of NGTN state machine or Call Progress state machine cycle, the multi-protocol call analyzer configured to; use information from the call status handler to transition to a new state, wherein a state of the multi-protocol call analyzer comprises an alarm state or error state, a new analysis state, or both the alarm state and the new analysis state, pass the new analysis state information to the state tracker, pass a new call status information to the call status handler, pass a new timer set information to the timer processor, and notify the timer processor and an alarm handler when entering the alarm state.
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13. A call processing system for monitoring status of a call in a network comprising:
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a first set of sensors connected to one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits, the first set of sensors configured to sense raw call progress signaling information on the circuit; a second set of sensors connected to a call control channel of a next generation telephony network (NGTN) network element, the second set of sensors configured to sense NGTN call control message information from the NGTN network element; an event analyzer coupled to the first set of sensors and the second set of sensors, the event analyzer configured to; selectively receive the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information, and process the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN call control message information to generate logical call handling events; and an alarm handler configured to; receive call handling error information corresponding to the alarm state from the multi-protocol call analyzer, accumulate alarm counts, and trigger an alarm message to external network management systems when the alarm count exceed a defined threshold.
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14. A method, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information, wherein generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information comprises; converting the raw call progress signaling information into the logical call handling event; setting an elapsed time event, the elapsed time being the time between the call progress event and a most recent call progress event; and determining if a timer expiration event occur, the timer set for an expected call progress event; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information, wherein generating logical call handling events from the NGTN message information comprises; converting the NGTN message information into the logical handling event; setting the elapsed time event to be the time between the NGTN message event and a most recent NGTN message event; and determining if the timer expiration event occur, the timer set for an expected NGTN message event; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information by analyzing the logical call handling event, the timer expiration event, the elapsed time event, and the current call status such that when an error condition occurs an alarm is generated;
maintaining the current call status;
providing call records and analysis information associated with the call progress event and the NGTN message event to external display devices;
generating call status and call handling error information;
accumulating alarm counts; and
triggering an alarm message to external network management systems when the alarm counts exceed a defined threshold.
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19. A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the processing system to perform a method for determining and monitoring status of calls in a network, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information, wherein generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information comprises; converting the raw call progress signaling information into the logical call handling event; setting an elapsed time event, the elapsed time being the time between the call progress event and a most recent call progress event; and determining if a timer expiration event occur, the timer set for an expected call progress event; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the processing system to perform a method for determining and monitoring status of calls in a network, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information, wherein generating logical call handling events from the NGTN message information comprises; converting the NGTN message information into the logical call handling event; setting the elapsed time event to be the time between the NGTN message event and a most recent NGTN message event; and determining if the timer expiration event occur, the timer set for an expected NGTN message event; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the processing system to perform a method for determining and monitoring status of calls in a network, comprising:
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sensing a raw call progress signaling information from one or more subscriber or PSTN network circuits; sensing a next generation telephony network (NGTN) message information from a NGTN call control channel of a network element; generating logical call handling events from the raw call progress signaling information and from the NGTN message information; and processing the logical call handling events corresponding to the raw call progress signaling information and the NGTN message information by analyzing the logical call handling event, the timer expiration event, the elapsed time event, and the current call status such that when an error condition occurs an alarm is generated;
maintaining the current call status corresponding to the call progress event and to the NGTN message event;
providing call records and analysis information associated with the call progress event and the NGTN message event to external display devices;
generating call status and call handling error information corresponding to the call progress event and to the NGTN message event;
accumulating alarm counts; and
triggering an alarm message to external network management systems when the alarm counts exceed a defined threshold.
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Specification