Methods and systems for distributing operating status information within a converged network
First Claim
1. A method for use at a gateway node in a converged telephony/data network for distributing operating status information associated with a node in a signaling system 7 (SS7) network of the converged network to nodes in an Internet protocol (IP) network of the converged network, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving, at a gateway node, an SS7 network management message including operating status information associated with an SS7 node in the SS7 network;
(b) performing, at the gateway node, a routing key database lookup using information contained in the SS7 network management message and identifying a node in the IP network capable of communicating with the SS7 node; and
(c) in response to receiving the SS7 network management message and identifying the node in the IP network via the routing key database lookup, communicating, from the gateway node, the operating status information to the identified node in the IP network, wherein the identified node is located external to the gateway node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a communications network element that is capable of routing signaling messages and also performing inter-network management functions in a converged telephony-data network environment. A signaling gateway routing node is adapted to facilitate signaling communication between nodes in a signaling system 7 network and nodes in an Internet protocol (IP) type network. In addition to basic message routing functionality, the signaling gateway routing node is adapted to notify nodes in the IP network when a node in the SS7 network becomes congested or unavailable. In certain cases, the signaling gateway selectively notifies only IP nodes that are concerned with the status of the troubled SS7 node, while in other cases, notification messages are broadcast to all relevant IP nodes. The signaling gateway also serves to filter redundant congestion status queries or polling type messages that are conveyed from IP nodes through to the distressed SS7 node.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for use at a gateway node in a converged telephony/data network for distributing operating status information associated with a node in a signaling system 7 (SS7) network of the converged network to nodes in an Internet protocol (IP) network of the converged network, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, at a gateway node, an SS7 network management message including operating status information associated with an SS7 node in the SS7 network; (b) performing, at the gateway node, a routing key database lookup using information contained in the SS7 network management message and identifying a node in the IP network capable of communicating with the SS7 node; and (c) in response to receiving the SS7 network management message and identifying the node in the IP network via the routing key database lookup, communicating, from the gateway node, the operating status information to the identified node in the IP network, wherein the identified node is located external to the gateway node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A signaling gateway comprising:
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(a) a routing key table for storing routing key information for identifying IP nodes in an IP network that are configured to communicate with an SS7 node in an SS7 network; (b) a status manager process for determining or receiving status information relating to the SS7 node; and (c) a communications module operatively associated with the routing key table and the status manager process for communicating, in response to receiving the status information and identifying the IP nodes in the routing key table, the status information to the identified IP nodes, wherein the identified IP nodes are located external to the signaling gateway and configured to communicate with the SS7 node using the routing key information.
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Specification