Method and system for providing management protocol mediation in wireless communications networks

• US 7,260,078 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Inam, Abid, Ledsham, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US09/499,922
• Time in Patent Office: 2,751 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/327, 370/338, 370/349, 370/352, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/310, 370/310.1, 370/329, 370/389, 370/395.1, 455/450, 455/509, 455/426.1, 455/553.1, 379/426.1, 379/432.2, 379/553.1, 379/554.1, 379/555, 709/223, 709/230, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/052 using standardised network management architectures, e.g. telecommunication management network [TMN] or unified network management architecture [UNMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A system for providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks includes a first wireless network (10) operable to communicate with a mobile station (12) over a wireless interface (48). The system also includes a second wireless network (44) having an operations and maintenance center (OMC) (78) coupled thereto and operable to execute an application to manage the first wireless network (10) using a first management protocol. The OMC (78) is further operable to manage the second wireless network (44) using a second management protocol. The system further includes a protocol mediator (166) coupled to the first and second wireless networks. The protocol mediator (166) is operable to translate between the first management protocol and the second management protocol.

Claims

1. A system for providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising:

a first wireless network operable to communicate with a mobile station over a wireless interface;

a second wireless network having an operations and maintenance center (OMC) coupled thereto and operable to execute an application to manage the second wireless network using a second management protocol, the OMC further operable to manage the first wireless network using a first management protocol; and

a protocol mediator coupled to the first and second wireless networks, the protocol mediator operable to translate between the first management protocol and the second management protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second management protocol comprises a Common Management Information Protocol management protocol.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first management protocol comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol management protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol mediator is coupled to the OMC by a first Telecommunications Network Management interface, and the protocol mediator is coupled to the first wireless network by a second Telecommunications Network Management interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network comprises:

a base station operable to communicate with the mobile station over the wireless interface; and

a wireless adjunct internet platform (WARP) coupled to the base station and operable to communicate with the mobile station through the base station.

6. A system for providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising:

a first wireless network operable to communicate with a mobile station over a wireless interface, wherein the first wireless network comprises;

a base station operable to communicate with the mobile station over the wireless interface; and

a wireless adjunct internet platform (WARP) coupled to the base station and operable to communicate with the mobile station through the base station, wherein the WARP is operable to manage the base station using a third management protocol, the WARP comprising a mediation function operable to translate between the first management protocol and the third management protocol;

a second wireless network having an operations and maintenance center (OMC) coupled thereto and operable to execute an application to manage the second wireless network using a second management protocol, the OMC further operable to manage the first wireless network using a first management protocol; and

a protocol mediator coupled to the first and second wireless networks, the protocol mediator operable to translate between the first management protocol and the second management protocol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third management protocol comprises a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) Abis object oriented management protocol.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a public land mobile network (PLMN) gateway coupling the WARP and the OMC, the PLMN gateway operable to communicate with the WARP and the OMC.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) network coupling the WARP and the PLMN gateway.

10. A management center for providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising:

an operations and maintenance center (OMC) operable to manage a first and second wireless networks, the OMC further operable to manage the first wireless network by executing an application using a first management protocol and to manage the second wireless network using a second management protocol, wherein the OMC is coupled to the second wireless network; and

a protocol mediator coupled to the OMC and operable to translate between the first management protocol and the second management protocol.

11. The management center of claim 10, wherein the first management protocol comprises a Common Management Information Protocol management protocol.

12. The management center of claim 10, wherein the second management protocol comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol management protocol.

13. The management center of claim 10, wherein the protocol mediator is coupled to the OMC by a Telecommunications Network Management interface.

14. The management center of claim 10, further comprising a router coupled to the OMC and the protocol mediator, the router operable to transmit and receive management messages over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

15. The management center of claim 14, wherein the OMC communicates with the protocol mediator through the router.

16. A method of providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising the steps of:

executing at a first wireless network an application in an operations and maintenance center (OMC) coupled to a second wireless network using a first management protocol;

managing by the OMC the second wireless network using the second management protocol; and

translating between the first management protocol associated with the first wireless network and the second management protocol associated with the second wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first management protocol comprises a Common Management Information Protocol management protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second management protocol comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol management protocol.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of translating between the management protocols comprises:

mapping an instruction supported by the first protocol to an equivalent instruction supported by the second protocol;

mapping a parameter supported by the first protocol to an equivalent parameter supported by the second protocol; and

composing a message supported by the second protocol using the equivalent instruction and the equivalent parameter.

20. A method of providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising the steps of:

executing at a first wireless network an application in an operations and maintenance center (OMC) using a first management protocol;

managing by the OMC a second wireless network using a second management protocol; and

translating between the first management protocol associated with the first wireless network and the second management protocol associated with the second wireless network;

managing a base station in the second wireless network using a third management protocol; and

translating between the second and third management protocols.

21. A system for providing management protocol mediation between wireless networks comprising:

a first wireless network operable to communicate with a mobile station over a wireless interface and comprising;

a base station operable to communicate with the mobile station over the wireless interface; and

a wireless adjunct internet platform (WARP) coupled to the base station and operable to communicate with the mobile station through the base station, wherein the WARP is operable to manage the base station using a third management protocol, the WARP comprising a mediation function operable to translate between a first management protocol and the third management protocol, wherein the third management protocol comprises a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) Abis object oriented management protocol;

a second wireless network having an operations and maintenance center (OMC) coupled thereto and operable to execute an application to manage the second wireless network using a second management protocol, the OMC further operable to manage the first wireless network using the first management protocol, wherein the first management protocol comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol management protocol, wherein the second management protocol comprises a Common Management Information Protocol management protocol;

a protocol mediator coupled to the first and second wireless networks, the protocol mediator operable to translate between the first management protocol and the second management protocol, wherein the protocol mediator is coupled to the OMC by a first Telecommunications Network Management interface, and the protocol mediator is coupled to the first wireless network by a second Telecommunications Network Management interface;

a public land mobile network (PLMN) gateway coupling the WARP and the OMC, the PLMN gateway operable to communicate with the WARP and the OMC;

an Internet Protocol (IP) network coupling the WARP and the PLMN gateway; and

a public exchange (PBX) network coupled to the OMC and the IP network.