Method for remote collection of signaling messages for routing analysis and trouble detection

Claim 1

In a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of switches, and a signaling network including at least one signal transfer point (STP) which serves at least one switch, a method for monitoring signaling messages relayed in the network comprises the steps of: initializing the STP to duplicate and transmit a copy of each processed signaling message to an interface unit; filtering signaling messages received in the interface unit in accordance with a pre-established filtering protocol to separate signaling messages "of interest"; extending filtered signaling messages from the interface unit to a signal monitoring system (SMS) for organizing the filtered signaling messages in accordance with a pre-established protocol; and extending the organized signaling messages to a maintenance operation support system (OSS) for signaling analysis, whereby events and conditions are reconstructed for use by the OSS in its analysis.

Claim 5

A method of investigating signaling message errors for use in a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of switches served by a plurality of signal transfer points (STPs), wherein a plurality of switches are served by a maintenance operation support system (OSS), comprises the steps of: interconnecting an interface unit of a signaling monitoring system (SMS) to each STP in the telecommunications network; receiving in the interface unit a copy of each signaling message processed by the STP to which the interface unit is attached; utilizing a filtering protocol to extend "of interest" signaling messages received in the interface unit to the signal monitoring system; the SMS utilizing a correlation protocol to organize of interest signaling messages received from the interface unit in accordance with pre-established correlation parameters; and the SMS extending the organized of interest signaling messages to the maintenance OSS for analysis, whereby events and conditions are reconstructed for use by the OSS in its analysis.

Claim 6

A method of investigating signaling message errors for use in a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of switches served by a plurality of signal transfer points (STPs), wherein a plurality of switches are served by a maintenance operation support system (OSS), comprises the steps of: interconnecting an interface unit of a signaling monitoring system (SMS) to each STP in the telecommunications network; receiving in the interface unit a copy of each signaling message processed by the STP to which the interface unit is attached; utilizing a filtering protocol to extend "of interest" signaling messages received in the interface unit to the signal monitoring system; the SMS utilizing a correlation protocol to organize of interest signaling messages received from the interface unit in accordance with pre-established correlation parameters; and the SMS extending the organized of interest signaling messages to the maintenance OSS for analysis, whereby events and conditions are reconstructed for use by the OSS in its analysis.