US7155512B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods and systems for automatically configuring network monitoring system
Assignee: Tekelec Global Inc
•
Filing: 2002-05-23
•
Granted: 2006-12-26
•
Expires: 2022-05-23
Abstract
Abstract An automatically configurable network monitoring system includes a network monitoring communications protocol used for communications between a network monitoring client executing on a routing node ( 100 ) being monitored and a network monitoring server executing on a network monitoring processor ( 106 ). According to the network monitoring communications protocol, the network monitoring client broadcasts a network monitoring service request message to the network monitoring servers. The service request message identifies a signaling link for which network monitoring service is being requested. The network monitoring servers provisioned to the requested provide network monitoring service respond affirmatively and thereby automatically grant network monitoring service. The network monitoring system may be completely probeless or, alternatively, used in conjunction with probe-based network monitoring devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoogin Lean
- 👤 David Wayne Minnich
- 👤 Kevin Allen Sapp
- 👤 Richard James Spangler
- 👤 Merl Allen Trimmer, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 04:36
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L43/10; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/0803; H04L41/0806; H04L41/085; H04L41/0853; H04L41/0856; H04L41/0866; H04L41/0869; H04L41/0876; H04L41/0886; H04L43/06; H04L43/062; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0811; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/12; H04L47/32; H04W; H04W24/00; H04L41/06; H04L43/0823; H04L43/0829; H04L43/0876; H04L43/0882; H04L43/106; H04L43/12; H04L43/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An automatically-configurable network monitoring system comprising: (a) a network routing node including link interface modules for sending and receiving signaling messages over external signaling links and for copying at least some of the signaling messages, each of the link interface modules including a network monitoring client associated with one or more signaling links, wherein the network monitoring clients are adapted to generate network monitoring service request messages including provisioning information for their respective signaling links, the provisioning information including signaling link configuration information; and (b) a plurality of network monitoring processors coupled to the network routing node, each of the network monitoring processors including one or more network monitoring servers, wherein the network monitoring servers obtain the signaling link configuration information from the network monitoring service request messages and wherein the network monitoring processors receive the signaling messages copied by the link interface modules.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
An automatically-configurable network monitoring system comprising: (a) a network routing node including link interface modules for sending and receiving signaling messages over external signaling links and for copying at least some of the signaling messages, each of the link interface modules including a network monitoring client associated with one or more signaling links, wherein the network monitoring clients are adapted to generate network monitoring service request messages including provisioning information for their respective signaling links, the provisioning information including signaling link configuration information; and (b) a plurality of network monitoring processors coupled to the network routing node, each of the network monitoring processors including one or more network monitoring servers, wherein the network monitoring servers obtain the signaling link configuration information from the network monitoring service request messages and wherein the network monitoring processors receive the signaling messages copied by the link interface modules.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the network routing node comprises a signal transfer point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the network routing node comprises an SS7/IP gateway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the link interface modules comprise SS7 link interface modules.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the link interface modules comprise data communications modules capable of sending and receiving IP messages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The network monitoring system of claim 5 wherein each of the IP messages comprise transport adapter layer interface messages, and wherein the link interface modules are adapted to copy and send the transport adapter layer interface messages to the network monitoring servers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the network monitoring clients are adapted to broadcast the network monitoring service request messages to the network monitoring servers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The network monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the network monitoring servers are each provisioned to monitoring a predetermined set of signaling links connected to the network routing node and wherein the network monitoring server provisioned to monitor the signaling links specified in a network monitoring service request message responds to the network monitoring service request message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network monitoring system of claim 8 wherein the predetermined set of signaling links is a subset of the signal links available within a network routing node.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The network monitoring system of claim 9 wherein the predetermined set of signaling links is contained within one or more network routing nodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The network monitoring system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of remote servers coupled to the network monitoring processors for receiving copied signaling messages from the network monitoring processors and performing a plurality of network monitoring functions based on the copied signaling messages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The network monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the remote servers include a network monitoring server for performing real time link state reporting, real time link status reporting, and real time protocol analysis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The network monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the remote servers include a data gateway server for generating call detail records.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The network monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the remote servers include an alarm server for receiving event notifications from the network monitoring processors and for generating alarms to a user based on the event reports.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The network monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the remote servers include a database server coupled to the network monitoring server for storing signaling message information in a database and allowing a user to generate customized reports based on the information stored in the database.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
132 words
A network monitoring system comprising: (a) a signal transfer point including a plurality of link interface modules for sending and receiving signaling messages via external signaling links, each link interface module including a signaling message copier for copying at least some of the signaling messages a network monitoring client for requesting network monitoring service by transmitting network monitoring request messages, the network monitoring request messages including signaling link configuration information; and (b) a plurality of general-purpose processors coupled to the signal transfer point, each general purpose processor including a network monitoring server for responding to the requests received from the network monitoring clients, for obtaining the signaling link configuration information from the network monitoring service request messages, wherein the network monitoring processors and the signaling messages copied by the signaling message copier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
132 words
A network monitoring system comprising: (a) a signal transfer point including a plurality of link interface modules for sending and receiving signaling messages via external signaling links, each link interface module including a signaling message copier for copying at least some of the signaling messages a network monitoring client for requesting network monitoring service by transmitting network monitoring request messages, the network monitoring request messages including signaling link configuration information; and (b) a plurality of general-purpose processors coupled to the signal transfer point, each general purpose processor including a network monitoring server for responding to the requests received from the network monitoring clients, for obtaining the signaling link configuration information from the network monitoring service request messages, wherein the network monitoring processors and the signaling messages copied by the signaling message copier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the network monitoring clients are adapted to broadcast the network monitoring service request messages to the network monitoring servers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The network monitoring system of claim 17 wherein the network monitoring service request messages include signaling link identification information for identifying signaling links for which network monitoring service is requested.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The network monitoring system of claim 18 wherein each of the network monitoring servers is provisioned to service a predetermined set of signaling links.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The network monitoring system of claim 19 wherein the predetermined sets of signaling links are exclusive of each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network monitoring system of claim 19 wherein the predetermined set of signaling links is a subset of the signal links available within a network routing node.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The network monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the predetermined set of signaling links is contained within one or more network routing nodes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the signal transfer point and the general purpose processors are located in the same telecommunications equipment frame.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the signal transfer point and the general purpose processors are located in separate telecommunications equipment frames.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the signal transfer point and the general purpose processors are connected via Ethernet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the signal transfer point includes a bus for interconnecting the link interface modules.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The network monitoring system of claim 26 comprising a plurality of network monitoring transport cards coupled to the bus for routing network monitoring messages between the link interface modules and the general purpose processors.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The network monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the general-purpose processors are coupled to the signal transfer point without using external signaling link probes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5008929A
Cited
US5438570A
Cited
US5867558A
Cited
US5987334A
Cited
US6122255A
Cited
US6118936A
Cited
US5809286A
Cited
US5889954A
Cited
WO1998033303A1
Cited
US6483842B1
Cited
US6085244A
Cited
US6393113B1
Cited
US6167446A
Cited
US6539082B1
Cited
US6359976B1
Cited
US6381306B1
Cited
US20030128698A1
Cited
EP0991251A2
Cited
US20020126653A1
Cited
US6327350B1
Cited
US6400813B1
Cited
WO2001031936A2
Cited
US20010038689A1
Cited
US6574214B1
Cited
US6522629B1
Cited
US20020118813A1
Cited
US20020150221A1
Cited
US6765990B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-12-25 | 2010-06-26 | 2010-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-12-25 | 2014-06-26 | 2014-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-12-25 | 2018-06-26 | 2018-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |