Generating call detail records
View Patent ↗Request and response messages conforming to a protocol such as Media Gateway Control Protocol between media gateways and a media gateway controller are examined to enable them to be correlated. The correlated messages are assembled to produce a call detail record describing a voice or data call established over an IP network via the media gateways under the control of the media gateway controller.
1. A method of generating a call detail record for a telecommunications call established via a media gateway under the control of a media gateway controller, comprising the steps of:
detecting messages exchanged between media gateways and at least one media gateway controller;
locating identification information within the messages;
associating command messages with corresponding response messages in accordance with a first kind of identification information;
associating command and response messages relating to a specific gateway in accordance with a second kind of identification information;
associating messages relating to different gateways in accordance with a third kind of identification information; and
combining the messages which have been associated with one another to produce a call detail record.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first kind of identification information comprises gateway transaction identification information.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first kind of identification information includes message addressing information.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the message addressing information comprises Internet Protocol addresses.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second kind of identification information comprises names of media end points within the gateways.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third kind of identification information comprises unique identifiers for identifying calls established via a media gateway.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third kind of identification information comprises Internet Protocol addresses for bearer data paths in the call together with associated port addresses.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein message addressing information is associated with names of media end points within the gateways.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a temporary association is made between a call and a name of a media end point within a gateway, and the temporary association is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed following termination of a connection set up between two gateways for that call.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media gateways and the media gateway controller communicate in accordance with the Media Gateway Control Protocol.
11. Apparatus for generating a call detail record for a telecommunications call established via a media gateway under the control of a media gateway controller, comprising:
a monitor for detecting messages exchanged between media gateways and at least one media gateway controller;
a locator for locating identification information within the messages;
an associator for associating command messages with corresponding response messages in accordance with a first kind of identification information, for associating command and response messages relating to a specific gateway in accordance with a second kind of identification information, and for associating messages relating to different gateways in accordance with a third kind of identification information; and
a combiner for combining the messages which have been associated with one another to produce a call detail record.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first kind of identification information comprises gateway transaction identification information.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first kind of identification information includes message addressing information.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the message addressing information comprises Internet Protocol addresses.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second kind of identification information comprises names of media end points within the gateways.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the third kind of identification information comprises unique identifiers for identifying calls established via a media gateway.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the third kind of identification information comprises Internet Protocol addresses for bearer data paths in the call together with associated port addresses.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the associator is arranged to associate message addressing information with names of media end points within the gateways.
19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the associator is arranged to (a) makes a temporary association between a call and a name of a media end point within a gateway, and (b) terminate the temporary association after a predetermined time has elapsed following termination of a connection set up between two gateways for that call.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the media gateways and the media gateway controller are arranged to communicate in accordance with the Media Gateway Control Protocol.