System and method for mid-call merging of multi-protocol call messages on the Iub and Iur interfaces in UTRAN

1. A method comprising:

correlating Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol messages obtained from an Iub interface during a call into a first call record, the RRC protocol messages selected using a first correlation key;

correlating Node B Application Part (NBAP)/Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) protocol messages obtained from the Iub interface during the call into a second call record, the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages selected using a second correlation key;

creating a first fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from an RRC connection setup message among the RRC protocol messages;

merging the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first fetch key;

creating a first pointer linking the second call record to the first call record;

correlating another NBAP/ALCAP protocol message obtained from the Iub interface during the call into the second call record, the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message selected using the second correlation key;

merging the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer;

correlating Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP) protocol messages obtained from an Iur interface into a third call record, the RNSAP protocol messages selected using a third correlation key;

creating a second fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from a RNSAP radio link setup message among the RNSAP protocol messages;

merging the RNSAP protocol messages into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second fetch key;

creating a second pointer linking the third call record to the second call record;

correlating another RNSAP protocol message obtained from the Iur interface during the call into the third call record, the other RNSAP protocol message selected using the third correlation key; and

merging the other RNSAP protocol message into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second pointer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising merging the other RNSAP protocol message from the second call record into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer.

3. A method, comprising:

correlating Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol messages obtained from an Iub interface during a call into a first call record, the RRC protocol messages selected using a first correlation key;

correlating Node B Application Part (NBAP)/Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) protocol messages obtained from the Iub interface during the call into a second call record, the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages selected using a second correlation key;

creating a first fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from an RRC connection setup message among the RRC protocol messages;

merging the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first fetch key;

creating a first pointer linking the second call record to the combined call record;

correlating another NBAP/ALCAP protocol message obtained from the Iub interface during the call into the second call record, the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message selected using the second correlation key;

merging the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer;

correlating Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP) protocol messages obtained from an Iur interface into a third call record, the RNSAP protocol messages selected using a third correlation key;

creating a second fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from a RNSAP radio link setup message among the RNSAP protocol messages;

merging the RNSAP protocol messages into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second fetch key;

creating a second pointer linking the third call record to the second call record;

correlating another RNSAP protocol message obtained from the Iur interface during the call into the third call record, the other RNSAP protocol message selected using the third correlation key;

merging the other RNSAP protocol message into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second pointer; and

merging the other RNSAP protocol message from the second call record into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer.

4. A system, comprising:

monitoring equipment coupled to interfaces at a network node, the monitoring equipment configured to capture substantially all the messages passing to and from the network node; and

a processor coupled to the monitoring equipment, the processor configured to:

correlate Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol messages obtained from an Iub interface during a call into a first call record, the RRC protocol messages selected using a first correlation key;

correlate Node B Application Part (NBAP)/Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) protocol messages obtained from the Iub interface during the call into a second call record, the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages selected using a second correlation key;

create a first fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from an RRC connection setup message among the RRC protocol messages;

merge the NBAP/ALCAP protocol messages into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first fetch key;

create a first pointer linking the second call record to the first call record;

correlate another NBAP/ALCAP protocol message obtained from the Iub interface during the call into the second call record, the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message selected using the second correlation key;

merge the other NBAP/ALCAP protocol message into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer;

correlate Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP) protocol messages obtained from an Iur interface into a third call record, the RNSAP protocol messages selected using a third correlation key;

create a second fetch key based upon an uplink scrambling code extracted from a RNSAP radio link setup message among the RNSAP protocol messages;

merge the RNSAP protocol messages into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second fetch key;

create a second pointer linking the third call record to the second call record;

correlate another RNSAP protocol message obtained from the Iur interface during the call into the third call record, the other RNSAP protocol message selected using the third correlation key; and

merge the other RNSAP protocol message into the second call record based, at least in part, upon the second pointer.

5. The system of claim 4 , the processor further configured to:

merge the other RNSAP protocol message from the second call record into the first call record based, at least in part, upon the first pointer.