Method and apparatus for sharing TCAP traffic load
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a point code emulation apparatus and method for dividing a Common Channel Signaling System No. 7 (or SS7) signaling network into two or more networks. The point code emulator is adapted to receive TCAP messages from two or more subnets and converts, for the messages crossing over the subnets, the information of the TCAP messages, including originating point code, destination point code, and transaction identifier, (and optionally, calling party number and called party number), and forwards to the other one of the two or more subnets. Correspondence among the two or more subnets may be provisioned by an authorized user of the system, may be learned automatically by the system based on ISUP message correspondences or previous TCAP transactions, or may be automatically discovered by the system broadcasting messages to nodes in the destined one of the two or more subnets.
1. A Signaling System No. 7 (SS7 ) node for routing transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) messages from a first subnet to a second subnet by discovering a destination node from a plurality of nodes in the second subnet, comprising:
a) a first interface for the first subnet;
b) a second interface for the second subnet;
c) a processor in communication with the first and second interfaces and one or more structured database storages, the processor configured to:
i) receive a first TCAP message from the first subnet through the first interface;
ii) extract originating point code (OPC), destination point code (DPC) and transaction identifier (TID) of said first TCAP message;
iii) broadcast a message to all or a part of said plurality of the nodes in the second subnet through the second interface;
iv) receive one or more responses to the message from one or more of said plurality of the nodes in the second subnet;
v) determine the destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC and TID based on a most successful one of the one or more responses;
vi)route the most successful one of one or more responses to the first subnet through the first interface;
vii) receive a second TCAP message from the first subnet through the first interface subsequent to determining the destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC and TID based on said most successful one of the one or more responses;
viii) extract originating point code (OPC), destination point code (DPC) and transaction identifier (TID) of said second TCAP message
ix) look up and retrieve, from said one or more structured database storages, said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID for said destination node in said second subnet partially or combinedly based on said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second received TCAP message;
x) replace said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second TCAP message with said retrieved corresponding OPC, DPC and TID; and
xi) forward said second TCAP message with said corresponding OPC, DPC, and TID through said second interface to the second subnet.
2. The SS7 node as recited in claim 1 , wherein said broadcast message is a TCAP Begin message.
3. The SS7 node as recited in claim 2 , wherein said first TCAP message is a TCAP Begin message.
4. The SS7 node as recited in claim 1 , wherein said look up and retrieval of said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID is based on said DPC of said received second TCAP message.
5. The SS7 node as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first subnet is a public SS7 network and said second subnet is a private SS7 network.
6. The SS7 node as recited in claim 1 , wherein said most successful response from said plurality of nodes in said second subnet is a first successful response.
7. A method of routing transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) messages from a first subnet to a second subnet by discovering a destination node from a plurality of nodes in the second subnet, comprising the steps of:
a) at a node, receiving a first TCAP message from the first subnet;
b) at the node, extracting an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC) and a transaction identifier (TID) of said first TCAP message;
c) from the node, broadcasting a message to all or a part of said plurality of nodes in the second subnet;
d) at the node, receiving one or more responses to the message from one or more of said plurality of the nodes in the second subnet;
e) determining the destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC and TID based on a most successful one of the one or more responses;
f) routing the most successful one of one or more responses to the first subnet;
g) at the node, receiving a second TCAP message from the first subnet subsequent to determining the destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC, and TID based on said most successful one of the one or more responses;
h) at the node, extracting an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC) and a transaction identifier (TID) of said second TCAP message;
i) look up and retrieve, from one or more structured database stores, said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID for said extracted OPC, DPC and TID for said destination node in said second subnet partially or combinedly based on said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second received TCAP message;
j) replace said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second TCAP message with said retrieved corresponding OPC, DPC and TID; and
k) forward said second TCAP message with said corresponding OPC, DPC, and TID to the second subnet.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said broadcast message is a TCAP Begin message.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first TCAP message is a TCAP Begin message.
10. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said look up and retrieval of said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID is based on said DPC of said received second TCAP message.
11. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said first subnet is a public SS7 network and said second subnet is a private SS7 network.
12. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said most successful response from said plurality of nodes in said second subnet is a first successful response.
13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions which, when executed at a node, causes the node to perform a process of routing transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) messages from a first subnet to a second subnet by discovering a destination node from a plurality of nodes in the second subnet, comprising the steps of:
a) at the node, receiving a first TCAP message from the first subnet;
b) at the node, extracting an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC) and a transaction identifier (TID) of said first TCAP message;
c) from the node, broadcasting a message to all or a part of said plurality of nodes in the second subnet;
d) at the node, receiving one or more responses to the message from one or more of said plurality of the nodes in the second subnet; e) determining the
destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC and TID based on a most successful one of the one or more responses;
f) routing the most successful one of one or more responses to the first subnet;
g) at the node, receiving a second TCAP message from the first subnet subsequent to determining the destination node and a corresponding OPC, DPC, and TID based on said most successful one of the one or more responses;
h) at the node, extracting an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC) and a transaction identifier (TID) of said second TCAP message;
i) look up and retrieve, from one or more structured database stores, said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID for said extracted OPC, DPC and TID for said destination node in said second subnet partially or combinedly based on said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second received TCAP message;
j) replace said extracted OPC, DPC and TID of said second TCAP message with said retrieved corresponding OPC, DPC and TID; and
k) forward said second TCAP message with said corresponding OPC, DPC, and TID to the second subnet.
14. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein said broadcast message is a TCAP Begin message.
15. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14 , wherein said first TCAP message is a TCAP Begin message.
16. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein said look up and retrieval of said corresponding OPC, said corresponding DPC and said corresponding TID is based on said DPC of said received second TCAP message.
17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein said first subnet is a public SS7 network and said second subnet is a private SS7 network.
18. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein said most successful response from said plurality of nodes in said second subnet is a first successful response.