End-to-End Session CDR Correlation in Distributed Telecom Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for generating Call Detail Records (CDRs) across multiple network elements and interfaces are inefficient, leading to fragmented and unordered data that complicates Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring and customer satisfaction, as they lack a common standard for content, frequency, and timing, resulting in high manpower requirements and inadequate troubleshooting capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A distributed system processes streaming Call Detail Records in real-time to generate end-to-end CDRs, correlating information from various interfaces and protocols, and formatting it into a common data model to create a unified record that can handle unordered and missing data, enabling efficient fault diagnosis and root cause analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If multiple CDRs are generated from different network elements and interfaces, then comprehensive session information is captured, but data fragmentation and ordering issues occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesession information completenessVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the telecommunication session monitoring into multiple independent CDR generation points across different network elements and interfaces. Each network element generates its own CDR independently, capturing local session information without interfering with other elements. This segmentation allows comprehensive information collection while maintaining system modularity and reducing processing complexity through distributed generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary correlation mechanism that receives CDRs from multiple network elements and interfaces. This intermediary component correlates the fragmented CDRs using session identifiers and timing information, reassembles them into a complete session view, and resolves ordering issues. The intermediary acts as a mediator between the distributed CDR sources and the final consolidated session record.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If CDRs are generated at different times and frequencies by various network elements, then detailed session monitoring is achieved, but latency and ordering problems increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesession monitoring accuracyVSAvoidCDR processing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining correlation rules and session identification criteria before CDRs arrive. Network elements are pre-configured with session identifiers and timing reference mechanisms. This preliminary setup enables rapid correlation and ordering of CDRs upon arrival, reducing processing latency while maintaining precise session monitoring through pre-established identification and timing frameworks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional CDR consolidation methods are used, then single-network session data is unified, but multi-interface and multi-protocol sessions cannot be correlated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork type coverageVSAvoidcorrelation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal CDR correlation system that handles multiple network types, interfaces, and protocols through a single unified mechanism. The correlation engine uses protocol-agnostic session identifiers and standardized timing references that work across different network elements regardless of their specific protocol or interface type. This universality enables multi-interface and multi-protocol session correlation without requiring separate correlation systems for each network type, thereby managing complexity while expanding adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3668014B1End-to-end session-related call detail record
Publication Date: 2022.03.30 EXFO SOLUTIONS SAS
  • EP3668014B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1d
  • EP3668014B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3668014B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method, implemented in a distributed system including a plurality of processing devices, generates an end-to-end Call Detail Record (CDR) on voice and multimedia telecommunication sessions over a plurality of telecommunication network elements and interfaces. The method includes the steps of receiving CDRs generated in real-time and streamed by multiple network elements, each CDR referring to a specific interface or protocol, processing the received CDRs as they are received to identify the specific interface or protocol to which the received CDR refers and to identify a single telecommunication session based on a key associated with the received CDR, and creating an end-to-end CDR incrementally based on all of the received CDRs identified for the single telecommunication session, wherein at least two of the received CDRs have a different interface or protocol from one another.