Predictive intelligence based automated camel testing

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a method for facilitating roaming tests for a club network. The method includes simulating a roamer's profile by a signaling gateway and associating with either a club network or a roaming partner network of the club network. The club network and the roaming partner network correspond to a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visited PMN, respectively, in case the roamer is an outbound roamer. In case the roamer is an inbound roamer, the club network corresponds to the VPMN and roaming partner network corresponds to the HPMN. The method further includes performing by the signaling gateway, one or more CAMEL capability tests on the roamer. The roaming subscriber is associated with either the club network or the roaming partner network.

1 . A method of facilitating roaming tests for a club network, the method comprising:
 facilitating by a signaling gateway (SG), simulation of a roamer's profile and associating it with one of the club network and a roaming partner network of the club network; and   performing by the SG, one or more Customized Application for Mobile Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) capability tests on the roamer;   wherein the club network and the roaming partner network correspond to one of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN); and   wherein the roaming subscriber is associated with one of the club network and the roaming partner network.   
     
     
         2 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the SG is situated on network either inside the club network or outside the club network having a signalling connection to reach the club network, facilitating roaming tests for different club networks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the signalling connection comprises at least one of Signalling System 7 (SS7), Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the roamer is an outbound roamer of the club network, the club network being the HPMN and the roaming partner network being the VPMN. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the outbound roamer's profile is simulated at the VPMN by creating a CAMEL profile of the roamer at the VPMN. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the CAMEL profile is created by faking the outbound roamer's location at VPMN's VLR/VMSC. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the CAMEL capability test comprises at least one of:
 validating IDP parameters in CAMEL trigger;   testing CAMEL CONTINUE operation;   testing CAMEL CONNECT operation;   testing CAMEL Default Call Handling CONTINUE operation;   testing CAMEL Default Call Handling RELEASE operation;   testing CAMEL Release Call operation;   testing CAMEL Event Reports on ANSWER and DISCONNECT;   testing CAMEL Event Reports on BUSY, No ANSWER and Not-REACHABLE;   testing CAMEL Call Information Report operation;   testing CAMEL Apply charging operation;   testing CAMEL Furnish Charge Information on Event Reports on ANSWER and DISCONNECT;   testing interaction of MAP PSI on location with CAMEL operation;   testing interaction of MAP PSI on subscriber state with CAMEL operation;   testing interaction of MAP barring all call messages with CAMEL operation;   testing interaction of MAP barring all international calls with CAMEL operation; and   testing interaction of MAP PRN with Suppression of Announcement (SoA) with CAMEL operation.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the roamer is an inbound roamer of the club network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , the club network being the VPMN and the roaming partner network being the HPMN. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inbound roamer's profile is simulated at the VPMN. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inbound roamer has one or more CAMEL profiles based on one or more IMSIs provided by the HPMN to the VPMN. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the CAMEL capability test comprises at least one of:
 validating IDP parameters in CAMEL trigger;   testing CAMEL CONNECT operation;   testing CAMEL CONTINUE operation;   testing CAMEL Default Call Handling CONTINUE operation;   testing CAMEL Default Call Handling RELEASE operation;   testing interaction of MAP PSI on subscriber state with CAMEL operation;   testing CAMEL Event Reports on ANSWER and DISCONNECT;   testing ODB call barring operation;   testing SS call barring operation;   testing CAMEL Furnish Charge Information on Event Reports on NO-ANSWER;   testing CAMEL Furnish Charge Information on Event Reports on BUSY;   testing CAMEL Furnish Charge Information on Event Reports on UNREACHABLE;   testing CAMEL Furnish Charge Information on Route-Selection Failure operation;   testing reporting accuracy of CI request and report, SCI and Apply charging request and report operation;   testing tariff switching accuracy of CI request and report, SCI and Apply charging request and report operation;   testing credit balance accuracy of CI request and report, SCI and Apply charging request and report operation; and   testing interaction of ETC (Establish Temporary Connection), ARI (Assist Resource Instruction), CTR (Connect To Resource) and PA (Prompt Announcement) operations.   
     
     
         13 . A system for facilitating roaming tests for a club network, the system comprising:
 a gateway associated with the club network for simulating a roamer's profile and associating it with one of: the club network and a roaming partner network of the club network;   wherein the gateway performs one or more Customized Application for Mobile Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) capability tests on the roamer;   wherein the club network and the roaming partner network correspond to one of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN); and   wherein the roaming subscriber is associated with one of the club network and the roaming partner network.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the roamer is an outbound roamer of the club network, the club network being the HPMN and the roaming partner network being the VPMN. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the roamer is an inbound roamer of the club network, the club network being the VPMN and the roaming partner network being the HPMN. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gateway simulates the roamer's profile at the VPMN by faking the roamer's location at the VPMN's VLR/VMSC. 
     
     
         17 . The system  claim 13 , wherein the SG is situated on a network either inside the club network or outside the club network having a signalling connection to reach the club network, facilitating roaming tests for different club networks. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the signalling connection comprises at least one of Signalling System 7 (SS7), Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP). 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for facilitating roaming tests for a club network, the computer program product comprising:
 computer usable program code for facilitating by a signaling gateway (SG), simulation of a roamer's profile and associating it with one of: the club network and a roaming partner network of the club network; and   computer usable program code for performing by the SG, one or more CAMEL capability tests on the roamer;   wherein the club network and the roaming partner network correspond to one of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN); and   wherein the roaming subscriber is associated with one of the club network and the roaming partner network.