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Introduction to Address Elements and Address Information Blocks

Generic AIB Format

An Address Information Block (AIB) is used to address system objects, such as spans and channels. An AIB has a header, followed by one or more Address Elements. An Address Element is a group of data bytes that represent specific address information.

AIB Field Description
Address Method
Number of Address Elements
Address Element Type
Data Length (n)
Data[0]
:
Data[n-1]

Address Method

Use this field to specify one of two methods for the AIB:

Individual or Range

0x00 - Individual AEs

The Individual AEs method treats each Address Element as a single entity. Use the Individual AEs method to address the following:

• A single component, such as a channel or a slot

• Multiple independent components that are not in a range, such as two channels in a Connect message, where Address
Element 1 defines Channel A and Address Element 2 defines Channel B.

0x01 - Range

Use this method to define the two Address Elements that are the starting and ending entities in a range.

For example, you use this method in an Inpulsing Parameters Configure message to configure a range of channels, where Address Element 1 defines the starting channel and Address Element 2 defines the ending channel.

Important! The field is contained in the AIB in the API messages not in the AE tables in this chapter.

Number of Address Elements

This field indicates the number of Address Elements in the AIB.

An Address Element is a group of data bytes that describe an address. The number of data bytes in an Address Element varies, depending on the address element type.

Important! The field is contained in the AIB in the API messages not in the AE tables in this chapter.

Address Element (AE) Type

This field specifies the Address Element (AE) type. An AIB can contain several AEs. PPL Components use Address Elements in various PPL Messages.

If you use the Individual AEs Addressing Method, you can insert multiple AEs, of different types, into a single AIB.

If you use the Range Addressing Method, you can insert two, and only two, Address Elements, and they must both be of the same Address Type.

Data Length

This field indicates the number of data bytes in the AE immediately following this byte. If an AE contains no data, the value of this field is 0x00.

Data[0]. . . Data[n]

The number of Address Elements in an AIB depends on the message, address type, and addressing requirements.

For example, the table below shows an AIB that has one Address Element, which in turn contains two data fields.

Byte | AE Field Description
--- | ---
2 | Address Element Type (0x12)
3 | Data Length (0x02)
4 | Data[0] – Slot Number
5 | Data[1] – SIMM Number

Using AIBs

To use AIBs in a message, perform the following steps:

1. Determine the required address method and address type. Each message shows the AIBs that are supported by that message. The AIBs are presented in tables similar to the one above.
Remember to build flexibility into your applications to allow for future expansion of the API, including new AIB Address Methods and Types, new addressing requirements, and new functionality.

2. Insert the information, as defined in the table, into the AIB section of the message.The addressing requirements of the message determine the values for the Address Method and Number of Address Elements fields. The object being addressed determines the address data fields.

The table below shows how an AIB is inserted into an API message. The address data fields are bytes 12–13.

MESSAGE |  |
--- | --- | ---
Byte | Field Description |  |
0 | Frame Character (0xFE) |  |
1 | Length, MSB (0x00) |  |
2 | Length, LSB (0x0D) |  |
3 | Message Type, MSB |  |
4 | Message Type, LSB |  |
5 | Reserved (0x00) |  |
6 | Sequence Number |  |
7 | Node ID |  |
8 | AIB |  | Address Method
9 |  | Number of Address Elements
10 | ¨ | Address Element Type
11 | Data Length (0x04)
12 |  | Data[0] – Slot Number
13 |  | Data[1] – SIMM Number
14 | Checksum |  |

Example 1

The table below shows the ARP Cache Query message, with an AIB inside it. You would refer to the Slot AE for its format.

MESSAGE (White)
Byte | Field Description
0 | Frame (0xFE)
1, 2 | Length (0xNNNN)
3, 4 | Message Type (0x00FC)
5 | Reserved (0x00)
6 | Sequence Number
7 | Logical Node ID
: | AIB Address Method 0x00 - Individual AEs
Number of AEs to follow
AE 0x01 Slot
: | Data Type (0x00: TLVs)
: | Number of TLVs to follow
: | Data (TLVs) 0x01DC VoIP Module 0x01DD Flush ARP Cache Table Entry
: | Checksum

Example 2 - Individual AEs Method – Two Address Elements

The table below shows an AIB that uses the Individual AEs address method and that has two Address Elements. This AIB would be used in the Connect message, where:

• Address Element 1 defines Channel A

• Address Element 2 defines Channel B

MESSAGE (White)
Byte | Field Description
0 | Frame (0xFE)
1, 2 | Length (0x0011)
3, 4 | Message Type (0x0000)
5 | Reserved (0x00)
6 | Sequence Number
7 | Logical Node ID
: | AIB Address Method 0x00 - Individual
Number of AEs to follow 0x02
AEs 0x0D Channel A 0x0D Channel B
: | Checksum

Example 2 - Range Method

The table below shows an example of an AIB that uses the Range address method. This AIB would be used in configuration messages to address a range of channels or other components, where:

• Address Element 1 defines the Starting Channel

• Address Element 2 defines the Ending Channel.

A range must contain two and only two Address Elements.

Important! To address a single channel using the range method, enter the same channel as both the starting and ending channel.

MESSAGE (White)
Byte | Field Description
0 | Frame (0xFE)
1, 2 | Length (0xNNNN)
3, 4 | Message Type (0x00D3)
5 | Reserved (0x00)
6 | Sequence Number
7 | Logical Node ID
: | AIB Address Method 0x00 - Individual AEs
Number of AEs to follow
AEs 0x0D Channel (Starting) 0x0D Channel (Ending)
: | Flag 0x00 Busy Out Disabled 0x01 Busy Out Enabled

See Address Information Block.
AIB. A standardized block that allows address data to be inserted in a standard way into API messages.
The information in an AIB that follows the header, down to the data field. An AIB can have one or more Address Elements. AEs correspond to Span, Channel, and SS7 Link.
See Programmable Protocol Language.
A group of data bits in a specific format, with a flag at each end to indicate the beginning and the end of the frame.
Most Significant Bit
Least Significant Bit
Voice over Internet Protocol. The delivery of voice information in digital form in discrete packets rather than in the traditional circuit-committed protocols of the public-switched telephone network (PSTN).
Message delimiter (SS7 bit pattern - 01111110)