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SwitchKit Intelligent Network and Wireless Components

To integrate the IntelliNet Intelligent Network (IN) and wireless protocol stacks with the CSP, application developers can make use of two basic layers to reduce their development cycle when using SwitchKit as their application development tool. These abstraction layers are:

SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer (SKTAL):

Formats data for the IntelliNet codecs interfacing with the CSP TCAP stack.

SwitchKit Interface Module (SKIM):

Hides the TCAP stack from the application developer.

These abstraction layers are supported for both ANSI and ITU TCAP standards.

SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer

The SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer presents a generic view of the CSP TCAP layer by translating between PPL Events and TCAP messages. This is a modular layer that is directed to applications that require explicit control over TCAP operations. With the SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer the following is provided:

A consistent programming paradigm to an existing SwitchKit user

A simple API to handle TCAP operations

Dialogue ID allocation and management capabilities

Error handling and detection capability for transaction level protocol errors that can be handled transparently

Notification and alarm generation mechanism to the application

The SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer is delivered in binary format. To form an executable image using the defined functionality this layer is required to be linked with:

The application developers software

The required codecs

SwitchKit

SKIM (optional)

SKTAL APIs

The following is a list of APIs used with the SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer.

sktal_initializeTCAP()

sktal_terminateTCAP()

sktal_registerTCAPSSNHandler()

sktal_unregisterTCAPSSNHandler()

sktal_allocateTCAPDialogID()

sktal_setTCAPDialogueHandler()

sktal_clearTCAPDialogHandler()

sktal_sendTCAPDialog()

sktal_recvTCAPDialog()

sktal_sendTCAPComponent()

sktal_recvTCAPComponent()

The SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer employs the handler function SwitchKit model for event handling.

SwitchKit Interface Module

The SwitchKit Interface Module differs from the SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer primarily in its ability to abstract details of the TCAP protocol for an application.

The SwitchKit Interface Module provides a consistent programming paradigm to existing SwitchKit users. This modules APIs abstract details of the SS7 TCAP protocol. This interface can be used by application developers to reduce their development cycle. The SwitchKit Interface Module has a default class for each type of operation and knows which operations have linked operations. If the module is unable to handle a certain message flow, the application can use the SwitchKit TCAP Abstraction Layer. The capabilities of the SwitchKit Interface Module are summarized as follows:

Abstracts details of the TCAP protocol for an application.

Formats the TCAP messages into a message list

Keeps track of active TCAP dialogs

Invokes entities, such as, IDs, operation types, and operation codes.

Provides error handling and detection capability for transaction level protocol errors transparently.

Provides notification and alarm generation mechanism to the application.

Tracing

The SwitchKit Interface Module is delivered in binary format. To form an executable image using the defined functionality this module is required to be linked with:

The application developers software

The required codecs

SwitchKit API

SKTAL

SKIM APIs

The following is a list of APIs used with the SwitchKit Interface Module. These APIs employ the handler function SwitchKit model for event handling.

SKIM_Api::Initialize()

SKIM_Api::Terminate()

SKIM_Api::Send()

SKIM_Api::SendSSNInService()

SKIM_Api::SendSSNOutOfService()

SKIM_Api::SendReject()

SKIM_Api::CancelOperation()

SKIM_Api::SendPreArrangedEnd()

SKIM_Api::SetTransHandler()

SKIM_Api::ClearTransHandler()

SKIM_Api::EnableTracing()

SKIM_Api::DisableTracing()

See Transaction Capability Application Part.
American National Standards Institute. ANSI administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system for the
telecommunications industry. More details on these standards may be
viewed at www.ansi.org.
International Telecommunications Union (UN)
See Programmable Protocol Language.
In PPL, a condition that, when met, drives a state machine (PPL Component) from one state to another, by invoking an associated Primitive. In PPL files, an Event is marked by an arrow and text.
See Signaling System Number Seven.