KR100834569B1 - Open service verification apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an open service verification method and apparatus in an open network environment. In consideration of the characteristics, the activation method according to various types of open services is managed through the service activation table when registering a service to be verified, and the verification target service is activated based on the information in the service activation table.

Open services, open service standard APIs, validation tools, service registration, service activation,

Description

Open service verification apparatus and method

1 is a block diagram showing an open network environment for providing an open service,

2 is a functional block diagram of an open service verification apparatus according to the present invention;

3 is a configuration diagram of data fields of a service activation table used in the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of an open service verification method according to the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of an open service verification method according to the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

410: verification management

420: service activation table

430: application server processing unit

440: gateway processing unit

450: network processing unit

460: graphical user interface processing unit

The present invention relates to an open service verification tool, and more particularly, an open service verification that can efficiently verify an open service by considering not only an internal event that may occur in a communication network, but also various external events that may be applied to a service application. An apparatus and method are provided.

The open application program interface (hereinafter, referred to as an open API) is a technology proposed to easily create and provide various communication services, and is a standardized interface between an application service layer and a transport network layer of a communication network. The open API provides an API set that abstracts the communication capabilities of various communication networks, such as a wired telephone network, a mobile telephone network, a data communication network, and a broadcasting network, by function, and enables a service provider other than the communication network to use a new application independently of the structure and technology of the communication network. It is easy to develop services, and communication service developed using open API is called open service. Here, the communication service refers to a service provided to the user by using the capability of the communication network.

The open API is currently being standardized by Parlay Group, ETRI, 3GPP, etc., and CORBA-based Palay / OSA API and Web service-based Palay X API are proposed according to the degree of abstraction of communication network functions.

The previous communication service is made of an intelligent network service method provided with a service logic that is a protocol level program in a service controller (SCP) subordinate to a specific network. However, since the intelligent network service uses only the network function, the open service is developed by combining a programming language such as C or Java and an open service standard API, and thus, integrates various network resources and functions provided by IT (Internet Technology). There is an advantage that the flexible and various services are available through the use of the service, and open service is expected to be used more in the future.

On the other hand, in the case of developing a predetermined communication service, a service verification process for confirming whether to terminate after accurately performing a function of a service application developed for stable service provision is necessary.

As such a service verification technique, only a verification scheme for an intelligent network service is currently proposed.

For example, in Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-0037557 (name: Service Logic Program Verification Method of Service Control System), a test data set in advance as a method of verifying a service logic program of a service controller (SCP) included in an intelligent network, After processing the corresponding operation of the service logic program according to the type of service using the method, the method stores the result, and compares the stored result with the preset test data to determine whether the normal performance.

However, in the case of the intelligent network service, since the service logic is located in the network, only events to be generated in the network need to be considered. However, since the open service is located in an application layer separated from the network, the service logic is generated in the network at the time of service verification. In addition to the events, you must also consider the various external events that can be applied to the application.

Therefore, if the existing intelligent network service verification method is applied, open services including external events cannot be efficiently verified.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an open service verification apparatus and method capable of efficiently verifying an open service at a software level with respect to an open service including various events. have.

As a technical means for realizing the above object, the present invention provides an open service verification method in an open service verification apparatus including a virtual application server, a gateway and an application server providing a communication network environment, a gateway processing unit, and a communication network processing unit. The method of claim 1, further comprising: registering the service logic to be verified with the open verification tool as the verification target service; Inputting activation information according to a service type of the registered verification target service into a service activation table; If verification of the registered verification target service is requested, activating the corresponding verification target service according to activation information input to the service activation table; And collecting and providing a message flow and execution state of the activated verification target service to a user.

In addition, in the open service verification method, the inputting of the activation information into a service activation table may include selecting and inputting identification values for identifying various verification target services into the service activation table, Inputting a service name of a service and a service activation method indicating whether the corresponding service is started by a network event, performed by a user action, or instructed by the user to directly start the service, and the inputted service activation method In case of the network event property, it indicates the service activation number defined by the service and whether the network event for the activation is called or outgoing. If the network event is not, the service activation number and the called / outgoing-based information are null. null) value, and Inputting the location of the verification target service logic when the service activation method is performed by a user's direct instruction, and inputting a location of a corresponding user program in the case of a user action event service; It characterized in that it comprises the step of inputting the current verification execution state of the.

In addition, in the above-described open service verification method of the present invention, the activating the corresponding verification target service comprises: classifying the verification target service into a user service and an event service based on the information stored in the service activation table. If the verification target service is a user service, reading the location of the service logic from the service activation table to execute the service immediately; and if the verification target service is an event service, in the communication network The process of discriminating whether it is caused by an generated network event or an event occurring in a user program by a user action, and when it is caused by a network event, waits for a network event to be generated by a communication network processor. Match the conditions recorded in the activation table. If whether the network event, the process and, in the case of events that occur in the user program according to the user action, characterized in that formed in the process of activation the user program require a user action to the activation of the service logic.

The present invention also provides a recording medium on which a program for performing the above-described open service verification method is recorded as another technical means for implementing the above object.

In addition, the present invention is another technical means for implementing the above object, the verification management unit for registering the verification target service, and collectively control the verification process for the registered target service; A service activation table that manages information for activation of a service registered as a verification target and provides the verification management to the verification management unit; An application server processor configured to provide a virtual AS environment for performing service logic, to perform open service logic to be verified, and to provide a notification API for processing an event delivered from the virtual gateway accordingly; A gateway processor configured to operate as a virtual gateway and provide an open API provided by the gateway between the application server processor and a communication network processor below; A communication network processing unit which operates as a virtual communication network to generate an event of the communication network and perform a network function; And a graphic user interface for providing a user with an open service verification process and a result performed by the application server processor, the gateway processor, and the communication network processor.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are shown in different drawings. In addition, in the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The present invention enables to efficiently verify an open service at the software level with respect to an open service including various events, wherein the software level verification process can verify the logical structure and error of the service logic itself. The verification process is different from the lab test, which can be interlocked with the network configuration equipment. In other words, the verification process at the software level may be referred to as the first verification process before the lab test.

1 illustrates a structure of an open service platform to which the present invention is applied, such as a wired / wireless network or an internet network that performs a predetermined communication service through a user terminal 400 that is provided with a communication service and a network resource. A communication gateway 300, a service gateway (GW) 200 that interoperates with network resources of the communication network 300 using an open API, and open service logic are mounted to perform a corresponding service according to the open service logic. It is configured as an application server (AS) (100) for performing the resources of the communication network 300 through the gateway 200.

The user terminal 400 is a communication terminal capable of connecting to the communication network 300 and transmitting / receiving analog / digital voice signals and data through the communication network 300, and includes a mobile phone, a PDA, a phone, a laptop, and the like. .

The communication network 300 may be, for example, a general communication network or a broadband integrated network.

The service gateway 300 is an open service gateway that supports an open API for interworking with each function with respect to various communication capabilities of the communication network 300, and performs a middleware role between the application 100 and the communication network 300. . More specifically, in response to an API call, the network resource of the communication network 300 and the request is processed through the interworking protocol. For this processing, the service gateway 300 may request a performance of the corresponding communication capability for each communication capability provided in the communication network 300 and process a result thereof (Service Capability Feature, hereinafter referred to as SCF). It is provided. Examples of commonly known functions include short message capability (SMS SCF) for delivering a short message to a mobile communication network and processing it, multimedia message capability (MMS SCF) for delivering a multimedia message to a mobile communication network, and processing the same. Call connection capability (TPC SCF) to handle the call connection function, Presence SCF (processing ability) to process the status information of a specific user.

The application server 100 mounts service logic in an application layer to perform a predetermined communication service using network resources and capabilities of the communication network 300, and provides an overall environment for performing the service logic. Hereinafter, the service logic mounted in the applicator is called a service application 110.

The above-described open service platform shown in FIG. 1 supports the Parlay X API, which includes an API and a service application 110 for the service application 110 to request the gateway 200 to access the communication network 300. ), The API requesting the gateway 200 to start event notification or ending the event notification, and the notification API required for the gateway 200 to notify the network event. Among these three types of APIs, the first API and the second API are both implemented in the gateway 200, while the third API is implemented on the service application 100 side.

In the open service platform shown in FIG. 1, an example of using the Parlay-X API standardized by the Parlay group by introducing a web service technology is not limited thereto.

According to the present invention, in the development of the service application 110 mounted on the application server 100 in the open service platform, before applying the developed service application to the actual open service platform, it is verified whether the service is normally performed. Provide tools for doing this.

2 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration of the open service verification apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the open service verification apparatus according to the present invention includes a verification management unit 410 that registers a verification target service and collectively controls a verification process for a registered target service, and activation of a service registered as a verification target. It provides a service activation table 420 to provide information to the verification management unit 410 and a virtual AS environment for performing service logic to perform the open service logic to verify, and accordingly virtual gateways. An application server (hereinafter referred to as an AS) processor 430 which provides a notification API for processing an event transmitted from the AS and an open API provided by the gateway by acting as a virtual gateway are provided with the AS processor 430 and the communication network processor. The gateway (hereinafter referred to as GW) processing unit 440 provided between the 450 and the operation as a virtual communication network to communicate Providing a user with an open service verification process and a result performed by the communication network processing unit 450 that generates network events and performs network functions, the above-described AS processing unit 430, the GW processing unit 44, and the communication network processing unit 450. And a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI) unit 460.

Each processing block will be described in more detail.

The verification management unit 410 registers a service to be verified, a service registration module 411 for inputting activation information and other information on the registered service to the service activation table 420, and the service activation table 420. And a service execution module 412 for activating the service according to the service activation information inputted in the control and the verification process control.

The AS processing unit 430 is a service logic 431 of the verification target service registered by the verification management unit 410, a notification SCF module 432 for event processing delivered from the network in the open service standard API, GUI GUI interworking module 433 for interworking with the unit 460, and GW interworking module 434 for interworking with the GW processing unit 440.

The GW processing unit 440 interworks with the AS interworking module 441 for interworking with the AS processing unit 430, the communication network interworking module 442 for interworking with the communication network processing unit 450, and the GUI unit 460. GUI interworking module 443 and one or more SCF modules 444 for providing an open service standard API function.

The communication network processing unit 450 is an event generation module 451 for generating an event occurring in a network such as Call / SMS / MMS, and a GW interworking module 452 for operating in conjunction with the GW processing unit 440. And a GUI interworking module 453 for interoperating with the GUI unit 460, and a management module 454 for managing location information and status information in the communication network.

Finally, the GUI unit 460 is a message flow output module for outputting a message flow between the above-described virtual AS, GW, AS processing unit 430, GW processing unit 440, and communication network processing unit 450 operating as a communication network. 461, an execution state module 462 showing a service execution state thereof, an AS processor 430 operating as a virtual AS, a GW, a communication network, and a GW processing unit to grasp the message flow and service execution state. 440, and a GW interworking module 463, an AS interworking module 464, and a communication network interworking module 465 for interlocking with the communication network processing unit 450 to grasp the operating state of each processing unit.

Each processing block of the open service verification apparatus according to the present invention described above is implemented in software.

In addition, the service activation table 420 described above manages the activation method of the service and related information according to the type of the open service to be verified.

Open services verified by the present invention can be classified into three types according to service logic execution subjects and time. The first is a network event service where the service is executed by call processing events such as Call / SMS / MMS occurring in the network like the existing intelligent network service. The second is a service when a specific function is called from a user program such as a messenger. The third is a user action service to be executed. The third is a user service in which logic is written so that a user starts to set up service startup to execute the events and routines defined in the service logic. The user service corresponds to a service including a routine for setting notification start of a network event.

Of the three types of services described above, the previous network eventing service and the user action service are network events or events such as invoking user program specific functions are mediated to start the service, but the user service must be started by the user directly. .

According to the present invention, when the service to be verified is registered in the open service verification apparatus in consideration of the characteristics of the open service, information for service activation for each service is input, which is managed in the service activation table 420 described above.

The service activation table 420 may be configured as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, when several services are registered as verification targets, the service activation table 420 may include a service identifier (ID) 421 for identifying each verification target service, and a verification target service. The service activation method (Call / SMS / MMS / UserAction / User) indicating the service name 422 and whether the corresponding service is started by a network event, performed by a user's specific action, or instructed by the user. 423, a service activation number defined by the service (null if there is no) 424, and whether or not the network event is called / originated based on whether the network event is called-based or originated based on the activation by the network event. / Terminated) 425 and the location of the associated service logic (e.g., executable file location / user program executable location / web page if user program is needed) A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) 426, etc.) and a data field such as an execution state (eg, stop / execute) 427 of the service logic to be verified.

When the open service verification apparatus configured as described above registers the service to be verified and the activation information through the service registration module 411 of the verification management unit 410 and instructs the verification to start, the service execution module 412 The service is executed in accordance with the activation method registered in the service activation table 420. Accordingly, the AS processing unit 430, the GW processing unit 440, and the communication network processing unit 450 operating as virtual AS, GW, and communication networks operate according to the instructions of the verification management unit 410 to execute the corresponding service, and the execution state thereof. Is output to the user by the GUI unit 460.

More specifically, when the verification target service is a user service executed by a user's instruction, the service execution module 412 automatically executes the selected service logic directly, thereby starting the service verification process.

In the case of an external event-based service by a user action, when the verification target service is selected and the verification is instructed, the service execution module 412 executes a program or a web page associated with the corresponding event and waits for an external event input. When the external event is inputted, the service logic starts to operate the service verification process.

If the service to be inspected is a network event based service, the service execution module 412 transfers control to the communication network processing unit 450 to generate a network event regardless of the service. When the network processing unit 450 operates to generate a virtual network event, the service execution module 412 considers the network event incoming / outgoing and the service activation number inputted in the service activation table 420, and a reasonable service. After searching, the service verification process starts by automatically executing the corresponding service logic.

Hereinafter, the above-described open service verification process will be described in more detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for a verification target service registration process proposed in the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, when a new open service is developed and the service is to be verified, first, a service to be verified is registered through the verification management unit 410 of the service verification tool, and the service activation table 420 is provided. Enter information for service activation in the data field.

More specifically, a service identifier 421 that selects a service to be verified to be registered is selected and input (1110), and then a service name (422) and an activation method (423) assigned to the service are input. (1200,1130).

According to the inputted activation method, there are different items to be input later. First, if the inputted activation method is based on a call-related event (eg, Call / SMS / MMS) provided by the network, the service activation number 424 And information 425 indicating whether the corresponding network event is an incoming call or an outgoing call (1140, 1150).

Then, the location 426 where the verification target service logic exists is input (1170), and the current verification execution state 427 of the verification target service is set to stopped (1180).

On the contrary, when the activation method of the service to be verified is not a call-related event (Call / SMS / MMS) provided by the network, the service activation number 424 and the call activation / sent in the data field of the service activation table 420 Set the field 425 for inputting information to a null value indicating that there is no related information (1160), input only the location 426 where the verification target service logic exists (1170), and verify the current verification of the verification target service. The execution state 427 is set to stopped (1180).

As described above, the present invention specifically manages an activation method for a service to be verified using the service activation table 420 in an open service verification tool.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a service activation process for service verification using the service activation table 420 in the service verification method according to the present invention.

When the service to be verified is registered in the verification management unit 410 of the open service verification apparatus according to the present invention, and information related to the service activation table 420 is inputted, the open service verification apparatus sets the registered service to the set activation method. Therefore, it executes and performs service verification. The process is described in detail with reference to FIG.

The user selects a service verification start from among functions provided by the open service verification apparatus, and then selects a service type to be verified (1200, 1210). If the selected service type is a user service in which the user directly instructs service start, the user selects a service to be verified from a list of registered services corresponding to the user service (1220). Accordingly, the verification management unit 410 reads the service logic position of the corresponding service by classifying the service identifier in the service activation table 420 (1230), and immediately executes the service logic existing at the read position (1230). In operation 1250, the service logic execution state 427 of the service activation table 420 is set to Run.

In addition, as described above, in the case of an event-based service, there are a service activated by an event occurring in a network and a service activated by an event generated by a user action.

Therefore, when the service type selected in step 1210 is an eventual service activated by a predetermined event, when the user selects a service to be verified (1260), the event for activation of the selected service is a network event or an event by a user action. If it is determined that the network event property, and after reading the location of the service logic from the service activation table 420 (1270), the network event for activating the service by performing the communication network processing unit 450 occurs Wait (1280). In this case, the related network event information may be known from the service activation number 424 of the service activation table 420 and whether the call is received or received.

In this case, the network processing unit 450 checks whether a corresponding network event has occurred, and as a result of the checking, when a network event occurs, the service-related information is read from the service activation table 420 (1290), and whether the conditions match. In comparison, if it matches, the service logic existing at the read position is executed (1300), and the service logic execution state 427 of the service activation table 427 is set to Run (1310).

That is, since an event for executing the network event service logic stored in the AS processor 430 occurs, it is assumed that execution of the corresponding service logic is started, and the service logic execution state is set to Run. As described above, if it is set to Run, but the network event service logic is not performed, it may be determined that there is a problem with the service logic.

Finally, when the service selected by the user is activated by a user action event, the verification manager 410 reads the service logic location 426. In the case of the user action eventual service, the execution file location of the service logic is Instead, since the execution file location of the user program concerned is stored, the verification management unit 410 reads the location of the user program (1320), executes the user program of the corresponding location (1330), and executes the service logic execution state (427). ) Is set to Run (1340).

In the case of the service activated by the user action event, as in the case of the network event service described above, the service is not executed, but the user program that executes the service is executed. The service logic can be thought of as having been waited for.

As described above, corresponding service logic of the AS processor 430 is performed according to the user's instruction, user action event, and network event according to the service type, respectively, and the GW processor 440 according to the service logic performed above. The related API of is called and requested to perform a predetermined network capability of the communication network processing unit 450 through the GW processing unit 440, and the communication network capability is performed by the communication network processing unit 450, and then the execution result is returned to the GW processing unit. An operation for verifying the open service returned to the AS processor 430 is performed through 440.

At this time, the message flow between the AS processor 430, the GW processor 440, and the communication network processor 450 is collected by the message output module 461 of the GUI unit 460 and provided to the user, and the execution state thereof is a service. The execution status output module 462 is collected and provided to the user.

By checking the message flow and the service execution state provided by the GUI unit 460, the user can grasp the normal operation and problems of the service logic without directly applying the service logic to the open API service platform. .

As described above, the present invention manages a method of registering and activating an open service to be verified, thereby providing an efficient and suitable verification environment for the open service. In particular, efficient verification is possible in consideration of the characteristics of open services that can be activated for various external events as well as events occurring in the network compared to existing intelligent network services, thereby improving convenience and efficiency of open service development. You can expect

Claims (8)

In the open service verification method in an open service verification device comprising a virtual application server, a gateway and an application server processing unit for providing a communication network environment, a gateway processing unit, and a communication network processing unit, Registering the service logic to be verified in the open verification tool as the verification target service; Inputting activation information according to a service type of the registered verification target service into a service activation table; If verification of the registered verification target service is requested, activating the corresponding verification target service according to activation information input to the service activation table; And And collecting and providing a message flow and performance state of the activated verification target service to a user. The method of claim 1, wherein the inputting of the activation information into a service activation table comprises: In the service activation table, an identification value for identifying various verification target services is selected and inputted, and the service name of the verification target service, whether the service is started by a network event or performed by a user action, Inputting a service activation method indicating whether the service directs start; If the inputted service activation method is network event property, it indicates a service activation number defined by the service and whether the network event for activation is called-based or originated. If not, it is determined by the service activation number and called-based. Inputting information indicating whether the call is based on a null value, Inputting the location of the verification target service logic when the service activation method is performed by a direct instruction of the user, and inputting a location of a corresponding user program in the case of a user action event service; Inputting a current verification execution state of the verification target service logic. The method of claim 2, Activating the corresponding verification target service, Classifying a verification target service into a user service and an event service based on the information stored in the service activation table; If the service to be verified is a user service, reading the location of the corresponding service logic from the service activation table and immediately executing the service; When the verification target service is an eventual service, a process of distinguishing whether the event is generated by a network event occurring in a communication network or an event occurring in a user program by a user action; If the eventual service is caused by a network event, waiting for a network event to occur in the network processing unit and activating a corresponding service logic when a network event matching a condition recorded in a service activation table is recognized; And if the eventual service is an event occurring in a user program by a user action, activating a user program requiring a user action. A verification management unit that registers a verification target service and controls the verification process of the registered target service in general; A service activation table for managing information for activation of a service registered as a verification target and providing the verification management to the verification management unit; An application server processor configured to provide a virtual AS environment for performing service logic, to perform open service logic to be verified, and to provide a notification API for processing an event delivered from the virtual gateway accordingly; A gateway processor configured to operate as a virtual gateway and provide an open API provided by the gateway between the application server processor and a communication network processor below; A communication network processing unit which operates as a virtual communication network to generate an event of the communication network and perform a network function; And And an open service verification process performed by the application server processor, the gateway processor, and the communication network processor. The method of claim 4, wherein The verification management unit, A service registration module for registering a service to be verified and inputting activation information and other information on the registered service to the service activation table; And a service execution module for activating a service according to service activation information input to the service activation table and control of a verification process. The method of claim 4, wherein The service activation table, A field for recording identification values for identifying various verification target services; A field for recording the service name of the service to be verified; A field for recording a service activation method indicating whether the service is started by a network event, performed by a user action, or directly instructed by the user; A field for recording a service activation number defined by a service for the network event service; In the case of a network event service, a field indicating whether the network event for activation is called-based or originated-based; A field for recording a location where service logic exists for a network event service or a user service or a location of a corresponding user program for a user action event service; And a field for recording an execution state of the verification target service logic. The method of claim 4, wherein The verification management unit When the network event service is verified, the network event generated by the communication network processing unit is checked, and when the network event that meets the condition recorded in the service activation table is generated, the corresponding service logic is executed in the service activation table, and the user action event When verifying the sex service, after executing the corresponding user program recorded in the service activation table, the service logic is displayed as running, and in the case of the user service, after executing the service logic immediately, it is running in the service activation table. Open service verification apparatus, characterized in that for recording. delete

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