Method and apparatus for message-based overload control in a distributed call-processor communication system
First Claim
1. An overload control method for use in a network employing distributed call-processing, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a call set up request from an end terminal;
determining if sufficient resources exist in a call processor to process said call set up request;
identifying an alternate call processor to process said call set up request using a list of call processors if sufficient resources do not exist, wherein said list of call processors includes a congestion status of one or more of said call processors; and
forwarding said call set up request to said identified alternate call processor with an identifier of said congested call processor, whereby said forwarded call set up request indicates to said alternate call processor that said congested call processor is congested.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for alleviating congestion and overload in a distributed call-processing system interconnected through a packet based network. The illustrative Internet Protocol network includes a plurality of end terminals and distributed call processors. According to an aspect of the invention, the call processor will determine whether to process a call request or to forward the request to another call processor. Generally, the call processor will declare an overload condition if sufficient resources (including processing or memory resources) are not available to process a given call. If a call processor determines that it is too congested to process a call, the call processor enters an overload condition, selects an alternate call processor and forwards the request to the alternate call processor. Each call processor maintains an ordered list of call processors that indicates whether or not each call processor is overloaded.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An overload control method for use in a network employing distributed call-processing, said method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a call set up request from an end terminal; determining if sufficient resources exist in a call processor to process said call set up request; identifying an alternate call processor to process said call set up request using a list of call processors if sufficient resources do not exist, wherein said list of call processors includes a congestion status of one or more of said call processors; and forwarding said call set up request to said identified alternate call processor with an identifier of said congested call processor, whereby said forwarded call set up request indicates to said alternate call processor that said congested call processor is congested. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An overload control method for use in a network employing distributed call-processing, said method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a forwarded call set up request from a congested call processor, said forwarded call set up request including an identifier of said congested call processor; and setting a flag associated with said congested call processor indicating that said congested call processor is congested by utilizing said received call set up request. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An overload control manager for use in a network employing distributed call-processing, comprising:
-
a memory for storing computer readable code; and a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to; receive a call set up request from an end terminal; determine if sufficient resources exist in a call processor to process said call set up request; identify an alternate call processor to process said call set up request using a list of call processors if sufficient resources do not exist, wherein said list of call processors includes a congestion status of one or more of said call processors; and forward said call set up request to said identified alternate call processor with an identifier of said congested call processor, whereby said forwarded call set up request indicates to said alternate call processor that said congested call processor is congested. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An overload control manager for use in a network employing distributed call-processing, comprising:
-
a memory for storing computer readable code; and a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to; receiving a forwarded call set up request from a congested call processor, said forwarded call set up request including an identifier of said congested call processor; and setting a flag associated with said congested call processor indicating that said congested call processor is congested by utilizing said received call set up request. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification