Patent ID: 7756034
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for handling network overload, comprising: receiving one or more requests at a network element from one or more intervening network elements, wherein an originating client originates the one or more requests to establish communication with a terminating client; determining, at the network element, if the network element handling the one or more requests is overloaded; generating a pushback message, at the network element, associated with a specific request of the one or more requests if the network element is overloaded, wherein the pushback message includes information indicating a time for transmitting subsequent requests; and sending the pushback message from the overloaded network element to the originating client for the originating client to process, wherein the network element, the originating client, the terminating client, and the one or more intervening network elements are separate devices and the one or more intervening network elements do not process the pushback message, and wherein sending the pushback message to the originating client includes sending the pushback message directly to the originating client.