Patent ID: 7855949
Filing Date: 2010-12-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing signaling load in a communication network having a plurality of switches, the method comprising: receiving a notification of a link failure at a first switch and a second switch adjacent to a link associated with the link failure; identifying a first plurality of circuits in a first direction affected by the link failure by the first switch and identifying a second plurality of circuits in a second direction affected by the link failure by the second switch, wherein each circuit of the first plurality of circuits and the second plurality of circuits comprises a path of a plurality of links; grouping affected circuits in accordance with a first plurality of end-switches to which a first plurality of signaling messages have to be sent by the first switch and a second plurality of end-switches to which a second plurality of signaling messages have to be sent by the second switch; bundling the first plurality of signaling messages for each of the first plurality of end-switches in accordance with the affected circuits that are grouped by the first switch and the second plurality of signaling messages for each of the second plurality of end-switches in accordance with the affected circuits that are grouped by the second switch; and forwarding a respective bundle of signaling messages of the first plurality of signaling messages to one of the first plurality of end-switches by the first switch in the first direction away from the link failure and forwarding a respective bundle of signaling messages of the second plurality of signaling messages to one of the second plurality of end-switches by the second switch in the second direction away from the link failure, wherein the affected circuits that are grouped are added to a “to-be-restored” list sorted by a class of services of all circuits by an end switch of the first plurality of end-switches or the second plurality of end-switches.