Patent ID: 6038218
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
A method of controlling traffic congestion on a signaling link in a signaling network including a plurality of signaling points connected to each other by a link set having a plurality of signaling links, the method comprising the stepsa) assigning a priority value to each of the signaling links;b) determining a congestion-condition level; andc) enforcing traffic control on a signaling link whose priority value is lower than a priority value corresponding to the determined congestion-condition level,wherein each signaling point is equipped with a plurality of signal processors over which processing of traffic on signaling links connected to the signaling point is distributed, said signal processors operating in parallel with each other,in step b), the congestion-condition level is determined for each signal processor in each signaling point, andin step c), among the signaling links belonging to each signal processor, traffic control is enforced on a signaling link whose priority value is lower than the priority value corresponding to the congestion-condition level determined for the signal processor, whereinstep b) includes the substeps ofi) judging whether the signal processor is in a congested condition or in a congestion cleared condition;ii) raising the congestion-condition level when the signal processor is judged to be in the congested condition; andiii) lowering the congestion-condition level when the signal processor is judged to be in the congestion cleared condition, and whereinin substep i) of step b), the signal processor is judged to be in a congested condition, when one of count values of individual signal processing types of signals processed by the signal processor, is above an upper threshold value, or when an overload condition of a central controller for the signal processor is above an upper threshold value, and the signal processor is judged to be in the congestion cleared conditon, when all the count values are less than a lower threshold value, and when the overload condition is less than a lower threshold value.