Patent ID: 6519264
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of measuring a rate of message element traffic over a message path in a communications network, the message path including at least one connection and being associated with a maximum rate of transmission of message elements thereover, the method comprising the steps of:(a) periodically polling the message path for transmission of a message element, the periodic polling being performed at a polling rate associated with polling intervals which are at least as frequent as the maximum rate of transmission; (b) if transmission of a message element is detected during a said polling interval, incrementing a running count of such detection, the running count of detection being associated with the connection over which the message element was detected; (c) if transmission of a message element is not detected during a said polling interval, incrementing a running count of such non-detection, the running count of non-detection being associated with inactivity of the message path; (d) during each said polling interval, retrieving an oldest stored value from a memory comprising a preselected number of stored values each corresponding respectively to an equal number of most recent sequential events of detection and non-detection resulting from said periodic polling, wherein each stored value which represents an event of detection corresponds to an identifier denoting the connection over which the message element was detected and wherein each stored value which represents an event of non-detection corresponds to an identifier denoting inactivity of the message path; (e) following step (d) and during each said polling interval, decrementing the running count of detection associated with the connection corresponding to the identifier of the retrieved value if the retrieved value represents an event of detection and decrementing the running count of non-detection if the retrieved value represents inactivity of the message path; (f) following step (e) and during each said polling interval, replacing in the memory the retrieved value with a value corresponding to an identifier which denotes the connection over which the message element was detected if transmission of a message element was detected in step (b) and otherwise replacing in the memory the retrieved value with a value corresponding to an identifier which denotes inactivity of the message path if transmission of a message element was not detected in step (c); (g) repeating each of steps (a) through (f) for so long as said measurement is undertaken; and wherein the rate of message element traffic over a connection of the message path is proportional to the running count of detection associated with the connection.