Patent ID: 7467200

Claim:
A system for controlling a network connection between two entities, comprising: a first entity; a second entity, said first entity and second entity being configured to have a control interface there between, at least one of said first entity or said second entity being configured to associate a resource with a connection, both of said first entity and said second entity having a checker configured to check the status of said connection wherein said checker of one of said first entity or second entity is configured to send a message to the other of said first entity or second entity requesting status information and to release the associated resource when said connection is terminated; wherein said checker in said other of said first entity or second entity is configured to cause termination of said connection when a status information request message is not received within a predetermined time, by sending a further message to said one of said first entity or second entity and in response to said further message said one of said first entity or second entity terminates said connection.