Patent ID: 7933200

Claim:
A network controller for controlling the flow of messages in a communication system to a node, the controller comprising a processor configured to provide: a rejection monitor for monitoring the rate of message rejection by the node; an admit monitor for monitoring the rate of messages to the node passed by the controller; and control means for controlling the rate at which messages to the node are passed on the basis of the monitored rejection rate and the monitored admit rate so that the rejection rate tends towards a target value, wherein said network controller is governed by μ i+1 =max{γ i +α( R−ω i ),0}, where γ i is the rate of messages passed by the controller in a first period; ω i is the rate of message rejection by the node in the first period; μ i+ is the upper limit on the rate of messages passed by the controller in a second period following the first period; R is a control parameter, which equates to the target value; and α is an asymptotic coefficient.