Patent ID: 7508763

Claim:
A method of regulating traffic congestion in a network, the congestion being created as peripheral nodes of the network consume network resources, the method comprising the steps of: generating at least one congestion indicator at an inner network component responsive to an indication of traffic congestion in such network component; receiving the congestion indicator at one or more network peripheral nodes, wherein a threshold variable associated with the received congestion indicator is used to define a maximum amount of a specified type of network resources to be allocated for a particular use; initiating a Back-Off Period at the component in response to receiving the congestion indicator, and performing a back off process by, initiating a back off time interval, if an additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to reduce the maximum amount, and resetting the back off time interval, and if no additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount, and terminating the Back-Off Period, wherein the step of terminating the Back-Off Period further includes comparing a current value of the threshold variable to an initial value of the threshold variable, and if the current value is greater than the initial of the threshold variable, terminating the Back-Off Period; whenever the Back-Off Period is not active, performing a Slow Advance process that includes adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount; and controlling consumption of the specified type of network resources based at least in part on the value of the threshold variable.