Patent ID: 7099329

Claim:
A call set-up method, in an arrangement that includes a plurality of terminals that are connected to a network via a serial connection of at least one transmission medium comprising a plurality of communication channels, said channels being a shared overloadable resource, and where, in addition to at least one out-of-band signaling channel at least one of the communication channels is divided into a plurality of enhanced signaling channels, the method comprising: in response to one of said terminals requesting a call set-up, employing said enhanced signaling channels to communicate call set-up information; and in response to receiving said call set-up information, executing a congestion control process that results in (a) setting up a call for said one of said terminals, when conditions on said communication channels permit, and (b) dropping an established call from one of said communication channels in order to create conditions that permit setting up said call by said step of setting up.