# US 2006/0187841 A1 · Methods, systems, and computer program products for suppressing congestion control at a signaling system 7 network node > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2006/0187841 A1 - Document ID: US20060187841A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/065,202 - Filed: 2005-02-24 - Published: 2006-08-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-02-24 - Assignees: Tekelec - Inventors: Jonathan Palmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060187841A1 ## CPC - H04L 1/1867: Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end - H04L 47/10: Flow control; Congestion control - H04L 47/11: Identifying congestion - H04L 47/263: Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback - H04L 47/28: in relation to timing considerations - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Methods, systems, and computer program products for suppressing congestion control at an SS7 network node include determining whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in a telecommunications network. In response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, the generation of transfer controlled messages are suppressed for a predetermined time period. A transfer controlled message triggering condition may include a changeover or changeback procedure, or a determination that there is congestion on the signaling link. Alternatively, or in addition, in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, generation of a transfer controlled message may be suppressed based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the least one signaling link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for suppressing congestion control, the method comprising: at a signaling system 7 (SS7) network node: (a) determining whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in a telecommunications network; and (b) in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppressing generation of transfer controlled messages for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the SS7 network node comprises a signaling transfer point (STP). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network comprises determining whether a changeover procedure involving the at least one signaling link has occurred. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network comprises determining whether a changeback procedure involving the at least one signaling link has occurred. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network comprises determining whether congestion exists on the least one signaling link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein suppressing generation of transfer controlled messages for a predetermined time period comprises: (a) starting a timer; (b) determining whether the timer has expired; and (c) in response to determining that the timer has not expired, suppressing generation of transfer control messages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising, during the predetermined time period, ceasing to suppress generation of transfer controlled messages in response to detecting a predetermined number of unacknowledged messages transmitted over the at least one signaling link. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein ceasing to suppress generation of transfer controlled messages comprises: (a) determining the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint over the least one signaling link that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint; (b) comparing the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages to a threshold value; and (c) generating a transfer controlled message when the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages exceeds the threshold value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein determining the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint over the at least one signaling link that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint comprises determining a number of messages stored in a retransmit buffer of the SS7 network node, the retransmit buffer being associated with the at least one signaling link. ### Claim 10 A method for suppressing congestion control, the method comprising: at an SS7 network node: (a) determining whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in a telecommunications network; and (b) in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppressing generation of a transfer controlled message based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the least one signaling link. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein suppressing generation of a transfer control message based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the at least one signaling link comprises: (a) determining the number of-messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint; (b) comparing the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages to a threshold value; and (c) generating a transfer controlled message when the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages exceeds the threshold value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein determining the number of messages transmitted to a remote endpoint over the least one signaling link that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint comprises determining a number of messages stored in a retransmit buffer of the SS7 network node, the retransmit buffer being associated with the at least one signaling link. ### Claim 13 A system for suppressing congestion control comprising: at an SS7 network node: (a) logic configured to determine whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in a telecommunications network; and (b) logic configured to, in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppress generation of transfer controlled messages for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the SS7 network node comprises a signaling transfer point (STP). ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the logic configured to determine whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network determines that a changeover procedure involving the at least one signaling link has occurred. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the logic configured to determine whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network determines that a changeback procedure involving the at least one signaling link has occurred. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the logic configured to determine whether a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in the telecommunications network determines whether there is congestion on the least one signaling link. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the logic configured to suppress generation of transfer controlled messages for a predetermined time period: (a) starts a timer; (b) determines whether the timer has expired; and (c) in response to determining that the timer has not expired, suppresses generation of transfer control messages. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising logic configured to cease to suppress the generation of transfer controlled messages in response to detecting the predetermined number of unacknowledged messages that were transmitted by the SS7 network node over the least one signaling link. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein the logic configured to cease to suppress the generation of transfer controlled messages comprises: (a) logic configured to determine the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint over the least one signaling link that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint; (b) logic configured to compare the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages to a threshold value; and (c) logic configured to generate a transfer controlled message when the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages exceeds the threshold value. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein the logic configured to determine the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint over the at least one signaling link that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint determines a number of messages stored in a retransmit buffer of the SS7 network node, the retransmit buffer being associated with the at least one signaling link. ### Claim 22 A system for suppressing congestion control comprising: at an SS7 network node (a) logic configured to determine whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link in a telecommunications network; and (b) logic configured to, in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppress generation of a transfer controlled message based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the least one signaling link. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22 wherein the logic configured to suppress generation of a transfer control message based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the at least one signaling link comprises: (a) logic configured to determine the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint; (b) logic configured to compare the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages to a threshold value; and (c) logic configured to generate a transfer controlled message when the number of unacknowledged transmitted messages exceeds the threshold value. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23 wherein the logic configured to determine the number of messages transmitted by the SS7 network node to a remote endpoint that have not been acknowledged by the remote endpoint determines a number of messages stored in a retransmit buffer of the SS7 network node, the retransmit buffer being associated with the at least one signaling link. ### Claim 25 A system for suppressing SS7 congestion control at an SS7 network node, the system comprising: (a) a timer for defining a time period for suppressing generation of transfer controlled (TFC) messages; and (b) a TFC suppressor for detecting whether a TFC generating condition exists, and, in response, for suppressing generation of TFC messages during the time period specified by the timer. ### Claim 26 A system for suppressing congestion control in a telecommunications signaling network, the system comprising: (a) a congestion controller for determining whether a TFC triggering condition exists on an SS7 signaling link, and, in response, for generating a TFC message; and (b) a TFC suppressor, for detecting whether the TFC triggering condition matches a predetermined TFC triggering condition, and, in response, for suppressing generation of the TFC message. ### Claim 27 A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising: at an SS7 network node: (a) determining whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link; and (b) in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppressing generation of transfer controlled messages for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 28 A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps at a signaling system 7 (SS7) network node in a telecommunications network, the steps comprising: at an SS7 network node: (a) determining whether a transfer controlled (TFC) message triggering condition exists for at least one signaling link; and (b) in response to determining that a transfer controlled message triggering condition exists, suppressing generation of a transfer controlled message based on a number of unacknowledged messages associated with the least one signaling link.