Method for network traffic regulation and management at a mediated access service control point in an open advanced intelligent network environment

A method of controlling and regulating traffic at a mediated access service control point in an advanced intelligent network system including a plurality of service switching points at a plurality of central offices, at least one mediated access service control point, a plurality of other service providers service control points, and at least one signal transfer point, comprising the steps of:

• providing a Traffic Regulator at said mediated access service control point, said Traffic Regulator comprising a first traffic monitoring and control point for regulating the maximum query rate over an observation period and a second traffic monitoring and control point for monitoring the average query rate over a second time period, said first traffic monitoring and control point having a static counter and said second traffic monitoring and control point having a dynamic counter;
• receiving queries destined for said OSP service control points at said first traffic monitoring and control point;
• at said first traffic monitoring and control point, if said maximum query rate is exceeded during said observation period, dropping said queries received subsequent to said maximum query rate being exceeded;
• at said first traffic monitoring and control point, if said maximum query rate is not exceeded during said observation period, forwarding all of said received queries to said second traffic monitoring and control point;
• at said second traffic monitoring and control point, if said average query rate is exceeded during said observation period, decrementing the dynamic counter threshold by one if such decrementation does not cause the threshold in said dynamic counter to go below the initial threshold value;
• at said second traffic monitoring and control point, if said average query rate is not exceeded during said observation period, incrementing said dynamic counter threshold by one;
• and
• at said second traffic monitoring and control point, if said average rate has exceeded for a predetermined number of observation periods maintaining said dynamic counter threshold at its present level so that said average rate is not exceeded over said second time period;
• outputting said queries from said second traffic monitoring and control point to said OSP service control points;
• whereby said method prevents said maximum query rate for said destination OSP service control point from being exceeded during any observation period and prevents said average query rate from being exceeded over any said second time period.

A method of controlling and regulating network traffic intended for other service providers service control points from service switching points in an intelligent switched telephone network, comprising the steps of:

• at a first traffic monitoring and control point implemented at a mediated access service control point, regulating the maximum number of queries passed to said OSP service control points during an observation period said first traffic monitoring and control point having a first counter associated therewith;
• at a second traffic monitoring and control point implemented at said mediated access service control point regulating the average number of queries received by said OSP service control points, during a second time period said second time period being greater than said observation period;
• receiving a query intended for an OSP service control point at said first traffic monitoring and control point;
• if said query causes the number of queries received at said first traffic monitoring and control point to exceed a maximum number allowed for said OSP service control point during said observation period, dropping said query;
• if said query does not cause the number of queries received at said first traffic monitoring and control point for said OSP service control point to exceed a maximum number allowed during said observation period, passing said query to said second traffic monitoring and control point;
• at said second traffic monitoring and control point, if said query causes said number of queries received at said second traffic monitoring and control point for said OSP service control point to exceed an average number allowable during said observation period, decrementing a second counter located at said second traffic monitoring and control point by one;
• if said query does not cause said number of queries received at said second traffic monitoring and control point for said OSP service control point to exceed said average number allowed during said observation period, decrementing said second counter by one unit;
• at said second traffic monitoring and control point, if said second counter is incremented by a predetermined maximum number, maintaining said counter at a count associated with said maximum number;
• and
• resetting said first and second counters to zero after the end each of the observation periods;
• whereby said method is an effective method for regulating the flow of traffic to said OSP service control points and for enforcing negotiated traffic rates between the mediated access service control point and said service provider service control point.