Method and system for facilitating increased call traffic by reducing signaling load in an emergency mode

In a packet switched telephony system including a signaling subsystem operable to perform a plurality of call-setup functions for each of a plurality of call requests, said call-setup functions cooperatively defining a signaling workload associated with each of said plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• identifying a state of congestion in said telephony system;
• and
• responsively modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with each of at least a plurality of said call requests,
• wherein said telephony system includes a gateway/terminal and a signaling server, said gateway/terminal receiving call requests and responsively transmitting a number of signaling request messages to said signaling server,
• wherein modifying said signaling subsystem comprises switching to a mode in which said gateway/terminal does not transmit accounting messages to said signaling server.

In a packet switched telephony system including a signaling subsystem operable to perform a plurality of call-setup functions for each of a plurality of call requests, said call-setup functions cooperatively defining a signaling workload associated with each of said plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• identifying a state of congestion in said telephony system;
• and
• responsively modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with each of at least a plurality of said call requests,
• wherein said telephony system includes a gateway/terminal and a signaling server, said gateway/terminal receiving call requests and responsively transmitting a number of signaling request messages to said signaling server,
• wherein modifying said signaling subsystem comprises switching to a mode in which said signaling subsystem at least temporarily does not perform a predetermined type of call-setup function, said predetermined type of call setup function being selected from the group consisting of admission, authentication and accounting.

In a packet switched telephony system including a signaling subsystem operable to perform a plurality of call-setup functions for each of a plurality of call requests, said call-setup functions cooperatively defining a signaling workload associated with each of said plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• identifying a state of congestion in said telephony system;
• and
• responsively modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with each of at least a plurality of said call requests,
• wherein said internet telephony system includes a gateway/terminal and a signaling server, said gateway/terminal receiving call requests and responsively transmitting a number of signaling messages to said signaling server, and said signaling server responsively performing a number of said call set-up functions;
• and
• wherein modifying said signaling subsystem comprises reducing the number of call-setup functions performed by said signaling server in response to the signaling messages,
• whereby reducing said signaling workload facilitates expedited admission of calls into said telephony system.

In a packet switched telephony system including a signaling subsystem operable to perform a plurality of call-setup functions for each of a plurality of call requests, said call-setup functions cooperatively defining a signaling workload associated with each of said plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• identifying a state of congestion in said telephony system;
• and
• responsively modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with each of at least a plurality of said call requests,
• wherein said signaling subsystem includes a signaling server, said signaling server initiating a number of database queries with respect to each of a plurality of said call requests;
• and
• wherein modifying said signaling subsystem comprises reducing the number of database queries that said signaling server initiates with respect to said plurality of call requests.

In a packet switched telephony system including a signaling subsystem operable to perform a plurality of call-setup functions for each of a plurality of call requests, said call-setup functions cooperatively defining a signaling workload associated with each of said plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• identifying a state of congestion in said telephony system;
• and
• responsively modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with each of at least a plurality of said call requests,
• wherein said telephony system includes a plurality of gateway/terminals and at least one signaling server, and wherein a plurality of signaling messages associated with said call request are transmitted between a pair of said gateway/terminals to establish a connection between said pair of gateway/terminals in response to a call request;
• said telephony system having a first call-connection mode in which at least a portion of said signaling messages are routed via said signaling server, and a second call-connection mode in said at least a portion of signaling messages are not routed via said signaling server;
• and
• wherein modifying said signaling subsystem to reduce said signaling workload associated with said call request comprises switching from said first call-connection mode to said second call-connection mode,
• whereby reducing said signaling workload facilitates expedited admission of calls into said telephony system.

In an internet telephony system of the type comprising a gateway/terminal and a gatekeeper, the gateway/terminal receiving call requests and, for each of a plurality of said call requests, the gateway/terminal sending a number of signaling request messages to the gatekeeper, and the gatekeeper responsively processing the signaling request messages to facilitate a call, said number being at least one, a method comprising, in combination:

• said gateway/terminal learning of a state of congestion in said internet telephony system;
• and
• said gateway/terminal responsively reducing the number of signaling request messages that it sends to the gatekeeper for each of a plurality of said call requests,
• whereby, by reducing the number of signaling request messages sent to the gatekeeper for each of a plurality of call requests, the gatekeeper experiences a reduced processing load per call request and can therefore serve call requests at a higher rate.

In an internet telephony system comprising a gateway/terminal and a gatekeeper, the gateway/terminal receiving call requests from telephone devices and responsively sending signaling request messages to said gatekeeper, said gatekeeper processing said signaling request messages to facilitate calls associated with said call requests, said gateway/terminal having a first mode in which, in response to each of a plurality of said call requests, said gateway/terminal sends a first number of signaling request messages to said gatekeeper, a method comprising, in combination:

• said gateway/terminal learning of a state of congestion in said internet telephony system;
• and
• said gateway/terminal responsively switching from said first mode to a second mode in which, in response to each of said plurality of call requests, said gateway/terminal sends a second number of signaling request messages to said gatekeeper, said second number being less than said first number,
• whereby, by sending fewer signaling request messages to said gatekeeper, said gatekeeper may experience a reduced workload and may therefore be able to serve call requests at an increased rate.

An internet telephony system comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of telephone devices;
• a packet switched network;
• a signaling server coupled with said packet switched network;
• a gateway coupled with said packet switched network, said gateway receiving call requests from said telephone devices and, in response to said call requests, sending signaling request messages to said signaling server via said packet switched network, said signaling server processing said signaling request messages, whereby processing said signaling request messages defines a load on said signaling server;
• said gateway having a first mode in which said gateway sends a first type of signaling request message to said signaling server in response to call requests, and a second mode in which said gateway does not send said first type of signaling request message to said signaling server in response to call requests;
• a management system for identifying a state of congestion in said internet telephony system and responsively providing a special control signal to said gateway;
• said gateway receiving said special control signal and responsively switching from said first mode to said second mode,
• wherein said first type of signaling request message is a message selected from the group consisting of an authorization message, an accounting message, an address translation message, and a call connection message
• whereby, said gateway sends fewer signaling request messages to said signaling server in said second mode and thereby reduces said load on said signaling server.

In an internet telephony system of the type comprising a gateway subsystem, a gatekeeper subsystem, and a database subsystem, said gateway subsystem receiving call requests and responsively sending a number of signaling request messages to said gatekeeper subsystem, said gatekeeper subsystem receiving said signaling request messages and responsively sending a number of database request messages to said database subsystem with respect to a plurality of call requests, a method comprising, in combination:

• said gatekeeper subsystem learning of a state of congestion in said internet telephony system;
• and
• in response to learning of said state of congestion, said gatekeeper subsystem reducing the number of database request messages that it sends to said database subsystem with respect to said plurality of call requests,
• whereby, by reducing the number of database request messages that it sends with respect to said plurality of call requests, said gatekeeper subsystem may expedite admission into said internet telephony system of calls associated with said call requests.

A signaling server for use in a packet switched telephony system,

• said signaling server performing a plurality of signaling functions associated with calls, whereby performing said signaling functions defines a processing burden on said signaling server;
• said signaling server having a first mode in which said signaling server is adapted to perform a first set of signaling functions associated with calls, and a second mode in which said signaling server is adapted to perform a second set of signaling functions associated with calls, said second set omitting one or more functions contained in said first set;
• said signaling server learning of a state of congestion in said telephony system and responsively switching from said first mode to said second mode,
• whereby switching to said second mode reduces said processing burden and thereby enables said signaling server to expedite processing of signaling messages associated incoming calls to said telephony system.

A signaling server in an internet telephony system, said signaling server having a first mode in which said signaling server routes call-connection messages being transmitted between an initiating gateway and a terminating gateway, and a second mode in which said signaling server does not participate in routing of call-connection messages between said initiating gateway and said terminating gateway, said signaling server learning of a state of congestion in said internet telephony system, and said signaling server comprising:

• a processor;
• data storage;
• and
• machine instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor, in response to the signaling server learning of the state of congestion, to switch from said first mode to said second mode.

An internet telephony system comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of telephone devices;
• a packet switched network;
• a signaling subsystem comprising a signaling server and a database system, said signaling server being coupled with said packet switched network and with said database system, said signaling server including a signaling processor for receiving signaling messages and responsively querying said database system, whereby querying said database system defines a load on said signaling subsystem;
• a gateway coupled with said packet switched network, said gateway including a telephone interface, a gateway processor and a network interface, said telephone interface receiving call requests from said telephone devices, said gateway processor generating a predetermined request message in response to each of at least a plurality of said call requests, and said network interface sending said predetermined request message to said signaling server via said packet switched network;
• said signaling server having a first mode in which said signaling processor queries said database system in response to said predetermined request message and, based on information provided by said database system, said signaling server returns a response message to said gateway;
• said signaling server having a second mode in which said signaling server returns a response message to said gateway without querying said database system;
• a management system for identifying a state of congestion in said internet telephony system and responsively providing a special control signal to said signaling server;
• said signaling server receiving said special control signal and responsively switching from said first mode to said second mode,
• whereby, said signaling server reduces its queries to said database system by switching to said second mode and thereby reduces said load on said signaling server.