Per-peer request delivery timeouts

Abstract

A method for per-peer request delivery timeouts includes receiving a DIAMETER message at a DIAMETER Routing Agent, testing if the DIAMETER message is a request message destined for an associated peer, and if said test is affirmative, then retrieving a preset timeout associated with that peer; initiating a timeout timer with said preset timeout; and forwarding the DIAMETER request message to said peer. The disclosure provides additional steps with respect to stopping the timer in the event that a response message is received prior to the timer expiring; or alternatively, either resending the request or providing an unable_to_deliver response in the event the timer does expire. The method for per-peer request delivery timeouts provides for fine tuning timeout periods according to the networks to which the DIAMETER peers are connected. The method is particularly useful for reducing the amount of time waiting for response messages which will not be forthcoming.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.