Signaling Message Filtering for Network Overload Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication networks face inefficiencies and resource wastage due to dropped signaling messages when capacity thresholds are exceeded, leading to interruptions and increased traffic loads, which can cause further capacity issues and prolong setup times.
Innovation Solution
A method that assesses current data loads and applies filtering rules to drop or delay specific types of signaling messages, particularly the first or last type, to prevent overload and ensure successful completion of signaling procedures, using a filtering algorithm that distinguishes between message types and adjusts thresholds based on capacity and traffic conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signaling messages are dropped when capacity threshold is reached, then network element overload is prevented, but signaling procedure completion rate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments signaling messages into different types (first type and last type) and applies different handling rules to each type when capacity threshold is reached. First type messages are dropped to prevent overload, while last type messages are forwarded to ensure procedure completion, resolving the contradiction between preventing overload and maintaining completion rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different quality handling rules to different parts (message types) of the signaling traffic. Instead of uniformly dropping all messages when threshold is reached, it selectively drops only first type messages while preserving last type messages, optimizing both overload protection and procedure completion.
2Reliability
If whole signaling procedure is restarted after message loss, then message delivery is ensured, but network resource efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by proactively dropping first type messages before they can cause procedure failure and subsequent restart. This prevents the need for retransmission and procedure restart, thereby ensuring message delivery reliability while avoiding network resource waste from redundant transmissions.
3Productivity
If retransmission is performed after signaling interruption, then signaling procedure completion is ensured, but traffic load deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively dropping first type messages to prevent signaling procedure interruption. This counteracts the potential need for retransmission before it occurs, ensuring procedure completion while avoiding the generation of additional retransmission traffic load.
4Reliability
If capacity threshold is strictly enforced, then network element protection is improved, but signaling traffic throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by not dropping all messages when threshold is reached, but rather selectively dropping only first type messages while forwarding last type messages. This inverted strategy maintains network element protection while preserving signaling traffic throughput by allowing critical completion messages to pass through.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for improving the stability and/or performance of a communication system, the method comprising the following steps executed by a network element: assessing a current data load of a communication network and/or of the network element and/or of a further network element; receiving a signaling message by a communication interface of the network element; analyzing a message type of the signaling message and determining if the message type is a first type of message and/or a last type message; handing over the current data load and the message type to a filtering algorithm, wherein the filtering algorithm is configured to apply at least the following rule: • if the current data load is above a first threshold, wherein the first threshold is below a capacity threshold of communication network and/or of the network element and/or of a further network element, and if the message type is a first type of message, then drop the first type message or delay the forwarding of the first type message for further processing; or • if the current data load is above a first threshold, wherein the first threshold is below a capacity threshold of the communication network and/or of the network element and/or of a further network element, and if the message type is a last type of message, then forward the last type message for further processing.