Phase-Based SIP Message Prioritization for Overload Throttling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face resource wastage and increased response times due to inefficient overload throttling mechanisms, particularly in sequenced SIP call setups, which do not adequately consider the phase of messages during call establishment.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the importance rating of SIP messages is determined based on the phase of the call setup and the number of sequencing hops, allowing for targeted overload throttling by an ingress/egress module to prioritize messages and manage resource allocation effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If preemptive deny/block actions are taken to safeguard resources, then resource protection is improved, but service quality deteriorates due to increased response times and wasted resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource protectionVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different throttling strategies to different phases of SIP message processing. Early-phase messages (INVITE, initial responses) receive higher priority than later-phase messages, creating local quality differentiation in resource allocation based on message phase importance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts message prioritization based on the current phase of call setup. The throttling mechanism adapts its behavior according to whether messages are in early, middle, or late phases, allowing optimal resource protection at each stage without uniformly impacting all messages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If overload throttling is applied without considering message phase, then system simplicity is maintained, but resource wastage increases due to treating all messages equally

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethrottling mechanism simplicityVSAvoidresource wastage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces phase-based parameter changes to the throttling mechanism. By tracking the phase of SIP messages and adjusting throttling parameters accordingly, the system achieves more intelligent resource management while maintaining reasonable implementation complexity through standardized phase detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If higher precedence is given to SIP reply messages, then resource allocation is improved, but the assumption that SIP session equals SIP call leads to continued resource wastage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidservice quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the SIP call setup process into distinct phases (early phase, middle phase, late phase) and applies different throttling policies to each segment. This segmentation allows precise control over resource allocation based on the specific phase of message processing, correcting the misconception that all SIP messages should be treated uniformly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8589498B2Phase based prioritization of IMS signaling messages for overload throttling

Publication Date: 2013.11.19 AVAYA INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing overload protection in a communications system are provided. More particularly, an importance or priority rating of a message received at a communication server is determined. If the communications system is in an overload state, and if the importance rating of the received message is not sufficiently high, overload protection is applied. Overload protection can include denying service to a requested or in process communications system associated with the message.