IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,071,527
Granted Patent B2
US 9,071,527 · App. 13/687,799 · Granted Jun 30, 2015

Method and apparatus for providing a centralized subscriber load distribution

Inventors: Eric Noel (Holmdel, NJ); Mark Ratcliffe (Oakhurst, NJ)
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
H04L47/10H04L41/5009H04L41/5067H04L43/0882H04W8/12H04W80/10H04L67/1008H04L67/1029H04L67/1002H04L67/1023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,071,527
App. No.
13/687,799
Granted
Jun 30, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing subscriber load distribution in networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives capacity data and user equipment (UE) resource consumption data from a plurality of devices that process call control signaling messages within the communication network. The method receives a first request from one of the plurality of devices to re-register one or more selected user equipment, and selects at least one available device from the plurality of devices. The method then re-registers the one or more selected user equipment on the at least one available device.

Claims (39)

1. A method for re-registering a user equipment in a communication network, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, capacity data and user equipment resource consumption data from a plurality of devices that process call control signaling messages within the communication network;

receiving, by the processor, a first request from one of the plurality of devices to re-register the user equipment that was previously registered with the one of the plurality of devices;

selecting, by the processor, an available device from the plurality of devices; and

re-registering, by the processor, the user equipment on the available device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting selects the available device when a peak period volume of the available device plus a peak period volume of the user equipment is less than an off-set threshold of the available device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a second request for a notification to the one of the plurality of devices that sent the first request, where the notification indicates when the user equipment is idle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is re-registered after all established sessions on the user equipment are terminated.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is re-registered immediately after the available device is selected.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is re-registered after a preselected time period.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of devices performs a serving-call session control function.

8. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of devices that sent the first request when the user equipment is idle.

9. A tangible computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for re-registering a user equipment in a communication network, the operations comprising:

receiving capacity data and user equipment resource consumption data from a plurality of devices that process call control signaling messages within the communication network;

receiving a first request from one of the plurality of devices to re-register the user equipment that was previously registered with the one of the plurality of devices;

selecting an available device from the plurality of devices; and

re-registering the user equipment on the available device.

10. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the selecting selects the available device when a peak period volume of the available device plus a peak period volume of the user equipment is less than an off-set threshold of the available device.

11. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending a second request for a notification to the one of the plurality of devices that sent the first request, where the notification indicates when the user equipment is idle.

12. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the user equipment is re-registered after all established sessions on the user equipment are terminated.

13. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the user equipment is re-registered after a preselected time period.

14. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of devices performs a serving-call session control function.

15. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of devices that sent the first request when the user equipment is idle.

16. A method for sending a request in a communication network, comprising:

measuring, by a processor, a resource capacity of a device that processes call control signaling messages within the communication network;

measuring, by the processor, a peak period volume for each of a plurality of registered user equipment that is registered with the device;

determining, by the processor, whether a peak period volume of the device reaches an on-set threshold of the device;

selecting, by the processor, a registered user equipment of the plurality of registered user equipment when the on-set threshold of the device is reached, where a sum of the peak period volumes of the registered user equipment of the plurality of registered user equipment is larger than or equal to a volume of traffic that is in excess of the on-set threshold; and

sending, by the processor, the request for the registered user equipment of the plurality of registered user equipment to be re-registered to another device.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

reporting the resource capacity of the device to a home subscriber server.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selecting the registered user equipment of the plurality of registered user equipment is performed in accordance with a random selection algorithm.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the request is sent to the home subscriber server.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

notifying after a time period, the home subscriber server when one of the plurality of registered user equipment is idle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2013
From: NOEL, ERIC; RATCLIFFE, MARK
To: AT&T LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029702/0826 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12014489 · Jan 15, 2008
Related Publication 20130088989A1 · Apr 11, 2013