EP0334612A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Call traffic control
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1989-03-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-21
Abstract
Abstract There are disclosed a method of call control (gapping) and a communications switching system in which such method is implemented, the system incorporating a call gapping arrangement for limiting the recurrence rate of successive call attempts for a particular type of call, for example to a national phone-in number, the arrangement comprising a clock (10) for determining a succession of call gapping intervals; a first up/down counter (18) having a limit N; a signal generator (11) responsive to the clock and coupled to the counter (18) to increment it by a value m each interval; a second up/down counter (21) having a limit M less than N, the counters (18,21) being responsive to call processing circuitry (14) to be decremented for each call attempt effected by the system; a comparator (15) responsive to the content of counter (21) becoming zero to inhibit the call processing circuitry (14) from allowing call attempts. The performance of the call gapping method is nearly ideal, and it can be left permanently operational.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Michael Drayer Turner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/66; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of controlling call traffic in a communications switching system wherein the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call is limited, characterised by setting a predetermined allowance of call attempts in each of a succession of equal time intervals, and by carrying forward unused allowance cumulatively.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of controlling call traffic in a communications switching system wherein the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call is limited, characterised by setting a predetermined allowance of call attempts in each of a succession of equal time intervals, and by carrying forward unused allowance cumulatively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by limiting the number of call attempts in an interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by limiting the amount of accumulated allowance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in Claim 3 characterised by limiting the number of call attempts in an interval to a value less than the value of the limit of accumulated allowance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
128 words
A communications switching system comprising means for limiting the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call, characterised by clock means for establishing a succession of equal time intervals; a first accumulating means; presettable signal generating means responsive to the clock means and arranged to send to the first accumulating means each time interval a preset signal representative of the average number of call attempts per interval that are to be allowed; a second accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system; decision means responsive to the contents of the first and second accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of the second accumulating means is less than that of the first accumulating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A communications switching system comprising means for limiting the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call, characterised by clock means for establishing a succession of equal time intervals; a first accumulating means; presettable signal generating means responsive to the clock means and arranged to send to the first accumulating means each time interval a preset signal representative of the average number of call attempts per interval that are to be allowed; a second accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system; decision means responsive to the contents of the first and second accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of the second accumulating means is less than that of the first accumulating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that said first and said second accumulating means are together constituted by a single accumulating means which is incremented by said preset signal and decremented in response to call attempts effected by the system; and said decision means allows a call attempt only while the content of said single accumulating means is greater than zero.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
A system as claimed in Claim 6 characterised by a storing means for storing the number of call attempts that are allowed in any one interval; means for presetting the storing means at the start of each interval with the current value in said single accumulating means; a third accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system in an interval; said decision means being also responsive to said storing means and said third accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of said third accumulating means is less than that of said storing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A system as claimed in Claim 7 characterised in that said storing means and said third accumulating means are together constituted by another single accumulating means which is decremented in response to call attempts effected by the system and has a capacity less than that of said single accumulating means; and said decision means allows a call attempt only while the content of said another single accumulating means is greater than zero.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
A call traffic control subsystem for use in a communications switching system comprising means for limiting the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call, the subsystem being characterised by clock means for establishing a succession of equal time intervals; a first accumulating means; presettable signal generating means responsive to the clock means and arranged to send to the first accumulating means each time interval a preset signal representative of the average number of call attempts per interval that are to be allowed; a second accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system; decision means responsive to the contents of the first and second accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of the second accumulating means is less than that of the first accumulating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
A call traffic control subsystem for use in a communications switching system comprising means for limiting the recurrence rate of successive attempts for a particular type of call, the subsystem being characterised by clock means for establishing a succession of equal time intervals; a first accumulating means; presettable signal generating means responsive to the clock means and arranged to send to the first accumulating means each time interval a preset signal representative of the average number of call attempts per interval that are to be allowed; a second accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system; decision means responsive to the contents of the first and second accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of the second accumulating means is less than that of the first accumulating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
A subsystem as claimed in Claim 9 characterised in that said first and said second accumulating means are together constituted by a single accumulating means which is incremented by said preset signal and decremented in response to call attempts effected by the system; and said decision means allows a call attempt only while the content of said single accumulating means is greater than zero.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
A subsystem as claimed in Claim 10 characterised by a storing means for storing the number of call attempts that are allowed in any one interval; means for presetting the storing means at the start of each interval with the current value in said single accumulating means; a third accumulating means for accumulating the number of call attempts that are effected by the system in an interval; said decision means being also responsive to said storing means and said third accumulating means to allow a call attempt only while the content of said third accumulating means is less than that of said storing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
A subsystem as claimed in Claim 11 characterised in that said storing means and said third accumulating means are together constituted by another single accumulating means which is decremented in response to call attempts effected by the system and has a capacity less than that of said single accumulating means; and said decision means allows a call attempt only while the content of said another single accumulating means is greater than zero.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in Claim 2 and substantially as hereinbefore described.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in Claim 4 and substantially as hereinbefore described.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as claimed in claim 6 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the drawings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as claimed in Claim 8 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4224479A
Cited
EP0176764A2
Cited
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