Patent ID: 7042846
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of generating a set of restrictive costs associated with directional paths between selected nodes in a group of nodes of a network system wherein each of said nodes in said group of nodes is connected by a link to at least one other of said nodes in said group, and each link has a pair of directional costs associated therewith such that said link can be considered as a pair of oppositely-directed, unidirectional links each of which extends from a source node to a destination node and has a said directional cost associated therewith, the method comprising: (a) assigning a unique identifier to each of said selected nodes; (b) selecting said unidirectional links in order of cost; (c) for each of said unidirectional links selected, if a said identifier has previously been assigned to said source node for a said link and a said identifier has not previously been assigned to said destination node for a said link, assigning a said identifier to said destination node and any further nodes, which are reachable from said destination node by traversing said unidirectional links selected thus far, to which a said identifier has not previously been assigned; (d) if said step (c) results in assignment to a said selected node of a said identifier not previously assigned to said selected node, storing said directional cost of the last-selected said unidirectional link as said restrictive cost for said directional path to said selected node from a said selected node to which said identifier was initially assigned in said step (a); and (e) repeating said steps (b) to (d) at least until said restrictive cost has been stored for said directional paths between predetermined pairs of said selected nodes.