Patent ID: 7225258
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a) a processor; b) a memory coupled to the processor; c) a network connectivity program residing in the memory and being executed by the processor, the network connectivity program configured to create a network connectivity plan for a network comprising a plurality of nodes, and wherein the network connectivity program; evaluates the plurality of nodes to determine a plurality of supernodes, where each of the plurality of supernodes includes a subset of the plurality of nodes that can be connected with static communication links such that at least one communication path exists between any node in the supernode and any other node in the supernode; determines a number of candidate links available for each of the plurality of supernodes at a first time period; determines a time duration of the candidate links available for each of the plurality of supernodes at the first time period; generates the network connectivity plan by allocating communication resources to establish dynamic communication links between supernodes to maintain the network in a connected state such that there exists at least one path between any supernode in the network and any other supernode in the network at any given time, and wherein the network connectivity program allocates communication resources according to the number of candidate links available to connect each supernode, wherein each of the plurality of supernodes is added to the network connectivity plan using a selected candidate link that is selected based on the time duration of the candidate links available.