Patent ID: 6717921
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for configuring a communications network to route traffic in a multicast conference call by establishing a multicast network tree that includes elements selected from among a first plurality of network nodes for terminating multicast conference participants, a second plurality of non-terminating network nodes, and a plurality or arcs that each interconnect a pair of nodes selected from among the first and second pluralities, wherein an expected delay is known for traffic routed between each node pair interconnected by one of the plurality of arcs, and wherein a delay &tgr; represents the maximum expected delay for traffic routed between any two nodes in the tree, the method comprising steps of:initializing the tree with one of the first plurality of terminating nodes; and while one or more of the first plurality of terminating nodes has not been added to the tree, selecting incrementally one or more potential tree nodes and arcs that are associated with one or more potential tree paths, wherein each potential tree node is selected from one of the first and second pluralities of nodes and each potential tree arc is selected from the plurality of arcs, such that the selected node and arc add a least additional penalty to the current tree over an associated potential tree path; the penalty being determined as a function of a delta diameter &dgr;, wherein &dgr;, represents the increase in &tgr; that would result from adding the selected node and arc and any other potential tree nodes and potential tree arcs in the associated potential tree path to the current tree; and when a selected potential tree node is a terminating node, adding each potential tree node and arc in the associated potential tree path to the current tree.