Patent ID: 6256295
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for determining a plurality of minimally-overlapping paths between a source node and a destination node in a network, the method comprising:(a) determining a first path between the source node and the destination node, the first path determined to be the least cost path to the destination node;(b) determining a second path minimally overlapping the first path between the source node and the destination node in view of costs, wherein both the first and the second path contain nodes and links having a cost assigned to the nodes and links, respectively, and at least one node is in communication with other nodes of the network to exchange link state data packets and at least one node includes a topology of the network for determining the first and second paths and stores tentative paths to other nodes and confirmed least cost paths to other nodes; and(c) if the first path and the second path overlap, then:(d) selecting an intersecting node of the first path and the second path, and(e) rolling back from the selected intersecting node to a non-intersecting node and modifying at least one path to minimize the overlap between the first path and the second path.