Patent ID: 7808921

Claim:
A method for identifying a bridge node in a network, comprising the steps of: determining, for each first node in a plurality of nodes in said network, using a processor in a specially programmed special purpose-purpose computer, a global metric proportional to total signal flow in said network and signal flow through said each first node; determining, for said each first node using said processor, a first local metric proportional to signal flow between said each first node and each second node in said network connected to said first node and signal flow between said each second node and each third node in said network connected to at least one of said each second node; determining, for said each first node using said processor, a second local metric proportional to a largest and second largest signal flows from among the respective signal flows between said each first node and said each second node; calculating, for said each first node using said processor and a memory element in said general-purpose computer, a combination of said global metric and said first and second local metrics; and, selecting, using said processor and said memory element, a bridge node from among said plurality of nodes based on said combinations.