Patent ID: 7688739

Claim:
A method for maximizing data transmission capacity of a mesh network performed by a computer executing cost analysis software, wherein the mesh network comprises first and second data paths, and wherein the first and second data path comprise first and second pluralities of links, respectively; the method comprising: the computer calculating the first routing cost for the first data path as a function of at least one first link cost that is weighted as a function of a first proximity of a first link of the first plurality of links to a first element of the mesh network; the computer calculating the second routing cost for the second data path as a function of at least one second link costs that is weighted as a function of a second proximity of a second link of the second plurality of links to the first element or to a second element of the mesh network; the computer selecting the first data path when the first routing cost is less than the second routing cost; the computer selecting the second data path when the second routing cost is less than the first routing cost; and the computer selecting either the first routing path or the second routing path when the first and second routing costs are equal; and Wherein the at least one first link cost is less than the at least one second link cost when the second proximity is less than the first proximity, and wherein the at least one second link cost is less than the at least one first link cost when the first proximity is less than the second proximity.