Patent ID: 7546362

Claim:
A device for the automatic planning of a network configuration for an automation system, comprising: a memory coupled to a processer; at least one partition module to break down at least one described network planning problem into sub-problems; at least one production module for generating at least one solution to each of the sub-problems of the at least one network planning problem based on pre-definable rules; and at least one validation module for verifying the generated solutions to the sub-problems, wherein the break down of said at least one described network planning problem into sub-problems is based on a plurality of criteria comprising: 1) a criterion regarding node combinability as a function of a number of nodes that can be interconnected by a respective circuitry of the network; 2) a criterion regarding intensity of communication interaction between nodes; 3) a criterion regarding node distance separation from one another and from the respective circuitry of the network; an 4) a criterion regarding functional limitations imposed on a respective circuitry for carrying a communication in a respective location; and a stack for storing already generated partial solutions to a network planning problem, wherein the generated partial solutions comprises successive states, wherein the stack is configured to perform a backtrack operation to restore a previous state in the event a present state does not meet at least one of the criteria so that another of the successive states can be selected.