Patent ID: 7228123

Claim:
A method of determining a possible alternative line-of-sight between a first node and a second node, wherein said nodes are located in an area for which an aerial image is available, comprising the steps of: (a) determining a first degree of freedom line for the first node, and a second degree of freedom line for the second node, such that each degree of freedom line is orthogonal to the straight line between the nodes; (a) determining a resolution of the aerial image and an alternative position data parameter; (b) placing the first node at a first placement that is a distance equal to the resolution in a first direction along the first degree of freedom line from the current placement of the first node, and (c) placing the second node at a second placement that is a distance equal to the resolution in the first direction along the second degree of freedom line from the current placement of the second node; (d) determining if the straight line between the first node at the first placement and the second node at the second placement is a valid, unobstructed line-of-sight; (e) if the straight line is a valid, unobstructed line-of-sight, saving the line-of-sight; and if the straight line is not a valid, unobstructed line-of-sight, repeating steps (c)–(e) until the first node has been moved the distance specified in the alternative position data parameter.