Patent ID: 8230108

Claim:
A method of routing data in a multi-node communication network operating in a process control environment, the method comprising: defining a first graph, including: assigning a first node to be exactly one source of the first graph; assigning a second node to be destination of the first graph; associating one or more intermediate nodes of the multi-node communication network with the first graph; and associating a first graph identifier with the first graph; defining a second graph, including: assigning the first node to be exactly one source of the second graph; associating a third node with a destination of the second graph; and associating a second graph identifier with the second graph; and sending a first data packet from the first node; sending one of the first graph identifier or the second graph identifier with the first data packet; and routing the first data packet along the first graph or the second graph based on the first graph identifier or the second graph identifier.