Patent ID: 7586891

Claim:
A method for converging on a route through a multi-node digital radio frequency (RF) communications network, comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of RF links between each node in said digital RF communications network; determining a connectivity confidence interval (CCI) probability, said CCI probability being a probability that a measured signal-to-noise ratio meets or exceeds a threshold signal-to-noise ratio thereby designating a level of favorable RF connectivity for each node in said plurality of RF links by: developing a calculated signal to noise ratio using a radio frequency communication link propagation loss model; determining said threshold signal-to-noise ratio based on a predetermined RF Packet Completion Rate and a sufficient time interval between a host transmission and a host reception; determining a standard deviation value based on a signal strength and a noise level at a signal receiving node; calculating a Z number, associated with a normal distribution table, according to the following equation: Z =((S/N) — T −(S/N)_CAL)/SD_( S/J )) where said (S/N)_T is the threshold signal-to-noise ratio, said (S/N)_CAL is the calculated signal-to-noise ratio, and said SD_(S/J) is the standard deviation value; and assigning a CCI link probability value based on said Z number; setting a predetermined CCI minimum threshold; comparing said plurality of CCI link probability values to said predetermined CCI minimum threshold to identify a group of CCI link values greater than or equal to said predetermined CCI minimum threshold; assembling a plurality of RF links corresponding to said group of CCI link values to establish a plurality of favorable link routes through said digital RF communications network; calculating a resultant CCI link value for each of said plurality of link routes by multiplying together said group of CCI link values; comparing said resultant CCI link values to identify a one of said plurality of link routes providing a maximum resultant CCI value; comparing said resultant CCI link values to generate a first rank order of link routes from said maximum resultant CCI value to a least resultant CCI value; totaling the number of nodes in each of said plurality of link routes to generate a second rank order of link routes having a least number of nodes to said maximum resultant CCI value with a greatest number of nodes; and comparing said first rank order to said second rank order to determine which route provides said maximum resultant CCI value and a lowest number of nodes to converge on a shortest most reliable route, and generating an expected RF link Packet Completion Rate performance level based on said maximum resultant CCI value on said shortest most reliable route.