Patent Document ID: 20140351398
Application ID: 14243952
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method of identifying nodes or distribution centers for distributing information or materials throughout a network or throughout a geographic area, comprising: (a) starting with an empty forest of potential nodes or distribution centers of said network or said geographic area, the computer assigning each potential node or distribution center of the forest to be a member of its own connected component; (b) for each potential node or distribution center that has not yet been assigned to be a node or distribution center, the computer adding a cut edge of a connected component to the forest and merging the cut edge with a potential node or distribution center on the other end of the cut edge; (c) when a potential node or distribution center is merged with another potential node or distribution center that has been assigned to a node or distribution center, the computer assigning the same node or distribution center to the potential node or distribution center and stopping a resulting merged node from actively growing; and (d) the computer repeating steps (a)-(c) until all potential nodes or distribution centers have been assigned to a node or distribution center.