Automaton-based framework for asset network routing

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving a first routing rule and a second routing rule through a route management user interface, each routing rule characterizing at least one potential physical transportation route;
• converting the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface into a first finite automaton and a second finite automaton, respectively;
• combining the first finite automaton and the second finite automaton into a finite automaton network graph stored using a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein nodes represent potential physical locations and transition edges between the nodes of the finite automaton network graph represent the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface;
• comparing the finite automaton network graph to existing physical transportation routes, the existing physical transportation routes represented as geographic network graphs stored using the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the geographic network graphs include transition edges between nodes representing physical locations and further wherein the comparing includes determining whether each transition edge between pairs of nodes of the finite automaton network graph conform with a corresponding transition edge between pairs of nodes of the geographic network graphs;
• generating a combined graph stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the combined graph represents at least one potential physical transportation route whose transition edges conform to the finite automaton network graph, and the combined graph comprises one or more of the nodes representing potential physical locations of the finite automaton network graph, and the one or more of the nodes representing potential physical locations of the finite automaton network graph are included within one or more of the nodes representing physical locations of the geographic network graphs;
• and
• selecting, based on the comparing, at least one physical transportation route from the existing physical transportation routes, the at least one selected physical transportation route being an instance of the at least one potential physical transportation route, wherein the selected at least one potential physical transportation route conforms to the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface.

A computer program product, the computer program product being tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause at least one processor to:

• receive a first routing rule and a second routing rule through a route management user interface, each routing rule characterizing at least one potential physical transportation route;
• convert the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface into a first finite automaton and a second finite automaton, respectively;
• combine the first finite automaton and the second finite automaton into a finite automaton network graph stored using the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein nodes represent potential physical locations and transition edges between the nodes of the finite automaton network graph represent the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface;
• compare the finite automaton network graph to existing physical transportation routes, the existing physical transportation routes represented as geographic network graphs stored using the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the geographic network graphs include transition edges between nodes representing physical locations and further wherein the instructions, when executed, are further configured to cause the at least one processor to determine whether each transition edge between pairs of nodes of the finite automaton network graph conform with a corresponding transition edge between pairs of nodes of the geographic network graphs;
• generate a combined graph stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the combined graph represents at least one potential physical transportation route whose transition edges conform to the finite automaton network graph, and the combined graph comprises one or more of the nodes representing potential physical locations of the finite automaton network graph, and the one or more of the nodes representing potential physical locations of the finite automaton network graph are included within one or more of the nodes representing physical locations of the geographic network graphs;
• and
• select, based on the comparing, at least one feasible physical transportation route from the existing physical transportation routes, the at least one feasible physical transportation route being an instance of the at least one potential physical transportation route, wherein the selected at least one feasible physical transportation route conforms to the first routing rule and the second routing rule received through the route management user interface;
• wherein at least node representing a potential physical location of the finite automaton network graph is included, in the combined graph, in a plurality of nodes representing different physical locations of the geographic network graphs.