Flexible Cost and Constraint Assignment Method and System For Hierarchical Networks

A computer readable medium with program instructions for flexible cost and constraint assignment for a hierarchical network comprising a plurality of nodes, comprising the instructions for:

• (a) defining one or more constraints on a total cost for the hierarchical network;
• (b) defining a path and types of nodes for the hierarchical network;
• and
• (c) defining a cost function for each node in the hierarchical network, wherein the cost function depends on a cost function of the node's parent node, cost functions for the node's child nodes, and the type of the node.

A system, comprising:

• a server for receiving parameters for a hierarchical network, wherein the parameters comprises:
• one or more constraints on a total cost for the hierarchical network,
• a path and types of nodes for the hierarchical network, and
• a cost functions for each node in the hierarchical network, wherein the cost function depends on a cost function of the node's parent node, cost functions for the node's child nodes, and the type of the node;
• and
• a database for storing the received parameters.