Selection of routing paths in data communications networks to satisfy multiple requirements

A method for selecting a network routing path from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of the routing paths in the plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the method comprising the steps of:

• calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of a first specified limit and the second variable associated with the transmission link added to a second product of a second specified limit and the first variable associated with the transmission link;
• determining a total cost associated with the one of the plurality of routing paths wherein the total cost is a sum of the costs associated with each of said transmission links in the one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• selecting the one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a third product of the first specified limit and the second specified limit.

A method for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communication from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of the routing paths in the plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the method comprising the steps of:

• calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as twice a first product of a first specified limit and the second variable associated with the transmission link, added to a second product of the first variable associated with the transmission link with a sum of the first specified limit and a second specified limit;
• determining a total cost associated with the one of the plurality of routing paths wherein the total cost is a second sum of the costs associated with each of said transmission links in the one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• selecting the one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a square of the first specified limit added to a third product of the first specified limit and the second specified limit.

A method for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communications signal from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of the routing paths in the plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a specified value which is less than or equal to a minimum possible propagation delay between a source and a destination of the digital communications signal;
• calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of the second variable associated with the transmission link with a first difference between a first specified limit and the specified value, added to a second product of the first variable associated with the transmission link with x.sub.0, wherein x.sub.0 is a third product of a first sum of the first specified limit and a second specified limit with a second difference of the first specified limit and the specified value divided by twice the first specified limit;
• determining a total cost associated with the one of the plurality of routing paths wherein the total cost is a second sum of the costs associated with each of said transmission links in the one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• selecting the one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a fourth product of the first specified limit and x.sub.o.

A system for selecting a network routing path from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, comprising:

• means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of a first specified limit and said second variable associated with the transmission link added to a second product of a second specified limit and said first variable associated with the transmission link;
• means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a third product of said first specified limit and said second specified limit.

A system for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communication from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, comprising:

• means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as twice a first product of a first specified limit and said second variable associated with the transmission link added to a second product of said first variable associated with the transmission link with a first sum of said first specified limit and a second specified limit;
• means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a second sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a square of said first specified limit added to a third product of said first specified limit and said second specified limit.

A system for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communications signal from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, comprising:

• means for selecting a specified value which is less than or equal to a minimum possible propagation delay between a source and a destination of the digital communications signal;
• means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of said second variable associated with the transmission link with a first difference between a first specified limit and said specified value, added to a second product of said first variable associated with the transmission link with x.sub.0, wherein x.sub.0 is a third product of a first sum of said first specified limit and a second specified limit with a second difference of said first specified limit and said specified value divided by twice said first specified limit;
• means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a second sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a fourth product of said first specified limit and x.sub.0.

A computer program product for identifying from a plurality of network routing paths a network routing path having a value for a first delay characteristic which is less hn a first specified limit and a value for a second delay characteristic which is less than a second specified limit, the computer program product comnprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for determining a value for a third delay characteristic associated with one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for determining if the determined value for the third delay characteristic associated with the one of the plurality of routing paths is less than a third specified limit associated with the third delay characteristic, wherein the third delay characteristic differs from both the first and the second delay characteristics and operates as a proxy for the first and second delay characteristics.

A computer program product for selecting a network routing path from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of a first specified limit and said second variable associated with the transmission link added to a second product of a second specified limit and said first variable associated with the transmission link;
• computer-readable program code means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a third product of said first specified limit and said second specified limit.

A computer program product for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communication from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as twice a first product of a first specified limit and said second variable associated with the transmission link added to a second product of said first variable associated with the transmission link with a first sum of said first specified limit and a second specified limit;
• computer-readable program code means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a second sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a square of said first specified limit added to a third product of said first specified limit and said second specified limit.

A computer program product for selecting a network routing path for a constant bit rate digital communications signal from a plurality of routing paths, wherein each of said routing paths in said plurality of routing paths consists of at least one transmission link having an associated first and second variable, the computer program product comprising:

• a buffer;
• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer-readable program code means for selecting a specified value which is less than or equal to a minimum possible propagation delay between a source and a destination of the digital communications signal;
• computer-readable program code means for calculating a cost associated with each of said transmission links in one of the plurality of routing paths as a first product of said second variable associated with the transmission link with a first difference between a first specified limit and said specified value added to a second product of said first variable associated with the transmission link with x.sub.0, wherein x.sub.0 is a third product of a first sum of said first specified limit and a second specified limit with a second difference of said first specified limit and said specified value divided by twice said first specified limit;
• computer-readable program code means for determining a total cost associated with said one of the plurality of routing paths wherein said total cost is a second sum of said costs associated with each of said transmission links in said one of the plurality of routing paths;
• and
• computer-readable program code means for selecting said one of the plurality of routing paths if the total cost for the selected routing path is less than a fourth product of said first specified limit and x.sub.0.