# US 8,570,875 B2 · Determining collocations with an access transport management system (ATMS) > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,875 B2 - Document ID: US8570875B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/413,965 - Filed: 2009-03-30 - Published: 2010-01-28 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-23 - Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Applicants: Nandagopal Venugopal; Thomas P Newcomer - Inventors: Nandagopal Venugopal; Thomas P Newcomer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570875B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0826: for reduction of network costs (H04L41/0833 takes precedence) - H04Q 3/0062: {Provisions for network management} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract A device receives network configuration information from a network, determines a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, and constructs a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model. The device also calculates an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model, performs a collocation optimization procedure on the optimal baseline solution to produce an optimal collocation solutions for the network, and provides the optimal network collocation solutions to the network for implementation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing device-implemented method, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor of the computing device, network configuration information from a network, the network configuration information including operational states of network elements associated with the network; determining, by the processor, a logical network based on the network configuration information, the logical network including a new capacity model of the network, an entrance facility capacity model of the network, and an incumbent capacity model of the network, determining the logical network including: determining the new capacity model of the network by: creating a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network, determining a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation, providing digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and providing digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance; constructing, by the processor, a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the logical network; calculating, by the processor, an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model; performing, by the processor, an automatic collocation optimization procedure, on an existing configuration of the network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the network; and providing the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the network for implementation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the optimal collocation solutions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where determining a logical network based on the network configuration information comprises: determining the new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, determining the entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, and determining the incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information; and constructing a mixed integer programming (MIP) model comprises constructing the mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, where determining the new capacity model of the network comprises: creating a potential collocation node based on a wire center of the network; associating a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node; upgrading the wire center to a collocation when the variable equals one; and maintaining the wire center as a wire center when the variable does not equal one. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, where determining the new capacity model of the network comprises: creating a potential collocation node based on a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network; associating a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node; upgrading the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance to a collocation when the variable equals one; and maintaining the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance as a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance when the variable does not equal one. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where constructing a mixed integer programming (MIP) model comprises: forming sets of network nodes and arcs for the mixed integer programming (MIP) model; defining decision variables for the mixed integer programming (MIP) model; defining parameters for mixed integer programming (MIP) model; and formulating the mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the sets, the decision variables, and the parameters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where performing a collocation optimization procedure comprises: performing an interactive collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a total savings for new collocations. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the network comprises an access network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the network configuration information further comprises one or more of: a number of the network elements associated with the network; routing information associated with the network; interconnection information associated with the network; or cost information associated with the network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the computing device comprises one or more of: a laptop; a personal computer; a workstation; or a server. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, where the optimal collocation solutions comprise information for identifying new collocation locations and for performing network planning in a manner that minimizes access transport costs. ### Claim 12 A device comprising: a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and a processor to execute instructions in the memory to: receive network configuration information from a network, the network being associated with a plurality of network elements, and the network configuration information including an operational state of each of the plurality of network elements, determine a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, the processor, when determining the new capacity model, being to: create a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network, determine a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation, provide digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and provide digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, determine an entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, determine an incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, construct a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network, calculate an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model, perform a collocation optimization procedure, on an existing configuration of the network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the network, and provide the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the network for implementation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network are part of a logical network that models the network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the device comprises one or more of: a laptop; a personal computer; a workstation; or a server. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the network comprises an access network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the network configuration information further comprises one or more of: information identifying a quantity of the plurality of network elements associated with the network, routing information associated with the network, interconnection information associated with the network, or cost information associated with the network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the optimal collocation solutions comprise information for identifying new collocation locations and for performing network planning in a manner that minimizes access transport costs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to: store the optimal collocation solutions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the entrance facility capacity model of the network comprises a partial logical network relevant to an entrance facility capacity of the network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to: create a potential collocation node based on a wire center of the network, associate a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node, upgrade the wire center to a collocation when the variable equals one, and maintain the wire center as a wire center when the variable does not equal one. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to: create a potential collocation node based on a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network, associate a variable with an arc provided to the potential collocation node, upgrade the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance to a collocation when the variable equals one, and maintain the local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance as a local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance when the variable does not equal one. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to one of: perform an automatic collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a ranked list of collocation solutions, or perform an interactive collocation optimization procedure, on the existing configuration of the network, to produce a total savings for new collocations. ### Claim 23 A system comprising: an access network comprising: a plurality of network elements, and a plurality of links interconnecting the network elements; and a device to: receive, from the network, network configuration information associated with the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links, the network configuration information including operational states of the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links, determine a new capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, the device, when determining the new capacity model, being to: create a potential collocation node based on a first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network, determine a second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance of the network to include a collocation, provide digital signal 1 (DS1) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, and provide digital signal 3 (DS3) arcs to and from the first local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance and the second local exchange carrier (LEC) path entrance, determine an entrance facility capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, determine an incumbent capacity model of the network based on the network configuration information, construct a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the new capacity model, the entrance facility capacity model, and the incumbent capacity model of the network, calculate an optimal baseline solution, that minimizes network costs, using the MIP model, perform a collocation optimization mapping procedure, on an existing configuration of the access network and based on the optimal baseline solution, to produce a ranked list of optimal collocation solutions for the access network, and provide the ranked list of optimal collocation solutions to the access network for implementation by the plurality of network elements and the plurality of links.