Traffic routing in a telecommunications network

Details Traffic routing in a telecommunications network Traffic routing in a telecommunications network

1998-07-30

2001-04-10

Jung, Min (Department: 2663)

Multiplex communications

Data flow congestion prevention or control

Flow control of data transmission through a network

C370S400000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06215771

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to the routing of telecommunications traffic in a network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by paths. In particular, the invention relates to a method of defining a traffic routing plan for such a network and to a method of routing traffic via the routing plan.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As telecommunication s networks become more complex and the traffic load increases there is a need to determine the routing of traffic within a network so as to minimise the number of communication channels used, to reduce the risk of being unable to handle traffic and to minimise the total cost to the system operator. At present, traffic routing is determined largely on an empirical basis as a full analysis of a complex network to obtain an analytical solution is an intractable problem. It is thus very difficult if not impossible for an operator to ensure that a network is used with a high degree of efficiency under all traffic conditions. It is also difficult for an operator to provide efficient allocation of new traffic routes on demand.
The object of the present invention is to minimise or to overcome this disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a method of configuring a telecommunications network whereby to determine traffic routing, said network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by communications paths, and each said path incorporating one or more communications channels, wherein the method includes determining a set of possible paths between each pair of network nodes, allocating to each path of each said set a digital code characteristic of that path identity, selecting groups of paths each said group comprising one path from each set, providing for each said group a respective bit string comprising the digital codes of the paths comprising that group, and using the bit strings of said groups as starting values or chromosomes in a genetic algorithm search procedure whereby to generate new bit strings corresponding to new path groups, determining for each said new path group a fitness function representative of the effectiveness of that new path group relative to the other path groups, and evaluating the new path groups from their respective fitness functions so as to determine an optimum combination of paths between the network nodes.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method of routing traffic in a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by communications paths, each said path incorporating one or more communications channels, wherein the method includes determining a set of possible paths between each pair of network nodes, allocating to each path of each said set a digital code characteristic of that path identity, selecting groups of paths each said group comprising one path from each set, providing for each said group a respective bit string comprising the digital codes of the paths comprising that group, and using the bit strings of said groups as starting values or chromosomes in a genetic algorithm search procedure whereby to generate and evaluate new path groups so as to determine an optimum combination of paths between the network nodes, and routing the traffic via said optimum combination of paths.
The genetic algorithm uses the bit strings representing the paths as chromosomes to generate new combinations of paths which are then evaluated to determine those which represent better solutions to the routing problem. The bit strings of these new paths then form new starting values in an iterative procedure which may be continued either until a solution satisfies predetermined criteria or until a predetermined number of iterative cycles have been completed.
The technique may be employed in the construction of a transmission network manager to provide control of traffic routing. The technique may also be employed in ATM switching applications to provide predictive capacity management for the allocation of virtual channels for voice traffic.
A general description of the genetic algorithm procedure is given by J. H. Holland in ‘Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems’, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Mich.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5072379 (1991-12-01), Eberhardt
patent: 5291477 (1994-03-01), Liew
patent: 5598532 (1997-01-01), Liron
Shimamoto, “A Dynamic Routing Control Based on a Genetic Algorithm”, International Conference on Neural Networks, vol. 2, 4/93, pp 1123-1128.
Krishnan, “An Approach to Path-Splitting in Multipath Networks”, IEEE Conference on Communications, vol. 3, No. 3, 5/23-26/93, pp 1353-1357.

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