초록 ▼

The system and method for provisioning resources in a network provides real time, parallel evaluation of the best path within the network using neural network principles. Elements of the network having a plurality of paths are assigned relative values according to a network user's requirements. Attr

The system and method for provisioning resources in a network provides real time, parallel evaluation of the best path within the network using neural network principles. Elements of the network having a plurality of paths are assigned relative values according to a network user's requirements. Attributes may include factors such as reliability, cost, speed, distance, expandability, etc., and may be static or dynamic. Selection of a best path from the plurality of paths comprises application of fuzzy logic, using a threshold function to identify a best relative path value by providing an input to the function which is a combination of the attribute values of the elements within each path. The input to the function is the sum of weighted attribute values, where each attribute value is multiplied by a weight which is a relative value determined in accordance with the network user's priorities; the higher the priority, the greater the weight applied to that attribute. Computation of the threshold function is performed for each path and the resulting values are compared to a pre-determined threshold value to determine if the threshold has been crossed. If a single optimal path has not been identified during this step, the weights of the various attributes are adjusted in order of their priority; upward if no paths have crossed the threshold and downward if multiple paths have crossed the threshold. The process is continued with increasingly smaller incremental changes in the weights until a single combination of elements provides a path value which crosses the threshold, indicating the best path for meeting the network user's criteria. The threshold function may be any algorithm which provides a threshold, including sigmoid, linear, exponential and quadratic functions.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A computer-based system for management of a connection oriented network according to a user's pre-determined priorities, said network having a plurality of trails interconnecting a plurality of points, each trail of said plurality having a plurality of physical attributes (A, B, C,

[ I claim:] [1.] A computer-based system for management of a connection oriented network according to a user's pre-determined priorities, said network having a plurality of trails interconnecting a plurality of points, each trail of said plurality having a plurality of physical attributes (A, B, C, . . . ), the system comprising:means for assigning a plurality of attribute values (A1, A2, A3, . . . ) (B1, B2, B3, . . . ) (C1, C2, C3 . . . ) for each physical attribute (A, B, C, . . . );a memory means for receiving and storing a data model of each said trail, said data model including a set of attribute values {A1, B1, C1, . . . } for each said trail representative of said plurality of physical attributes;data entry means for entering an attribute weight {W.sub.A, W.sub.B, W.sub.C, . . . } for each physical attribute (A, B, C, . . . ) according to the user's priorities, wherein a higher priority of the user's priorities has a greater weight than a lower priority of the user's priorities; anda processing means for:(a) multiplying each attribute value of said set of attribute values by the corresponding attribute weight to provide a set of weighted attribute values {A1*W.sub.A, B1*W.sub.B, C1*W.sub.C, . . . } for each said trail;(b) summing said set of weighted attribute values for each said trail to generate an initial input value IN.sub.T for each said trail,(c) performing a transfer function on said initial input value according to a first equation OUT.sub.T =f(IN.sub.T) to determine a threshold for each said trail,(d) adjusting one of said attribute weights of the set of weighted attribute values {A1*W.sub.A, B1*W.sub.B, C1*W.sub.C, . . . } for each said trail according to the user's priorities to provide a set of adjusted weighted attribute values for each said trail,(e) summing said set of adjusted weighted attribute values to provide an adjusted input value IN.sub.T (adjusted) for each said trail,(f) performing said transfer function on said adjusted input value for each said trail to generate an adjusted output value for each said trail where OUT.sub.T (adjusted)=f(IN.sub.T (adjusted)-IN.sub.T),(g) comparing said adjusted output value OUT.sub.T (adjusted) for each said trail to said threshold for each said trail to identify a single adjusted output value that crosses its corresponding said threshold, and, if no said single adjusted output value is identified which crosses its corresponding said threshold,(h) repeating steps (d)-(g) until said single adjusted output value is identified; and(i) generating an output signal indicating an identity of said trail of said plurality of trails having said single adjusted output value that crosses its corresponding threshold.