Communication network multiplexer grooming optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10389587-B2
Application number	US-201815997309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2018
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

Aspects of optimized grooming of multiplexers of a communication network are presented. In an example method, an optimization value associated with each of a plurality of multiplexer configurations may be determined, wherein each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations includes a proposed assignment of each of a plurality of data channels to one of a plurality of inputs of a plurality of multiplexers. A multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations may be identified and subsequently used to configure the multiplexers. Other potential aspects of the present disclosure are described in greater detail below.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for optimization of communication network multiplexers, the method comprising:
determining, using at least one hardware processor of a machine, an optimization value associated with each of a plurality of multiplexer configurations, wherein each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations comprises a proposed assignment of each of a plurality of data channels to one of a plurality of inputs of a plurality of multiplexers;
identifying, from the plurality of multiplexer configurations, a multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations; and
configuring the plurality of multiplexers based on the proposed assignment corresponding to the identified multiplexer configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexers are configured to multiplex the plurality of data channels using time-division multiplexing (TDM).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the optimization value associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations is performed using an integer programming algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the optimization value associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations comprises instituting at least one constraint on the proposed assignment of each of the plurality of data channels to a corresponding one of the plurality of inputs.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the optimization value associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations comprises a monetary cost associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations; and
the highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations comprises a lowest monetary cost associated with the plurality of multiplexer configurations.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
geographically subdividing a group of service delivery points of the communication network into multiple subgroups of service delivery points, wherein each service delivery point of the group of service delivery points comprises one or more multiplexers, and wherein one of the multiple subgroups of service delivery points comprises the plurality of multiplexers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a most recently identified multiplexer configuration comprises the identified multiplexer configuration; and
the method further comprises, for each time period of a series of time periods:
revising the most recently identified multiplexer configuration based on at least one simulated change in the plurality of data channels during the time period;
determining a next optimization value associated with each of a next plurality of multiplexer configurations based on the revised multiplexer configuration;
identifying, from the next plurality of multiplexer configurations, a next multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked next optimization value of the next plurality of multiplexer configurations as the most recently identified multiplexer configuration; and
advancing to a next time period in the series of time periods.

8. A system for optimization of communication network multiplexers, the system comprising:
at least one hardware processor; and
memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the system to:
determine an optimization value associated with each of a plurality of multiplexer configurations, wherein each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations comprises a proposed assignment of each of a plurality of data channels to one of a plurality of inputs of a plurality of multiplexers;
identify, from the plurality of multiplexer configurations, a multiplexer configuration having a highest-ranked optimization value of the plurality of multiplexer configurations; and
configure the plurality of multiplexers based on the proposed assignment corresponding to the identified multiplexer configuration.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the system to determine the optimization value associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations using an integer programming algorithm.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the system to determine the optimization value associated with each of the plurality of multiplexer configurations by instituting at least one constraint on the proposed assignment of each of the plurality of data channels to a corresponding one of the plurality of inputs.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint on the proposed assignment of each of the plurality of data channels to a corresponding one of the plurality of inputs comprises:
each of the plurality of data channels is assigned to exactly one of the plurality of multiplexers;
each of the plurality of multiplexers is assigned less than or equal to a predetermined number of the plurality of data channels; and
a multiplexer to be disconnected is assigned none of the plurality of data channels.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint on the proposed assignment of each of the plurality of data channels to a corresponding one of the plurality of inputs comprises:

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j is an identifier

Assignees

• Level 3 Communications Llc

Inventors

• Chen Binchao
• Gray William

Classifications

• H04L41/145

  involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network · CPC title

• H04L41/0826 Primary

  for reduction of network costs (H04L41/0833 takes precedence) · CPC title