Time-Aware Path Computation for Network Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional path computation methods in communications networks lack awareness of the temporal dimension, leading to inefficient resource allocation and path selection, as they only consider resources available at the current moment, failing to account for future demands.
Innovation Solution
A method for time-aware path computation that generates a future network status by selecting path resources from a log of reserved paths with associated time intervals, allowing for the computation of optimal paths based on anticipated availability, reducing communication overhead and storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional path computation methods only consider current resource availability, then the computation process is simple and fast, but resource allocation efficiency deteriorates due to lack of future demand awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing future network status information in advance. The path computation element proactively generates and caches network status data for future time intervals before actual path computation requests arrive, enabling efficient time-aware path computation without real-time complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to path computation by generating network status information across multiple time intervals. Instead of considering only current resource availability, the system evaluates resource availability across time dimensions, selecting paths based on future resource availability while maintaining computational efficiency through pre-computation
2Measurement precision
If detailed path resource reservation logs are maintained for future time intervals, then future path computation accuracy is improved, but storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential elements needed for future path computation - specifically, pre-computed network status information representing aggregated resource availability. Instead of storing complete detailed reservation logs for all future paths, the system extracts and caches condensed status data that captures future availability without requiring full reservation details
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of future network status information for computational purposes. Rather than storing and processing actual detailed reservation data, the system generates and stores representative status copies that enable accurate path computation while consuming minimal storage resources
Data Source
AI summary
A path computation method involves receiving (200) a request for computation of a new path in the network, the request indicating a future time interval when the path is desired. Subsequently a future network status is generated (210, 212, 214), having a representation of availability of path resources at the future time interval, based on selected paths already reserved at that future time interval. Then there is a step of computing (220) which of the path resources to select for the new path according to the future network status. By generating this future network status when the future time interval is known, it can be generated in respect of a limited time interval rather than covering all possible future reservable times. Thus the benefits of time aware path computation can be achieved without the need for maintaining a huge database of availability at all future times, of all the path resources.