Abstract

A method for locating and selecting concentrators and local access links in a distributed data network in the most cost-efficient way is disclosed. The method first identifies a median concentrator from among a set of candidate concentrators to which all of the data terminals are initially assigned. The method then iteratively evaluates and adds to the network those concentrators which produce savings in the network's cost. The method first adds all of a set of concentrators specified to be mandatory and then adds from among a set of candidate concentrators those which produce cost savings. The method then evaluates concentrators in the network and removes those concentrators whose removal produces savings in the network cost.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Description

PTO

Inventor(s)

Michael O. Ball, Paul Nemirovsky, Roy Dahl

Date Issued

01/07/1992

Patent No.

5,079,760

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