Distributed split flow routing mechanism for multi-node packet switching

Abstract

Routing variables for near optimally controlling the distributed flow of information signals from a node s over a multinode communication network to a destination node d are generated in accordance with a prescribed heuristic among network path delays. A prescribed routing variable value (e.g. zero) is assigned to each route to a node n, representing that that node is not to be used to route information signals from node s to node d, for any node of the network that either is not directly connected to node s, has not established a connection path to a destination node d, or is using node s as part of its communication path to destination node d. The path delays from node s to neighboring nodes n are measured and a measurment of the path delay from node s to destination node d is obtained. In addition periodically updated measurements of the path delays from neighboring nodes n to destination node d are received. For each neighboring node that may be used to route traffic, its associated routing variable is generated in accordance with the heuristic among the path delays. The path delay from node s to node d is then updated in accordance with a weighted sum of the routing variables and transmitted to neighboring nodes.