Negotiating optimum parameters in a system of interconnected components

Abstract

Components in a system have interconnectable ports, groups of which are to be interconnected. A method of negotiating negotiable parameters between a plurality of the ports includes specifying parameter sets corresponding respectively to the ports. Each parameter set is expressed as a list of constraints on allowable values or ranges of values. When connecting a group of ports, the constraints on their parameter sets are conjoined to form a parameter set intersection. The parameter sets of the ports are then limited to those values included in the parameter set intersection. In addition, parameter sets relating to other ports are potentially limited based on the results of the intersection. The conjoining and limiting steps are repeated until the various parameter sets exhibit no further limitations in response to further repetitions, and this process is repeated for all port interconnections. Subsequently, values for the negotiable parameters are selected from the limited parameter sets.