System and method for minimizing network load imbalance and latency

Abstract

A system and method for improving a network topology to minimize load imbalance and latency between network nodes is provided. A network performance and configuration tool receives performance data from payload handling nodes, including radio stations, transport nodes and payload gateways to calculate a current network condition related to the current network topology. A revised network topology is determined by selecting a radio station to re-home from its parent transport node and payload gateway to a newly selected transport node and payload gateway. The revised network condition is calculated and compared to current network condition to determine if the re-homing should be accepted. The process can be repeated for a number of iterations until an optimized network topology is found. Configuration instructions are then transmitted to any radio stations that have been re-homed in the final network topology.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining an improved network topology, the network topology defining associations between payload handling nodes in a network, the method comprising:
 receiving performance data from a plurality of payload handling nodes, the payload handling nodes including radio stations, transport nodes and payload gateways;   calculating a current network condition in accordance with a current network topology and the received performance data;   determining a revised network topology by selecting a radio station to re-home from its associated transport node and associated payload gateway in the current network topology to a selected transport node and a selected payload gateway;   calculating a revised network condition in accordance with the revised network topology and the received performance data;   accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology in response to determining that the revised network condition is improved as compared to the current network condition; and   transmitting the current network topology to the re-homed radio station.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the step of transmitting, accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology, in response to determining that the revised network condition is not improved as compared to the initial network condition, in accordance with a defined acceptance rate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of determining a revised network topology, calculating a revised network condition, and accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology are iteratively repeated until a predefined end condition is satisfied. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the end condition is selected from a group consisting of: a predefined number of iterations, a predefined improvement over an initial calculated network condition, and a network condition target. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, prior to the step of transmitting, accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology, in response to determining that the revised network condition is not improved as compared to the initial network condition, in accordance with a defined acceptance rate, wherein the acceptance rate is defined in accordance with a number of iterations the steps have been repeated. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the acceptance rate is decreased as the number of iterations increases. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the radio station is selected in accordance with a result of at least one previous iteration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the radio station is selected in a non-random manner in accordance with a result of at least one previous iteration. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising transmitting re-homing instructions to radio stations selected for re-homing in the current network topology of a final iteration as compared to an initial current network topology. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the revised network topology is determined by randomly selecting a radio station for re-homing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected radio station is re-homed from its associated transport node and associated payload gateway in the current network topology to a randomly selected transport node and a randomly selected payload gateway. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the revised network topology resulting in an improved network condition is rejected if the revised network topology is a previously considered topology. 
     
     
         13 . A network node, comprising:
 a memory for storing instructions;   a communication interface for receiving performance data from a plurality of payload handling nodes in a network including radio stations, transport nodes and payload gateways; and   a processing engine, configured to execute the instructions, for calculating a current network condition in accordance with a current network topology and the received performance data; for determining a revised network topology by selecting a radio station to re-home from its associated transport node and associated payload gateway in the current network topology to a selected transport node and a selected payload gateway; for calculating a revised network condition in accordance with the revised network topology and the received performance data; for accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology in response to determining that the revised network condition is improved as compared to the current network condition; and for instructing the communication interface to transmit the current network topology to the re-homed radio station.   
     
     
         14 . The network node of  claim 13 , wherein the processing engine is configure to accept the revised network topology as the current network topology, in response to determining that the revised network condition is not improved as compared to the initial network condition, in accordance with a defined acceptance rate. 
     
     
         15 . The network node of  claim 13 , wherein the revised network topology is determined by randomly selecting a radio station for re-homing from its associated transport node and associated payload gateway in the current network topology to a randomly selected transport node and a randomly selected payload gateway. 
     
     
         16 . The network node of  claim 13 , wherein the processing engine is configured to reject the revised network topology resulting in an improved network condition if the revised network topology belongs to a list of previously considered topologies. 
     
     
         17 . The network node of  claim 13 , wherein the processing engine is configured to iteratively repeat the steps of determining a revised network topology, calculating a revised network condition, and accepting the revised network topology as the current network topology until a predefined end condition is satisfied. 
     
     
         18 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the radio station is selected in accordance with a result of at least one previous iteration. 
     
     
         19 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the processing engine is configured to accept the revised network topology as the current network topology, in response to determining that the revised network condition is not improved as compared to the initial network condition, in accordance with a defined acceptance rate, the acceptance rate being defined in accordance with a number of iterations the steps have been repeated. 
     
     
         20 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit re-homing instructions to radio stations selected for re-homing in the current network topology of a final iteration as compared to an initial current network topology.