Methods, devices and systems for determining a target path

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments and a method. The method includes iteratively providing messages to each Node Processor. Each Node Processor represents a node of a group of nodes. The iteratively providing of the messages comprises providing first messages. Each first message includes a cost associated with a path of nodes visited by each first message. A selected path is obtained from each node having a lowest cost of a group of common endpoint costs for paths having common endpoints. A next group of messages includes the selected path. The iteratively providing of the messages results in selected paths. Also, the method include determining a target path from a remaining path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 iteratively providing, from a message handler of a processing system including a processor, a first message to each of a group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of first messages, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes, and wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises:
 selecting, by the message handler, at least one path from a first group of paths associated with a known minimum solution (KMS) from a first group of costs resulting in at least one first selected path; and 
 providing, by the message handler, a next message that includes the at least one first selected path to a first portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a first group of next messages and a first plurality of selected paths; and 
   responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and first group of next messages, determining, by the message handler, a first target path that is a remaining path of the first plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the first group of next messages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying, by the message handler, the KMS. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the KMS is a least cost from the first group of costs. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the message handler, a plurality of costs associated with a plurality of paths for each first message in the group of first messages resulting in the first group of costs and the first group of paths. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of costs comprise time, distance, monetary cost, available bandwidth, latency, throughput, risk, probability of success, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining, by the message handler, an average cost between any two nodes of the group of nodes, and   determining, by the message handler, a standard deviation associated with the average cost.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the selecting the at least one path from the first group of paths associated with the KMS comprises selecting, by the message handler, the at least one path from the first group of paths according to the average cost and the standard deviation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising identifying, by the message handler, a first portion of the first group of paths such that each of the first portion of the first group of paths is associated with a first cost that is more than the average cost and the standard deviation associated with the average cost resulting in a first identification of a group of sequestered paths. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising providing, by the message handler, the first identification of the group of sequestered paths to a sequestration handler, wherein the processing system comprises the sequestration handler. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first target path is a complete path. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first target path is a complete shortest path. 
     
     
         13 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor, a group of node processors, an administration processor, and a message handler, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitates performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 iteratively providing a first message to each of a group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of first messages, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises:
 selecting at least one path from a first group of paths associated with a known minimum solution (KMS) from a first group of costs resulting in at least one first selected path; and 
 providing a next message that includes the at least one first selected path to a first portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a first group of next messages and a first plurality of selected paths; and 
 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and first group of next messages, determining a first target path that is a remaining path of the first plurality of selected paths. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the first group of next messages. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise identifying the KMS, wherein the KMS is a least cost from the first group of costs. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a plurality of costs associated with a plurality of paths for each first message in the group of first messages resulting in the first group of costs and the first group of paths, wherein the plurality of costs comprise time, distance, monetary cost, available bandwidth, latency, throughput, risk, probability of success, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, a group of node processors, an administration processor, and a message handler, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 iteratively providing a first message to each of a group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of first messages, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises:
 selecting at least one path from a first group of paths associated with a known minimum solution (KMS) from a first group of costs resulting in at least one first selected path; and 
 providing a next message that includes the at least one first selected path to a first portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a first group of next messages and a first plurality of selected paths; and 
   responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and first group of next messages, determining a first target path that is a remaining path of the first plurality of selected paths.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a plurality of costs associated with a plurality of paths for each first message in the group of first messages resulting in the first group of costs and the first group of paths.