Routing system for communications network

Claim 2

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known distribution type, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting said distribution type and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving distribution types and statistics respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said distribution types and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said distribution types and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Poisson distribution or a Gaussian distribution when said mean and said variance can be considered to be equal to each other and when said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on a calculation result from said calculating means; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Gaussian distribution or a hyperexponential distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a hyperexponential distribution or a negative binomial distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness is not 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 1, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 3, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 1, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 7

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 8

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 6, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Hermite polynomial or Charlier polynomial based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 6, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 6, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 13

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known distribution type, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting said distribution type and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving distribution types and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said distribution types and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said distribution types and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 14

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known distribution type, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting said distribution type and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving distribution types and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said distribution types and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said distribution types and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Poisson distribution or a Gaussian distribution when said mean and said variance can be considered to be equal to each other and when said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on a calculation result from said calculating means; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Gaussian distribution or a hyperexponential distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a hyperexponential distribution or a negative binomial distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness is not 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 11, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 11, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; range transmitter/receiver means for transmitting information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means, and receiving information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means of another node; link selecting means for selecting a link to a next node based on communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of said adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means and said communications-path selection range obtained by said range transmitter/receiver means; loop preventing means for excludes a loop-forming path from paths to which said link selected by said link selecting means belongs, thereby preventing said loop-forming path from being formed; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and information on linking to a next node obtained via said loop preventing means.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 11, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 15, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 11, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 21

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 22

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 18, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Hermite polynomial or Charlier polynomial based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 18, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 18, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; range transmitter/receiver means for transmitting information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means, and receiving information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means of another node; link selecting means for selecting a link to a next node based on communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of said adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means and said communications-path selection range obtained by said range transmitter/receiver means; loop preventing means for excludes a loop-forming path from paths to which said link selected by said link selecting means belongs, thereby preventing said loop-forming path from being formed; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and information on linking to a next node obtained via said loop preventing means.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 18, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 22, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 28

A system according to claim 18, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 29

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node and collecting status information on said neighbor nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known distribution type, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting said distribution type and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving distribution types and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said distribution types and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said distribution types and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes-from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 30

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node and collecting status information on said neighbor nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known distribution type, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting said distribution type and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving distribution types and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said distribution types and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said distribution types and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes-from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 31

A system according to claim 25, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Poisson distribution or a Gaussian distribution when said mean and said variance can be considered to be equal to each other and when said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on a calculation result from said calculating means; means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Gaussian distribution or a hyperexponential distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness can be considered to be 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a hyperexponential distribution or a negative binomial distribution when said mean and said variance are not equal to each other and said skewness is not 0 based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 32

A system according to claim 25, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means.

Claim 33

A system according to claim 25, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; range transmitter/receiver means for transmitting information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means, and receiving information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means of another node; link selecting means for selecting a link to a next node based on communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means and said communications-path selection range obtained by said range transmitter/receiver means; loop preventing means for excludes a loop-forming path from paths to which said link selected by said link selecting means belongs, thereby preventing said loop-forming path from being formed; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and information on linking to a next node obtained via said loop preventing means.

Claim 34

A system according to claim 25, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 35

A system according to claim 29, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 36

A system according to claim 25, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 37

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node and collecting status information on said neighbor nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 38

A routing system for a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each node comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node and collecting status information on said neighbor nodes resulting from that inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said status of said another node, said status predicting means including: status monitor means for monitoring a status of said node for every given period, statistic approximation means for acquiring a statistic of a chronological variation distribution of said status of said node from monitor data from said status monitor means and approximating said variation distribution with a known approximation polynomial, statistic information transmitter/receiver means for transmitting a name of said polynomial and said statistic, respectively used and acquired by said statistic approximation means, to said other nodes, and receiving names of polynomials and statistics respectively used and acquired by statistic approximation means of said other nodes, statistic information storage means for storing said names of polynomials and statistics received from said other nodes, and prediction information generating means for predicting changes in said statuses of said other nodes based on said names of polynomials and said statistics stored in said statistic information storage means and generating prediction information; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 39

A system according to claim 32, wherein said statistic approximation means includes: calculating means for calculating a mean, a variance and a skewness as statistics; and means for approximating said variation distribution with either a Hermite polynomial or Charlier polynomial based on said calculation result from said calculating means.

Claim 40

A system according to claim 32, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and said communications-path selection range specified by said range limiting means.

Claim 41

A system according to claim 32, wherein said routing control means includes: range limiting means for limiting a communications-path selection range based on said communication process information from said process information generating means and said prediction information from said status predicting means; range transmitter/receiver means for transmitting information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means, and receiving information of said communications-path selection range limited by said range limiting means of another node; link selecting means for selecting a link to a next node based on communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said communications-path selection rankle specified by said range limiting means and said communications-path selection range obtained by said range transmitter/receiver means; loop preventing means for excludes a loop-forming path from paths to which said link selected by said link selecting means belongs, thereby preventing said loop-forming path from being formed; and path selecting means for selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information generated by said process information generating means, said status information of neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means, said prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said status predicting means and information on linking to a next node obtained via said loop preventing means.

Claim 42

A system according to claim 32, wherein said communication process information includes information about a requested traffic, subjective transmission quality and communication destination.

Claim 43

A system according to claim 36, wherein said subjective transmission quality includes at least one of a blocking probability, information on a transfer delay of a packet or cell, and a wasting ratio of packets or cells.

Claim 44

A system according to claim 32, wherein said status information includes information about a load of an output link.

Claim 45

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said statistically-processed status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 46

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said statistically-processed status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 47

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from the inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said statistically-processed status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 48

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node status collecting means for inquiring statuses of adjoining nodes adjacent to said node and collecting status information on said adjoining nodes resulting from the inquiry; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed information from another node when a status of said another node has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on said statistically-processed status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on adjoining nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 49

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node data storing means for storing data of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node; adjoining-node status collecting means for collecting status information on said neighbor nodes; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node/has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on statistically-processed said status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.

Claim 50

A routing apparatus for controlling communication paths via a plurality of nodes in a communication network, comprising: process information generating means for generating communication process information necessary for a communication process in response to a link request from a user; adjoining-node data storing means for storing data of neighbor nodes located within a predetermined neighbor range around said node; adjoining-node status collecting means for collecting status information on said neighbor nodes; status predicting means for receiving statistically-processed status information from another node when a status of said another node/has changed and predicting statuses of all other nodes based on statistically-processed said status information of said another node; and routing control means for receiving communication process information from said process information generating means, status information on said neighbor nodes from said adjoining-node status collecting means and prediction information predictive of said statuses of said other nodes from said prediction information generating means and selecting a communications path which minimizes a load, based on said communication process information and said prediction information.