An Analog Computer for Finding an Optimum Route Through a Communication Network

This paper describes an analog computer capable of solving a variety of communication network problems; in particular, the problem of finding an optimum route through an arbitrary network. For example, in routing a call through a communications network, it may be desirable to determine that path (or paths) containing the smallest number of switching centers-or again, if, in some predetermined sense, weighting factors have been assigned to each link in the network, it is then possible to determine that path over which the summation of the weights of the links is a minimum. A 16-node multiply-connected prototype has been designed in which "time" is used as the analog of link weights. The utilization of this prototype to find minimum paths and the relative merit of alternate paths are described. The prototype also has the capability of simulating network vulnerability (link or node inhibition of destruction).