主权项 |
1. A communication system including a connection negotiation system for establishing one or more communication paths between one or more pairs of end points located in devices of the communication system, wherein the communication system comprises: two or more devices, at least one communication medium situated between the two or more devices, a plurality of system elements configured to realize a part of the one or more communication paths to be established, a plurality of interface data elements representing one of (a) connection points between system elements, (b) connection points between a system element and an end point of the one or more communication paths to be established, wherein the connection negotiation system comprises at least one processor operative to:
a) receive as a first processor input, one or more pairs of end points of the one or more communication paths to be established, said end points being located in devices of the communication system, where each end point is represented by one of the plurality of interface data elements, b) receive as a second processor input, a description of capabilities and constraints of the two or more devices or of the two or more devices and the at least one communication medium, wherein the capabilities and constraints are defined by a set B of block data elements, wherein a block data element in the set B of block data elements is comprised of data that represents (a) a single system element that is configured to perform a certain communication task, or (b) a single system element that cannot be configured, or (c) a single system element that is always configured in the same manner irrespective of the one or more communication paths that is supported by it, c) find a subset Tx of the set B of block data elements that satisfies at least a first criteria based on the first and second inputs, and d) output the subset Tx as a connection plan, representative of the one or more communication paths to be established in the communication system, e) execute the connection plan by at least configuring one or more system elements as specified by the subset Tx to establish the one or more communication paths in the communication system. |