Systems and methods for mapping and analyzing networks

• US 9,973,406 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Esri Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Esri Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Gorman, Sean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H
• Application Number:
  US14/666,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20150236930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 382173, 382305, 382113, 382155-159, 382199, 382203, 382162, 382164, 382165, 382108, 382224, 382191, 382195, 382197, 382201, 707 1- 10, 707100-102, 7071041, 370400, 370252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Systems and Methods for mapping and analyzing networks are taught. Network line data is converted into point data. The point data is associated with cells of a grid overlaying the network. A number of points in each of the cells of the grid is determined. The number of points in one cell of the grid is compared to the number of points in other cells of the grid to determine the infrastructure in each of the cells of the grid. It is determined how the infrastructure in one cell is spatially related to the infrastructure in other cells in order to rank cell criticality. Cell criticality rankings are sequentially removed from the grid to determine consequential impact on network properties of the grid.

Claims

1. A computerized method for network mapping, the method performs by a computer comprising:

converting network line data into point data;

associating the point data with cells of a grid overlaying the network;

determining a number of points in each of the cells of the grid;

comparing the number of points in one cell of the grid to the number of points in other cells of the grid to determine the infrastructure in each of the cells of the grid;

determining how the infrastructure in one cell is spatially related to the infrastructure in other cells in order to rank cell criticality; and

sequentially removing cell criticality rankings from the grid to determine consequential impact on network properties of the grid, the network properties comprising;

diameter, average geodesic distance, degree of balkanization, cohesion, or distance fragmentation, or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network line data comprises:

static network data;

dynamic network data;

satellite network data;

telecommunication data;

marketing data;

demographic data;

business data;

right-of-way routing data;

regional location data;

or

any combination of the above.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the telecommunication data comprises:

metropolitan area fiber data;

long haul fiber data;

co-location facilities data;

internet exchanges data;

wireless tower data;

wire center data;

undersea cables data;

undersea cable landings data;

data center data;

or

any combination of the above.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the right-of-way routing data comprises:

gas pipeline data;

oil pipeline data;

highway data;

rail data;

electric power transmission lines data;

or

any combination of the above.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the static network data comprises:

IP network data;

network topology data;

or

any combination of the above.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the dynamic network data comprises network traffic data.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the regional location data comprises:

continent information;

nation information;

state information;

county information;

zip code information;

census block information;

census track information;

time information;

metropolitan information;

functional information;

or

any combination of the above.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein attribute data is assigned to the point data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a spatial network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining critical cells based on the cell criticality ranking.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing at least one cell from the grid; and

examining an effect on the network caused by removing the at least one cell.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a second network based on the relationship of point data to cells.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

creating a cell adjacency list based on which cells are adjacent to each other; and

determining disjoint paths between cells based on the cell adjacency list.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein disjointness of paths is calculated utilizing a ratio of a sum of common cells of paths divided by a sum of the cells of the paths.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the network line data comprises:

satellite imagery data;

digitized map data;

or

any combination of the above.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the network line data is obtained by:

purchasing data;

manually constructing data;

mining data from external sources;

probing networks;

tracing networks;

accessing proprietary data;

or

digitizing hard copy data;

or

any combination of the above.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the functional information is defined using at least one of:

a formula;

a federal reserve bank region;

a trade zone;

a census region;

or

a monetary region;

or

any combination of the above.

18. A system for network mapping, comprising:

a computer coupled to a network and comprising a geographic information system (GIS), the GIS being configured to;

convert network line data into point data;

associate the point data with cells of a grid overlaying the network;

determine a number of points in each of the cells of the grid;

compare the number of points in one cell of the grid to the number of points in other cells of the grid to determine infrastructure in each of the cells of the grid;

determine how the infrastructure in one cell is spatially related to the infrastructure in other cells in order to rank cell criticality; and

sequentially remove cell criticality rankings from the grid to determine consequential impact on network properties of the grid, the network properties comprising;

diameter, average geodesic distance, degree of balkanization, cohesion, or distance fragmentation, or any combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the GIS is configured to perform processing associated with assigning attribute data to the point data.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a the network is a spatial network.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the GIS is configured to perform the processing associated with analyzing the network by determining critical cells based on the association.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the GIS is configured to perform the processing associated with analyzing the network by determining the number of points in each of the cells.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the GIS is configured to perform the processing associated with analyzing the network by assigning a weight to each point of the point data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the GIS is configured to perform processing associated with determining the total weight of points in each of the cells.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the GIS is configured to perform the processing associated with associating the point data with the cells by creating a second network based on the relationship of point data to cells.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the GIS is configured to perform processing associated with:

creating a cell adjacency list based on which cells are adjacent to each other; and

determining disjoint paths between cells based on the cell adjacency list.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the GIS is configured to perform processing associated with determining disjoint paths by calculating disjointness of paths utilizing the ratio of the sum of the common cells of the paths divided by the sum of the cells of the paths.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the network line data comprises:

satellite imagery data;

digitized map data;

or any combination of the above.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the network line data comprises:

static network data;

dynamic network data;

satellite network data;

telecommunication data;

marketing data;

demographic data;

business data;

right-of-way routing data;

regional location data;

or any combination of the above.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the telecommunication data comprises:

metropolitan area fiber data;

long haul fiber data;

co-location facilities data;

internet exchanges data;

wireless tower data;

wire center data;

undersea cables data;

undersea cable landings data;

data center data;

or any combination of the above.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the right-of-way routing data comprises:

gas pipeline data;

oil pipeline data;

highway data;

rail data;

electric power transmission lines data;

or any combination of the above.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the static network data comprises:

IP network data;

network topology data;

or any combination of the above.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the dynamic network data comprises network traffic data.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein the network line data is obtained by:

purchasing data;

manually constructing data;

mining data from external sources;

probing networks;

tracing networks;

accessing proprietary data;

digitizing hard copy data;

or any combination of the above.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the regional location data includes at least one of:

continent information;

nation information;

state information;

county information;

zip code information;

census block information;

census track information;

time information;

metropolitan information;

functional information;

or any combination of the above.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the functional information is defined using at least one of:

a formula;

a federal reserve bank region;

a trade zone;

a census region;

a monetary region;

or any combination of the above.