1461127674-a8a1cf02-46fb-468f-b295-4345c42d54b4

1. A method comprising:
homing, using at least one computer processor, to at least two access nodes;
homing a route from at least one of the at least two access nodes to each of a plurality of egress nodes, thereby creating respective route choices between the at least one access node and each of the plurality of egress nodes;
ordering the route choices in a least distance order;
performing load balancing for a plurality of the ordered route choices in the event a predefined loading threshold has not been satisfied, wherein the predefined loading threshold is based at least in part on one or more customers’ latency requirements; and
outputting first homing route choices as a first output homing record,
wherein performing load balancing comprises altering an ordering of a first route choice and a second route choice of the ordered route choices based on (i) a distance from the at least one access node to an egress node of the second route choice and (ii) a distance from the at least one access node to an egress node of the first route choice,
the load balancing is repeated iteratively for either a predefined number of iterations or until the predefined loading threshold is satisfied, and
altering the ordering of the first route choice and the second route choice of the ordered route choices is further based on a determination that a) a first route through the egress node of the first route choice violates the predefined loading threshold, b) a second route through the egress node of the second route choice satisfies the predefined loading threshold, and c) the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the second route choice satisfies a predefined criteria that is based upon a first tolerance factor and the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the first route choice.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving data corresponding to a plurality of second access nodes;
receiving data corresponding to a plurality of end office nodes, data corresponding to a plurality of second egress nodes, and data corresponding to associations between the plurality of end office nodes and the plurality of second egress nodes;
receiving data corresponding to a plurality of non-network nodes;
receiving data corresponding to a customer node and data corresponding to a second origin node;
determining if the customer node is associated with one of the non-network nodes;
in response to determining that the customer node is associated with one of the non-network nodes, indicating that the customer node requires alternative processing;
homing to an end office node of the plurality of end office nodes serving the second origin node;
homing to a plurality of the second access nodes;
homing a route from at least one of the second access nodes to each of the plurality of second egress nodes, thereby creating second homing route choices between a pair of second access nodes and second egress nodes; and
outputting the second homing route choices as a second output homing record.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
ordering the first homing route choices from the first output homing record and the second homing route choices from the second output homing record in a least-distance order;
performing a second load balancing for a plurality of the first and second homing route choices if the predefined loading threshold has not been satisfied; and
outputting final route choices as a final output homing record.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein ordering the first homing route choices from the first output homing record and the second homing route choices from the second output homing record in a least-distance order comprises summing an access distance from a first or the second origin node to one of the at least two access nodes with a backhaul distance from the one of the at least two access nodes to one of the plurality of egress nodes for the first and second homing route choices and ordering the first and second homing route choices in least-distance order wherein a least-distance route is indicated as the first route choice.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein
altering the ordering of the first route choice and the second route choice of the ordered route choices is further based on a determination that a) the first route through the egress node of the first route choice violates the predefined loading threshold, b) the second route through the egress node of the second route choice satisfies the predefined loading threshold, and c) the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the second route choice satisfies a second predefined criteria that is based upon a second tolerance factor and the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the first route choice.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the load balancing further comprises reducing potential single points of failure.
7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein, wherein the computer-readable instructions are configured to be readable from the at least one medium by at least one computer processor and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
home to at least two access nodes;
home a route from at least one of the at least two access nodes to each of a plurality of egress nodes, thereby creating respective route choices between the at least one access node and each of the plurality of egress nodes;
order the route choices in a least distance order;
perform load balancing for a plurality of the ordered route choices if a predefined loading threshold has not been satisfied, wherein the predefined loading threshold is based at least in part on one or more customers’ latency requirements;
repeat the load balancing iteratively for either a predefined number of iterations or until-the predefined loading threshold is satisfied; and

output first homing route choices as a first output homing record,
wherein load balancing comprises altering an ordering of a first route choice and a second route choice of the ordered route choices based on (i) a distance from the at least one access node to an egress node of the second route choice and (ii) a distance from the at least one access node to an egress node of the first route choice, and
altering the ordering of the first route choice and the second route choice of the ordered route choices is further based on a determination that a) a first route through the egress node of the first route choice violates the predefined loading threshold, b) a second route through the egress node of the second route choice satisfies the predefined loading threshold, and c) the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the second route choice satisfies a predefined criteria that is based upon a first tolerance factor and a distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the first route choice.
8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
receive data corresponding to a plurality of second access nodes;
receive data corresponding to a plurality of end office nodes, data corresponding to a plurality of second egress nodes, and data corresponding to associations between the plurality of end office nodes and the plurality of second egress nodes;
receive data corresponding to a plurality of non-network nodes;
receive data corresponding to a customer node and data corresponding to a second origin node;
determine if the customer node is associated with one of the non-network nodes;
in response to determining that the customer node is associated with one of the non-network nodes, to indicate that the customer node requires alternative processing;
home to an end office node of the plurality of end office nodes serving the second origin node;
home to a plurality of the second access nodes;
home a route from at least one of the second access nodes to each of the plurality of second egress nodes, thereby creating second homing route choices between a pair of second access nodes and second egress nodes; and
output the second homing route choices as a second output homing record.
9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
order the first homing route choices from the first output homing record and the second homing route choices from the second output homing record in a least-distance order;
perform a second load balancing for a plurality of the first and second homing route choices if the predefined loading threshold has not been satisfied; and
output final route choices as a final output homing record.
10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein ordering the first homing route choices from the first output homing record and the second homing route choices from the second output homing record in a least-distance order comprises:
summing an access distance from a first or the second origin node to one of the at least two access nodes with a backhaul distance from the one of the at least two access nodes to one of the plurality of egress nodes for each route choice; and
indicating a least-distance route as the first route choice.
11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein
altering the ordering of the first route choice and the second route choice of the ordered route choices is further based on a determination that a) the first route through the egress node of the first route choice violates the predefined loading threshold, b) the second route through the egress node of the second route choice satisfies the predefined loading threshold, and c) the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the second route choice satisfies a second predefined criteria that is based upon a second tolerance factor and the distance from the at least one access node to the egress node of the first route choice.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A high-frequency integrated circuit (IC) module comprising:
a multilayer mounting board on which an IC with a plurality of high-frequency signal terminals on one side portion thereof is mounted;
a plurality of IC connecting portions disposed on one surface of said multilayer mounting board on which said IC is mounted, said IC connecting portions being respectively connected with said plurality of high-frequency signal terminals of said IC;
a plurality of external connection terminal portions disposed on a side portion of the other surface of said multilayer mounting board which portion corresponds to said one side portion of said IC, at wider intervals than those between the high-frequency signal terminals of said IC;
a plurality of high-frequency signal lines provided within said multilayer mounting board to transmit high-frequency signals;
a plurality of first through holes for respectively connecting the inner ends of said high-frequency signal lines with said IC connecting portions;
a plurality of second through holes for respectively connecting the outer ends of said high-frequency signal lines with said external connection terminal portions; and
a high-frequency restricting member for respectively ground-connecting the both surfaces of said multilayer mounting board and restricting propagation of high-frequency signals, provided at least between said high-frequency signal lines and along said high-frequency signal lines.
2. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 1, wherein said high-frequency restricting member comprises a plurality of third through holes for ground-connecting the both surfaces of said multilayer mounting board, said plurality of third through holes being provided within said multilayer mounting board and at least between said high-frequency signal lines and along said high-frequency signal lines.
3. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 2, wherein said IC connecting portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
4. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 3, wherein said external connection terminal portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
5. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 2, wherein said external connection terminal portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
6. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 1, wherein said IC connecting portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
7. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 6, wherein said external connection terminal portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
8. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 1, wherein said external connection terminal portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
9. A high-frequency integrated circuit (IC) module comprising:
a primary multilayer mounting board on which an IC with a plurality of high-frequency signal terminals on one side portion thereof is mounted;
a plurality of IC connecting portions disposed on one surface of said primary multilayer mounting board on which said IC is mounted, said IC connecting portions being respectively connected with said plurality of high-frequency signal terminals of said IC;
a plurality of external connection terminal portions disposed on a side portion of the other surface of said primary multilayer mounting board which portion corresponds to said one side portion of said integrated circuit, at wider intervals than those between the high-frequency signal terminals of said IC;
a plurality of high-frequency signal lines provided on the other surface of said primary multilayer mounting board and respectively connected at their outer ends with said external connection terminal portions;
a plurality of first through holes for respectively connecting the inner ends of said high-frequency signal lines with said IC connecting portions;
a secondary multilayer mounting board connected with the other surface of said primary multilayer mounting board through bumps; and
a high-frequency restricting member for ground-connecting positions between said high-frequency signal lines with the one surface of said primary multilayer mounting board and restricting propagation of high-frequency signals, provided at least along said high-frequency signal lines.
10. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 9, wherein said high-frequency restricting member comprises a plurality of second through holes for ground-connecting both surfaces of said primary multilayer mounting board, said plurality of second through holes being provided within said primary multilayer mounting board.
11. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 10, wherein said IC connecting portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
12. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 11, wherein the outer ends of said high-frequency signal lines are formed as said external IC connecting terminal portions, respectively.
13. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 10, wherein the outer ends of said high-frequency signal lines are formed as said external IC connecting terminal portions, respectively.
14. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 9, wherein said IC connecting portions comprise coplanar lines, respectively.
15. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 14, wherein the outer ends of said high-frequency signal lines are formed as said external IC connecting terminal portions, respectively.
16. The high-frequency IC module as set forth in claim 9, wherein the outer ends of said high-frequency signal lines are formed as said external IC connecting terminal portions, respectively.