Abstract: A method is disclosed that provides an ordered sequence of reassignments of communications paths to new routes. The network may have multiple excessively long communications paths, referred to as out-of-kilter paths, while other communications paths are of acceptable length, referred to as in-kilter paths. The method approximately optimizes a predefined objective such as maximizing the number of reassigned out-of kilter communications paths. The method may reassign multiple in-kilter paths to new routes in order to free up capacity and allow the reassignment of an out-of-kilter path. Reassignments are executed one at a time according to the ordered sequence determined by the method, and no capacity violations are incurred on any network link at any point in time during the execution of the sequence of reassignments. All reassigned communications paths will be in-kilter.

Abstract: The invention is directed toward a device wherein out-of-kilter communications paths are reassigned in a manner that is more efficient than the art. Efficiency is improved because the reassignment of out-of-kilter communications paths permits reassignments of in-kilter communications paths in order to most efficiently accommodate the reassignment of the out-of-kilter communications paths. More specifically, a device made in accordance with the invention would comprise means for receiving a set of out-of-kilter communications paths and a set of in-kilter communications paths and means for permitting changes to both the set of out-of-kilter communications paths and the set of in-kilter communications paths. The changes are specified as an ordered sequence of reassignments. This sequence satisfies the properties of graceful reassignment solutions. A corresponding method for finding a graceful reassignment solution is disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-pole monolithic crystal filter with at least three acoustically coupled resonators (50,52,54) on a piezoelectric blank (56). Each resonator (50,52,54) has associated top and bottom electrodes (70,72,74,76,78,80). An input connection (62) is coupled to the top electrode (70) of a first resonator (50) and a ground connection (64) is coupled to the bottom electrode (72) of the first resonator (50). An output connection (68) is coupled to the bottom electrode (80) of a last resonator (54) and a ground connection (66) is coupled to the top electrode (78) of the last resonator (54). The top and bottom electrodes (74,76) of each of the remaining resonators (52) are coupled to each other.