Patent ID: 7466655

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of discovering a network path that satisfies a quality of service (QoS) requirement, the method comprising: receiving, at a first router, a first data packet that indicates a destination and said QoS requirement; updating said first data packet to indicate an identity of said first router; determining whether a least-delay path from said first router to said destination satisfies said QoS requirement; determining whether said first data packet has visited any router in said least-delay path other than said first router; wherein a first set of routers that are on said least-delay path is in a pheromone table on the first router, and wherein a second set of routers that have been visited by said first data packet is indicated in said first data packet; if said least-delay path satisfies said QoS requirement and said first data packet has not visited any router in said least-delay path other than said first router, then sending said first data packet to a second router in said least-delay path; and receiving, at said first router, a second data packet that indicates a path taken by said first data packet to said destination.