Patent ID: 7319700

Claim:
A method for processing, by a node of a network, a message from another node of the network, the message carrying at least one network path determination constraint, the method comprising: a) performing a constraint-based path determination to a next node selected from a group of nodes consisting of (i) an area border node, (ii) an autonomous system gateway node, (iii) a node that can process one of the at least one network path determination constraint carried by the message which the present node cannot, or will not, evaluate, (iv) a specified loose-hop node, and (v) a node to which constraint processing is delegated, to generate a partial path; and b) forwarding the message carrying the at least one network path determination constraint to an adjacent downstream node on the partial path, or to a delegated node that is able to carry out the path determination, wherein the at least one network path determination constraint is expressed in the form of a program including one or more executable instructions.