Autonomously routing data using relay nodes pre-selected from a group of distributed computer nodes based on measured one-way latencies

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations a computer network, the operations comprising:

• automatically measuring one-way latencies between a plurality of nodes in a pulse group, wherein the pulse group includes a first node and a second node;
• automatically selecting a first sending bucket of nodes from the pulse group based on the one-way latencies, wherein the nodes in the first sending bucket are candidates for relaying data from the first node;
• automatically selecting a first receiving bucket of nodes from the pulse group based on the one-way latencies, wherein the nodes in the first receiving bucket are candidates for relaying data to the second node;
• in response to a command to transfer data from the first node to the second node, automatically selecting a relay node that is both in the first sending bucket and in the first receiving bucket;
• and
• automatically routing data from the first node to the second node via the relay node.

A computer system for autonomously selecting low-latency data routing paths across the Internet, comprising:

• a server configured to send instructions to a plurality of nodes in a computer network;
• and
• a memory storing the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors at the plurality of nodes, cause the plurality of nodes to:
• automatically measure one-way latencies between a plurality of nodes in a pulse group, wherein the pulse group includes a first node and a second node;
• automatically select a first sending bucket of nodes from the pulse group based on the one-way latencies, wherein the nodes in the first sending bucket are candidates for relaying data from the first node;
• automatically select a first receiving bucket of nodes from the pulse group based on the one-way latencies, wherein the nodes in the first receiving bucket are candidates for relaying data to the second node;
• in response to a command to transfer data from the first node to the second node, automatically select a relay node that is both in the first sending bucket and in the first receiving bucket;
• and
• automatically route data from the first node to the second node via the relay node.