Method and apparatus for encouraging routing in a network

A node communicating in a network comprising a plurality of nodes, the node comprising:

• a processor configured to determine neighbor nodes in a routing path to a destination based on a routing table associated with the node;
• a memory configured to store one or more authenticated tokens;
• a transmitter configured to transmit a first request-to-route (RTR) message from the first node to the neighbor nodes, wherein the RTR message comprises an indication specifying a number of information units (IUs);
• and
• a receiver configured to receive a neighbor offer message from each of the neighbor nodes which indicates that the neighbor node will route the number of information units (IUs) in exchange for an associated quantity of authenticated tokens,
• wherein the processor is further configured to select one of the plurality of neighbor nodes based on comparing each of the associated quantity of authenticated tokens;
• wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the information units (IUs) and the quantity of authenticated tokens the selected neighbor node, wherein the transmitted quantity of authenticated tokens can be converted into a tradable entity and provide compensation to the selected neighbor node for routing the number of information units.

A network comprising a plurality of nodes, the network comprising:

• a first node configured to transmit a number of information units (IUs);
• a destination configured to receive the number of information units (IUs) from the first node;
• a token manager configured to provide authenticated tokens to the nodes and configured to provide a first number of authenticated tokens to the first node;
• and
• a plurality of neighbor nodes;
• wherein the first node is configured to determine neighbor nodes in a routing path to a destination based on a routing table associated with the first node, to store the first number of authenticated tokens, to transmit a first request-to-route (RTR) message to the neighbor nodes, wherein the RTR message comprises an indication specifying the number of information units (IUs), to receive a neighbor offer message from each of the neighbor nodes which indicates that the neighbor node will route the number of information units (IUs) in exchange for an associated quantity of authenticated tokens, to select one of the neighbor nodes based on comparing each of the associated quantities of authenticated tokens, and to transmit the quantity of authenticated tokens offered by the selected neighbor node to the selected neighbor node, wherein the transmitted quantity of authenticated tokens is convertible into a tradable entity.