Patent ID: 6266704
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A virtual circuit that is a pathway between two devices, one defined as an initiator and the other defined as a responder and both communicating with each other in a network, said circuit comprising:a plurality of onion routers arranged adjacent to each other to define said pathway and where adjacent onion routers maintain longstanding connections to each other and where each of said onion routers is responsive to an onion having a layered data structure with one layer per each of the onion routers in said pathway, each layer of said onion comprising a public-key encryption of the identity of the next onion router in said pathway;said initiator having means for making a request to a first proxy having means to establish said pathway between said two devices; whereby said pathway comprises an anonymous connection between said two devices such that identities of at least one of said two devices are concealed.