Patent ID: 8560634

Claim:
An electronic device configured for electronic communications utilizing virtual dispersive networking comprising: (a) networking hardware for communicating over a network; (b) one or more applications loaded onto the electronic device programmed to communicate over a network; and (c) virtual dispersive networking software comprising computer-executable instructions configured to (i) spawn a plurality of virtual machine instances that each virtualize network capabilities of the networking hardware of the electronic device such that a virtual network connection is provided, (ii) detect a request for a network connection from one of the one or more applications, (iii) using determined application-specific information associated with the one of the one or more applications, select a first network protocol from among a plurality of available network protocols based on current communication requirements of the one of the one or more applications, (iv) effect communication of data from the one of the one or more applications over a network as a plurality of packets using the virtualized network capabilities of one of the virtual machine instances, such communication including selecting an initial node to transmit to based on (A) stored network information, (B) the selected first network protocol, and (C) an intended destination of the data, (v) intercept a received packet as it is passed from the networking hardware, (vi) select a next node to transmit the packet to based on (A) stored network information, (B) an indication of a protocol contained in the packet, and (C) an indication of a destination device contained in the packet, and (vii) transmit, using one of the plurality of virtual machine instances, the packet to the selected next node for communication to the destination device.