Patent ID: 7962655

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for communicating between two endpoints connected to a network, the method comprising having a first endpoint use a global address of a second endpoint to communicate with the second endpoint, wherein: the global address specifies a protocol, a network identifier, and an address meaningful for the combination of the protocol and a network identified by the network identifier, an application of the first endpoint sends messages directed to the second endpoint through an identity-based communication layer, implemented on a computing device, that is situated between a network layer and an application layer, the messages being independent of the protocol, the identity-based communication layer transmits the messages to the second endpoint using the protocol, the network, and the address specified by the global address, wherein the first endpoint comprises a first physical device and the second endpoint comprises a second physical device; the method further comprising determining the global address of the second endpoint by using a unique identity identifier associated with the second endpoint; wherein the unique identity identifier specifies a realm and a unique identifier that identifies the second endpoint within the realm, and the combination of the realm and the unique identifier uniquely identifies the identity.