Abstract: A data communication device includes both a two-way communications component having a first receiver and transmitter, and a second receiver. The second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device. A method of providing information via the second receiver—which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component—includes transmitting a wake-up broadcast capable of being received by the second receiver. The wake-up broadcast includes a data construct including a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information. The wake-up identifier may or may not be a wake-up identifier of the data communication device. Nevertheless, the auxiliary information is received and recorded by the data communication device via the second receiver with the two-way communications component remaining in the dormant state.

Abstract: An electronic device configured for electronic communications utilizing virtual dispersive networking includes: a network interface for communicating over a network; an application loaded onto the electronic device programmed to communicate over a network; and virtual dispersive networking software configured to create, for such application, a virtual machine comprising a virtual interface for the network interface of the electronic device; select a network protocol out of a plurality of available network protocols based on current communication requirements of the application; and cause network communications of the application to occur via the virtual network interface of the electronic device using the determined network protocol.

Abstract: A method for validating packets in network communications includes receiving, at networking hardware of a device, a packet communicated from another device over a network; intercepting, by virtual dispersive routing (VDR) software loaded on the device, the packet as it is passed from the networking hardware; determining, by the VDR software, that a destination address of the packet corresponds to an address associated with the device; and determining, by the VDR software, using a virtual machine for a network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the device, that the packet belongs to a valid application running on the device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a first device via a virtual network connection, a packet communicated from a second device over a first path, the packet including data appended thereto by one or more devices along the first path, and determining whether the first path satisfies one or more requirements of an application running on the first device, the determination being based at least in part on information from the packet received by the first device; and receiving, at the second device via a virtual network connection, a packet communicated from the first device over a second path, the packet including data appended thereto by one or more along the second path, and determining whether the second path satisfies one or more requirements of an application running on the second device, the determination being based at least in part on information from the packet received by the second device.

Abstract: A method includes communicating network connection information from a control server to each of a subset of devices for enabling an open network connection between each of the devices; spawning, by each device of the subset, a plurality of virtual machines for network connections that virtualize network capabilities of the device; establishing, by each device of the subset, a respective open network connection with each of the other devices of the subset using a respective spawned virtual machine and network connection information received from the control server; and communicating, by one or more devices of the subset, via each of the open network connections that are established with such one or more devices, data, whereby each such one or more devices of the subset functions in part as a server by serving data to other devices of the subset.

Abstract: A network communications method utilizing a network watermark for providing security in the communications includes creating a verifiable network communications path of nodes through a network for the transfer of information from a first end node to a second end node; verifying the network communications path of nodes, by the first end node, before communicating by the first end node information intended for receipt by the second end node; and once the network communications path of nodes is verified by the first end node, communicating by the first end node, via the verified communications path of nodes, the information intended for receipt by the second end node; wherein the network watermark represents the verifiable network communications path of nodes.

Abstract: A method of routing a data packet using a virtual network connection includes steps of detecting a request for a network connection from an application running on a device, spawning a virtual machine that virtualizes network capabilities of the device such that a virtual network connection is provided, selecting a routing protocol from among a plurality of available routing protocols for communicating data using the virtual network connection, determining a first node to which to communicate data from the application using the virtual network connection and the selected routing protocol, said determination being based on network information stored at the device, and communicating data from the application to the first node using the virtual network connection and the selected routing protocol.

Abstract: A method for network communications from a first device to a second device includes communicating data from the first device to the second device by spawning a first virtual machine for a first network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic device, and using the virtualized network capabilities of the first virtual machine, transmitting a plurality of packets for communication to a first network address and port combination associated with the second device. The method further includes repeatedly changing to a respective another network address and port combination by repeatedly spawning a respective another virtual machine for a respective another network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic device, and using the virtualized network capabilities of the spawned respective another virtual machine, transmitting a plurality of packets for communication to the respective another network address and port combination associated with the second device.

Abstract: A method of monitoring symptoms of a person includes repeating, over a period of time, the steps of: selecting, by the person, one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms from a predefined set of symbolic representations presented to the person; and electronically recording data regarding the one or more symbolic representations selected by the person such that the data is electronically accessible later for generating a history of the symptoms of the person over the period of time. The data is transferred over virtual networks using virtual dispersive routing and stored in dispersive storage area networks (SANs). The data is classified as trusted, corrupted, invalid or uncertain, and/or as trusted, ambiguous and inadequate.

Abstract: An electronic device configured for electronic communications utilizing virtual dispersive networking includes: a network interface for communicating over a network; an application loaded onto the electronic device programmed to communicate over a network; and virtual dispersive networking software configured to create, for such application, a virtual machine comprising a virtual interface for the network interface of the electronic device; select a network protocol out of a plurality of available network protocols based on current communication requirements of the application; and cause network communications of the application to occur via the virtual network interface of the electronic device using the determined network protocol.

Abstract: A method for network communications from a first device to a second device includes communicating data from the first device to the second device by spawning a first virtual machine for a first network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic device, and using the virtualized network capabilities of the first virtual machine, transmitting a plurality of packets for communication to a first network address and port combination associated with the second device. The method further includes repeatedly changing to a respective another network address and port combination by repeatedly spawning a respective another virtual machine for a respective another network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic device, and using the virtualized network capabilities of the spawned respective another virtual machine, transmitting a plurality of packets for communication to the respective another network address and port combination associated with the second device.

Abstract: A method of providing network communications includes receiving, at a second device via a virtual network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the second device, a packet transmitted by a first device, the packet including protocol information; determining a third device to which to transmit the packet, said determination being informed by the protocol information; and transmitting the packet to the third device using a virtual network connection, which virtualizes network capabilities of the second device, in accordance with the protocol information.

Abstract: A network communications method utilizing a network watermark for providing security in the communications includes creating a verifiable network communications path of nodes through a network for the transfer of information from a first end node to a second end node; verifying the network communications path of nodes, by the first end node, before communicating by the first end node information intended for receipt by the second end node; and once the network communications path of nodes is verified by the first end node, communicating by the first end node, via the verified communications path of nodes, the information intended for receipt by the second end node; wherein the network watermark represents the verifiable network communications path of nodes.

Abstract: A method of providing network communications includes receiving, at a second device via a virtual network connection associated with virtual dispersive routing (VDR) software that virtualizes network capabilities of the second device, a packet communicated from a first device over a connection path comprising a plurality of other devices, the packet including a header and a payload, the payload including data appended thereto by one or more devices of the plurality of devices; and determining, at the second device by the VDR software, whether the connection path satisfies one or more requirements of an application running on the second device, the determination being based at least in part on the data appended to the payload by the one or more devices of the plurality of other devices.

Abstract: In a wireless network that includes a plurality of nodes, a method of maintaining, by a first node, information regarding communications links between nodes in the wireless network includes: for each communications link that is established with another node, recording an identification of the other node; and for each message received by the first node from the other node through the communications link with the other node, recording a network pathway by which the message has been sent in the wireless network, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent. Another method includes recording, by a server, for each message that is received by the server from the wireless network, a network pathway by which the message has been sent, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent.

Abstract: A method of engaging in network communications by a device includes spawning a first virtual machine for a network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of a device; receiving a packet communicated from a transmitting device at the first virtual machine of the device; determining that the packet is corrupted, said determination being based on information from an application running on the device; in response to said step of determining that the packet is corrupted, quarantining the packet; spawning a second virtual machine for a network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the device; and communicating, using the second virtual machine, a message to the transmitting device.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial system includes: a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, each unmanned aerial vehicle comprising, or having secured thereto, electronic components having software loaded thereon configured to spawn a virtual machine that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic components; and an electronic device having software loaded thereon configured to spawn a virtual machine that virtualizes network capabilities of the respective electronic device. Each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles is configured for air-to-air electronic communications over a connection with other of the unmanned aerial vehicles, the connection being associated with a virtual machine spawned at the electronic components associated with that respective unmanned aerial vehicle that virtualizes network capabilities of the electronic components.

Abstract: In a wireless network that includes a plurality of nodes, a method of maintaining, by a first node, information regarding communications links between nodes in the wireless network includes: for each communications link that is established with another node, recording an identification of the other node; and for each message received by the first node from the other node through the communications link with the other node, recording a network pathway by which the message has been sent in the wireless network, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent. Another method includes recording, by a server, for each message that is received by the server from the wireless network, a network pathway by which the message has been sent, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent.

Abstract: In an aspect, a method of monitoring one or more symptoms of a person include repeating, over a period of time, the steps of: selecting, by the person, one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms from a predefined set of symbolic representations presented to the person; and electronically recording data regarding the one or more symbolic representations selected by the person such that the data is electronically accessible later for generating a history of the symptoms of the person over the period of time. The one or more symbolic representations corresponding to one or more symptoms is selected using an electronic device having a component for displaying the predefined set of symbolic representations that is coupled to a user input for receiving the selection of the one or more symbolic representations by the person.

Abstract: In a wireless network that includes a plurality of nodes, a method of maintaining, by a first node, information regarding communications links between nodes in the wireless network includes: for each communications link that is established with another node, recording an identification of the other node; and for each message received by the first node from the other node through the communications link with the other node, recording a network pathway by which the message has been sent in the wireless network, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent. Another method includes recording, by a server, for each message that is received by the server from the wireless network, a network pathway by which the message has been sent, the network pathway identifying the nodes and the communications links therebetween by which the message has been sent.