Network watermark
First Claim
1. A method for network communications over a communications path comprising a network of nodes between a first end node and a second end node, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) by the first end node, sending an outgoing communication including an identification of the second end node to an immediately succeeding node in the communications path;
(b) by each of one or more respective intermediate nodes between the first end node and the second end node in the communications path, performing the steps of,(i) receiving, by the respective intermediate node, an incoming intermediate communication from an immediately preceding node, the incoming intermediate communication including path data,(ii) verifying the incoming intermediate communication that is received by the respective intermediate node from the immediately preceding node, and(iii) upon the successful verification of the incoming intermediate communication from the immediately preceding node by the respective intermediate node, sending by the respective intermediate node an outgoing intermediate communication to a respective immediately succeeding node, the outgoing intermediate communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the respective intermediate node; and
(c) by the second end node performing the steps of,(i) receiving an incoming communication from the immediately preceding node, the incoming communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the immediately preceding node,(ii) verifying the incoming communication that is received from the immediately preceding node, and(iii) validating the communications path of nodes between the first end node and the second end node.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for network communications over a communications path comprising a network of nodes between a first end node and a second end node, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) by the first end node, sending an outgoing communication including an identification of the second end node to an immediately succeeding node in the communications path; (b) by each of one or more respective intermediate nodes between the first end node and the second end node in the communications path, performing the steps of, (i) receiving, by the respective intermediate node, an incoming intermediate communication from an immediately preceding node, the incoming intermediate communication including path data, (ii) verifying the incoming intermediate communication that is received by the respective intermediate node from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) upon the successful verification of the incoming intermediate communication from the immediately preceding node by the respective intermediate node, sending by the respective intermediate node an outgoing intermediate communication to a respective immediately succeeding node, the outgoing intermediate communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the respective intermediate node; and (c) by the second end node performing the steps of, (i) receiving an incoming communication from the immediately preceding node, the incoming communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the immediately preceding node, (ii) verifying the incoming communication that is received from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) validating the communications path of nodes between the first end node and the second end node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for network communications over a communications path comprising a network of nodes between a first end node and a second end node, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) by the first end node, sending an outgoing communication including an identification of the second end node to an immediately succeeding node in the communications path; (b) by each of one or more respective intermediate nodes between the first end node and the second end node in the communications path, performing the steps of, (i) receiving, by the respective intermediate node, an incoming intermediate communication from an immediately preceding node, the incoming intermediate communication including path data, (ii) generating, based on data contained in the incoming intermediate communication, a result of a function; (iii) verifying, based on the generated result of the function, the incoming intermediate communication that is received by the respective intermediate node from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) upon the successful verification of the incoming intermediate communication from the immediately preceding node by the respective intermediate node, sending by the respective intermediate node an outgoing intermediate communication to a respective immediately succeeding node, the outgoing intermediate communication including data for verification of the outgoing intermediate communication; and (c) by the second end node performing the steps of, (i) receiving an incoming communication from the immediately preceding node, (ii) generating, based on data contained in the incoming intermediate communication, a result of a function; (iii) verifying, based on the generated result of the function, the incoming communication that is received from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) validating the communications path of nodes between the first end node and the second end node. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for network communications over a communications path comprising a network of nodes between a first end node and a second end node, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) by the first end node, sending an outgoing communication including an identification of the second end node to an immediately succeeding node in the communications path; (b) by each of one or more respective intermediate nodes between the first end node and the second end node in the communications path, performing the steps of, (i) receiving, by the respective intermediate node, an incoming intermediate communication from an immediately preceding node, the incoming intermediate communication including path data, (ii) verifying the incoming intermediate communication that is received by the respective intermediate node from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) upon the successful verification of the incoming intermediate communication from the immediately preceding node by the respective intermediate node, sending by the respective intermediate node an outgoing intermediate communication to a respective immediately succeeding node, the outgoing intermediate communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the respective intermediate node; and (c) by the second end node performing the steps of, (i) receiving an incoming communication from the immediately preceding node, the incoming communication including path data that at least identifies a network communications path from the first end node to the immediately preceding node, (ii) verifying the incoming communication that is received from the immediately preceding node, and (iii) validating the communications path of nodes between the first end node and the second end node; (iv) wherein the communication received by the second end node represents a request for the transfer of information to the first end node; (d) thereafter, in response to the request for the transfer of information, establishing communication links between each of the nodes of the verifiable communications path and transferring the information from the second end node to the first end node of the request over the established communication links. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification