Device discovery system

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device discovery system includes a data storage medium to store a clustered data structure including device signatures grouped according to clusters. Each device signature includes device information. Each cluster from a sub-set of the clusters has a different device name. The system also includes an input/output sub-system to receive, from a remote device, a first device signature describing information about a first device, and a processor to perform a decision process based on the clustered data structure with the first device signature as input yielding an output including a first device name or an indication that a name associated with the first device signature is unknown. The processor is operative to prepare a response message including data about the output. The input/output sub-system is operative to send the response message to the remote device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device discovery system comprising:
 a data storage medium to store a clustered data structure including: a plurality of device signatures grouped according to a plurality of clusters clustered in accordance with a clustering algorithm based on the plurality of device signatures as input to the clustering algorithm; and a plurality of device names, each of the plurality of device signatures including device information, a sub-set of the plurality of clusters being associated with the plurality of device names such that each first cluster of the plurality of clusters in the sub-set has a different one of the plurality of device names, each of the plurality of device names including a device attribute;   an input/output sub-system to receive, from a remote device, a first device signature describing information about a first device; and   a device identification processor to:
 perform a decision process based on the clustered data structure with the first device signature as input yielding an output including a first device name among the plurality of device names or an indication that a name associated with the first device signature is unknown; and 
 prepare a response message including data about the output, wherein the input/output sub-system is operative to send the response message to the remote device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of device names includes at least one of the following: a device type; a device manufacturer; and a device model. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the device identification processor is operative to compare the first device signature to the clustered data structure to find a closest matching cluster of the plurality of clusters for the first device signature. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein: the output includes a reference to a closest matching cluster of the plurality of clusters for the first device signature, the first device name being a name of the closest matching cluster; and the response message includes the first device name. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the clustered data structure includes a generation index, the system further comprising a clustering update processor to periodically: re-cluster the clustered data structure in accordance with the clustering algorithm yielding a new generation of the clustered data structure; apply the plurality of device names to the new generation of the clustered data structure; and update the generation index of the clustered data structure in accordance with the new generation of the clustered data structure. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the input/output sub-system is operative to, in response to the updating of the generation index, send a message to the remote device informing the remote device of an updated value of the generation index or publish an updated value of the generation index. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein: the clustering update processor is operative to, in response to the clustered data structure being re-clustered, create a classifier based on the clustered data structure; and the device identification processor is operative to perform the decision process with the first device signature as input to the classifier yielding the output. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the response message includes the generation index. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input/output sub-system is operative to receive, from the remote device, a second device signature describing information about a third device;   the device identification processor is operative to determine if the second device signature includes a minimum information content; and   if the second device signature does not include the minimum information content, the input/output sub-system is operative to send a response message to the remote device indicating that the second device signature lacks the minimum information content.   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein if the first device signature is measured by the device identification processor as not close enough to any of the plurality of clusters based on a threshold, then the device identification processor is operative to add a new cluster to the clustered data structure. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first device name of the closest matching cluster has a level of confidence that the first device name of the closest matching cluster is correct. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the response message includes the level of confidence. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the device identification processor is operative to include the first device name in the response message if the level of confidence fulfills a criterion of the remote device. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cluster naming processor to: prepare a first name-enquiry message for sending to a first name-supplier to find a second device name for a second cluster of the plurality of clusters; receive a first name-response from the first name-supplier; generate the second device name based on the first name-response; and assign the second device name to the second cluster. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the first name-enquiry message includes, or references, data from at least some device signatures of the plurality of device signatures included in the second cluster. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the cluster naming processor is operative to assign a level of confidence that the second device name of the second cluster is correct. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the input/output sub-system is operative to receive the level of confidence from the first name-supplier. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the cluster naming processor is operative to calculate the level of confidence based on a similarity of the first name-response from the first name-supplier with at least one second name-response from at least one second name-supplier. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the cluster naming processor is operative to select the second cluster to obtain a device name for from the plurality of clusters based on a prioritization of the second cluster from among the plurality of clusters. 
     
     
         20 . A device discovery method comprising:
 storing a clustered data structure including: a plurality of device signatures grouped according to a plurality of clusters clustered in accordance with a clustering algorithm based on the plurality of device signatures as input to the clustering algorithm; and a plurality of device names, each of the plurality of device signatures including device information, a sub-set of the plurality of clusters being associated with the plurality of device names such that each first cluster of the plurality of clusters in the sub-set has a different one of the plurality of device names, each of the plurality of device names including a device attribute;   receiving, from a remote device, a first device signature describing information about a first device;   performing a decision process based on the clustered data structure with the first device signature as input yielding an output including a first device name among the plurality of device names or an indication that a name associated with the first device signature is unknown;   preparing a response message including data about the output; and   sending the response message to the remote device.