Discovery of IoT devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587482-B2
Application number	US-201715706832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2017
Priority date	Sep 18, 2017
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

Connecting an IoT device enabling a new function of another IoT device. An IoT hub scans a network segment for presence of an IoT device. Upon detecting the IoT device, a device response pattern is received. The device response pattern is compared with stored response patterns. A matching stored response pattern is selected which has a similarity to the device response pattern. A pattern difference is derived. Related device information is transformed into a device signature for the IoT device. The device signature is transferred to a discovery engine. The device signature is compared to stored signatures and protocol information. A matching stored signature and protocol information is transferred to the IoT hub. The IoT hub compares the new function with functions of other connected IoT devices. Upon finding a matching other IoT device, the other IoT device is offered a usage of the new function and protocol information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for connecting an IoT device enabling a new function of another IoT device, said method comprising:
scanning, by an IoT hub, a network segment for a presence of an IoT device;
receiving, upon detecting said IoT device, a device response pattern;
comparing said device response pattern with stored response patterns;
selecting a matching stored response pattern which has a predetermined similarity to said device response pattern;
deriving, upon identifying, a pattern difference between said device response pattern and said matching stored response pattern, therefrom a new function of said IoT device;
transforming related device information into a device signature of said IoT device;
transferring said device signature to a discovery engine;
comparing said received transferred device signature to stored signatures and protocol information;
transferring, upon finding a matching stored signature, said protocol information to said IoT hub;
comparing, by said IoT hub, said new function with functions of other IoT devices connected to said IoT hub; and
upon finding a matching other IoT device, offering to said other IoT device connecting to said discovered IoT device a usage of said new function and said protocol information.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said network segment is selectively one of the following: a home network, a network of a manufacturing site, an office network, a network of a public building, a network of a public site, a logically limited network, and an internal IT center network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said discovery engine continuously collects IoT device information.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said discovery engine comprises a cognitive system for extracting an identifier and attribute data from IoT device specifications.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said protocol information is based on layer 2 of said IP network protocol and wherein a protocol stack higher than layer 2 adheres to a standardized protocol stack.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said standardized protocol stack is compliant with the Open Interconnects Consortium Core Framework.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said device information comprises an IoT device type.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
a communication between said IoT hub and said discovery engine is performed via a wide area network, and
wherein a communication between said IoT hub and said IoT device is performed wirelessly and/or wire-based.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said IoT device and said other IoT device exchange messages directly, thereby building a virtual IoT device comprising combined functions of said IoT device and said other IoT device.

10. The method according to claim 1 , also comprising generating a new virtual device ID with a new virtual device signature by said IoT hub.

11. An IoT discovery system for connecting an IoT device enabling a new function of another IoT device, said system comprising:
an IoT hub adapted for:
scanning a network segment for a presence of an IoT device;
receiving, upon detecting said IoT device, a device response pattern;
comparing said device response pattern with stored response patterns;
selecting a matching stored response pattern which has a predetermined similarity to said device response pattern;
deriving, upon identifying a pattern difference between said device response pattern and said matching stored response pattern, therefrom a new function of said IoT device, and
transforming related device information into a device signature of said IoT device, a discovery engine adapted for:
receiving said device signature from said IoT hub;
comparing said received transferred device signature to stored signatures and protocol information; and
transferring, upon finding a matching stored signature, said protocol information to said IoT hub,
wherein said IoT hub is also adapted for comparing said new function with functions of other IoT devices connected to said IoT hub, and upon finding a matching other IoT device, offering to said other IoT device connecting to said discovered IoT device a usage of said new function and said protocol information.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said network segment is selectively one of the following: a home network, a network of a manufacturing site, an office network, a network of a public building, a network of a public site, and a logically limited network.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said discovery engine is also adapted for continuously collecting IoT device information or said discovery engine comprises a cognitive system for extracting ID and attribute data from IoT device specifications.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said protocol information is based on layer 2 of the IP network protocol and wherein a protocol stack, higher than layer 2, adheres to a standardized protocol stack.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said standardized protocol stack is compliant with the Open Interconnects Consortium Core Framework.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said device information comprises an IoT device type.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein a communication between said IoT hub and said discovery engine is based on a wide area network, and further wherein a communication link between said IoT hub and said IoT device is based on a wireless network and/or wire-based network.

18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said IoT device and said other IoT device are adapted for exchanging messages directly, thereby building a virtual IoT device comprising combined functions of said IoT device and said other IoT device.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said IoT hub is also adapted for generating a new virtual device ID with a new virtual device signature.

20. A computer program product for connecting an IoT device to an IoT hub enabling a new function of another IoT device, said computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, said program instructions being executable by one or more computing systems to cause said one or more computing systems to:
scan, by an IoT hub, a network segment for a presence of an IoT device;
receive, upon detecting said IoT device, a device response pattern;
compare said device response pattern with stored response patterns;
select a matching stored response pattern which has a predetermined similarity to said device response pattern;
derive, upon identifying a pattern difference between said device response pattern and said matching stored response pattern, therefrom a new function of said IoT device;
transform related device information into a device signature of said IoT device;
transfer said device signature to a discovery engine;
compare said received transferred device signature to stored signatures and protocol information;
transfer, upon finding a matching stored signature, said protocol information to said IoT hub;
compare, by said IoT hub, said new function with functions of other IoT devices connected to said IoT hub, and
upon finding a matching other IoT device, offer to said other IoT device connecting to said discovered IoT device a usage of said new function and said protocol information.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Harat Szymon
• Malczewski Michal
• Szczotka Artur
• Anderson Eric M

Classifications

• H04L69/18

  Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols · CPC title

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W4/50

  Service provisioning or reconfiguring · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title