Organizing principles for identity systems:
Identity Management for devices (2004/12/9)
Identity management that would be in and for embedded devices is
particularly intriguing as (1) there's no hierarchical DNS/X.500 assumptions
as with enterprises and (2) the system must be self-assembling and
self-repairing, at least in systems consisting of small #s of kinds of
devices, as an embedded device doesn't come with a deployment team. As
(1) essentially every consumer electronics device made can have a
unique serial number embedded on a chip inside of it for negligible cost,
(2) most if not all digital busses and all the new wireless ones have
some means of having the connected devices advertise their identities to
each other, and (3) even if all devices do not, at least one device in
the system has at least intermittent Internet connectivity, this will
suggest that traditionally mundane devices such as headphones,
speakers, power cords, keyboards, etc. will have their identities tracked.
I believe initially the tracking will be done by the device
manufacturers or their partners, in particular by the parts of the
organization that traditionally have included with each consumer
electronics product a paper registration cards asking such intriguing
questions as
"To help us understand our customers' lifestyles, please indicate the
interests and activities in which you or your spouse enjoy participating
on a regular basis."
Now with a little data mining assistance, the product will effectively
be able to provide the answers to those questions itself:
[ ] Photography [I've seen a digital cameera on this network]
[ ] Watch videos [DVD player says at least one new movie/week]
[ ] Watch sports on TV [Tivo says several games have been recorded]
[ ] Avid book reading [Yep, Amazon shopping cart is full]
:-)
