Method for discovering and discriminating devices on local collaborative networks to facilitate collaboration among users

摘要

A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

主权项

1. A computer implemented method comprising:
at a first peer computing device in a peer-to-peer network, sending a multicast message to at least two additional peer computing devices on an Internet Protocol (IP)-connected subnet, the multicast message comprising a session identifier, the session identifier derived from a session name based on user prior to establishing a new collaborative network; responsive to the sending, receiving a unicast message from at least a plurality of the at least two additional peer computing devices on the IP-connected subnet having the same session identifier, each of the unicast messages comprising:
an IP address, or an address resolvable to an IP address, of the additional peer computing device; andother identification of the additional peer computing device; and updating or populating a list at the first peer computing device identifying peer computing devices that have the same session identifier including at least the plurality that have responded to indicate the IP address or address resolvable to the IP address and the other identification of the plurality of peer computing devices in order to establish the new collaborative network that includes each of the plurality of peer computing devices that have responded.