System and method for dynamic name configuration in content-centric networks

1. A computer-executable method for automatic configuration of a computing device in a content-centric network (CCN), the method comprising:

sending, by the computing device, a CCN interest packet, requesting configuration information, wherein the CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) that identifies the CCN interest packet and has a predetermined name prefix;

receiving a CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein payload of the CCN content object specifies at least a service and a name prefix associated with the service;

configuring namespaces of the computing device based on the received CCN content object; and

generating a request for the service based on the configured namespaces, which involves generating a second CCN interest packet identifiable by a second HSVLI, wherein a prefix of the second HSVLI includes the name prefix associated with the service, and wherein the second CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on the second HSVLI.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service includes one or more of:

a device registration service;

a device discovery service;

a service discovery service;

a name resolution service;

a service for obtaining or certifying signing keys; and

a printing service.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CCN interest packet is sent on all of the computing devices' faces.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from a peer computing device, a second CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein the second CCN content object includes redirection information to a configuration service, thereby facilitating the computing device to send an additional CCN interest packet to the configuration service.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CCN content object further includes a lease time associated with the specified name prefix associated with the service, indicating a predetermined time within which the specified name prefix associated with the service remains valid.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising resending the CCN interest packet having the predetermined name prefix after a termination of the lease time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CCN content object further includes an additional name prefix associated with additional configuration information, thereby facilitating the computing device to send a subsequent CCN interest packet to request the additional configuration information.

8. A computer-implemented method for automatic configuration of a computing device in a content-centric network (CCN), comprising:

listening, by a configuration server in the content-centric network, for a CCN interest message in a predetermined namespace, wherein the CCN interest message is routed in the content-centric network based on a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) that identifies the CCN interest message and has a predetermined name prefix;

in response to receiving the CCN interest message, generating a CCN content object, wherein payload of the CCN content object specifies at least a service and a name prefix associated with the service; and

sending the CCN content object to the computing device to configure namespaces of the computing device in such a way that, in order to request for the service, the computing device generates a second CCN interest message identifiable by a second HSVLI, wherein a prefix of the second HSVLI includes the name prefix associated with the service, and wherein the second CCN interest message is routed in the content-centric network based on the second HSVLI.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the service includes one or more of:

a device registration service;

a device discovery service;

a service discovery service;

a name resolution service;

a service for obtaining or certifying signing keys; and

a printing service.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the CCN content object further includes a lease time associated with the specified name prefix associated with the service, indicating a predetermined time within which the specified name prefix associated with the service remains valid.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the CCN content object further includes an additional name prefix associated with additional configuration information, thereby facilitating the computing device to send a subsequent CCN interest message to request the additional configuration information.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method for automatic configuration of the computing device in a content-centric network (CCN), the method comprising:

sending, by the computing device, a CCN interest packet, requesting configuration information, wherein the CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) that identifies the CCN interest packet and has a predetermined name prefix;

receiving a CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein payload of the CCN content object specifies at least a service and a name prefix associated with the service;

configuring namespaces of the computing device based on the received CCN content object; and

generating a request for the service based on the configured namespaces, which involves generating a second CCN interest packet identifiable by a second HSVLI, wherein a prefix of the second HSVLI includes the name prefix associated with the service, and wherein the second CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on the second HSVLI.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the service includes one or more of:

a device registration service;

a device discovery service;

a service discovery service;

a name resolution service;

a service for obtaining or certifying signing keys; and

a printing service.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the CCN interest packets is sent on all of the computing devices' faces.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from a peer computing device, a second CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein the second CCN content object includes redirection information to a configuration service, thereby facilitating the computing device to send an additional CCN interest packet to the configuration service.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the CCN content object further includes a lease time associated with the specified name prefix associated with the service, indicating a predetermined time within which the specified name prefix associated with the service remains valid.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises resending the CCN interest packet having the predetermined name prefix after a termination of the lease time.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the content object further includes an additional name prefix associated with additional configuration information, thereby facilitating the computing device to send a subsequent CCN interest packet to request the additional configuration information.

19. A computer system for automatic configuration of a computing device in a content-centric network (CCN), the system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

sending, by the computing device, a CCN interest packet, requesting configuration information, wherein the CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) that identifies the CCN interest packet and has a predetermined name prefix;

receiving a CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein payload of the CCN content object specifies a service and a name prefix associated with the service;

configuring namespaces of the computing device based on the received CCN content object; and

generating a request for the service based on the configured namespaces, which involves generating a second CCN interest packet identifiable by a second HSVLI, wherein a prefix of the second HSVLI includes the name prefix associated with the service, and wherein the second CCN interest packet is routed in the content-centric network based on the second HSVLI.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the service includes one or more of:

a device registration service;

a device discovery service;

a service discovery service;

a name resolution service;

a service for obtaining or certifying signing keys; and

a printing service.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein CCN interest packet is sent on all of the computing devices' faces.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, from a peer computing device, a second CCN content object in response to the CCN interest packet, wherein the second CCN content object includes redirection information to a configuration service, thereby facilitating the computing device to send an additional CCN interest packet to the configuration server.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the content object further includes a lease time associated with the specified name prefix associated with the service, indicating a predetermined time within which the specified name prefix associated with the service remains valid.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises resending the CCN interest packet having the predetermined name prefix after a termination of the lease time.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the CCN content object further includes an additional name prefix associated with additional configuration information, thereby facilitating the computing device to send a subsequent CCN interest packet to request the additional configuration information.

26. A computer system for automatic configuration of a computing device in a content-centric network (CCN), the system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

listening, by a configuration server in the content-centric network, for a CCN interest message in a predetermined namespace, wherein the CCN interest message is routed in the content-centric network based on a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) that identifies the CCN interest message and has a predetermined name prefix;

in response to receiving the CCN interest message, generating a CCN content object, wherein payload of the CCN content object specifies at least a service and a name prefix associated with the service; and

sending the CCN content object to the computing device to configure namespaces of the computing device in such a way that, in order to request for the service, the computing device generates a second CCN interest message identifiable by a second HSVLI, wherein a prefix of the second HSVLI includes the name prefix associated with the service, and wherein the second CCN interest message is routed in the content-centric network based on the second HSVLI.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the service includes one or more of:

a device registration service;

a device discovery service;

a service discovery service;

a name resolution service;

a service for obtaining or certifying signing keys; and

a printing service.

28. The system of claim 26 , wherein the content object further includes a lease time associated with the specified name prefix associated with the service, indicating a predetermined time within which the specified name prefix associated with the service remains valid.

29. The system of claim 26 , wherein the CCN content object further includes an additional name prefix associated with additional configuration information, thereby facilitating the computing device to send a subsequent CCN interest packet to request the additional configuration information.