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In the IoT the last two proofs are not applicable to objects anymore.

The IoT from (a very simplfied) logical point of view

From a logical point of view we have three types of things.

• Sensor
• Data processor
• Actuator

Sensor (data collector)

A sensor is any device which detects and reports physical phenomena.  Not all measuring devices are sensors.  In order to qualify as a sensor the device must also report its findings.  Reporting could take the form of allowing interrogation of results stored in memory, the broadcasting of results, or open/closing a switch to allow current to flow or cease flowing.  Examples include the following:

• a thermometer the measures temperature
• a proximity switch which determines when something is within a fixed range of the sensor

• a strain gauge which measures the torque on the deck of a bridge

• a NO_x detector
• an automobile speed detector

Data Processor 

A Data Processor transforms input data (typically from Sensors), applies policies (e.g., access management), and either reports the results or uses them directly to manage an actuator. A Data Processor may receive input from a Sensor measuring the angle of the sun in order to calculate the optimal position of a solar array.  It might then send instructions to an Actuator to turn the array towards the sun.

 Actuator

An Actuator is a device that causes a physical action when prompted by a Data Processor, or directly by a human.  Actions could include opening/closing a circuit, starting/stopping a motor, sounding an alarm, or  detonating an explosion.  Actuators can do more than merely start or stop an action.  They could also cause a vehicle to change speed.  Typically, however, Actuators are digital on/offdevices and variable control is provided by incorporating a Data Processor to manage the amount of time the Actuator is on or off.

The IoT from physical point of view

The logical view on its own does not help much in order to explain identity issues in the IoT. That why we have to extend our view to the physical objects and the underlying infrastructure. Important aditional elements of an IoT infrastructure

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Object Identifiers in the IoT

Object Identifiers are names assigned to things.  The things that are named can include logical or physical objects, and names can be given either to types of things or to the things themselves.  We can call the first a class identifier, since it refers to a class (or type, or category) of things; the latter an instance identifier. These terms come from computer programming, there may be other terms from ontology or elsewhere that are more suitable.  In the case of an automobile, the VIN is the instance identifier, while the make and model would be class identifiers.

On Object Identifiers vs ITU-T OIDs

Note that ITU-T defines a number of specifications pertaining to Object Identifiers (OIDs), but other implementations that are not ITU-T OIDs also can be considered Object Identifiers.  In this document we will use “OID” to refer to ITU-T OIDs, and “Object Identifier” to refer to the concept more broadly.

Types of Identifiers

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• Instances versus Class – does the identifier refer to a thing or to a type of thing?

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• Unique versus non-unique – is every identifier issued to only one object?

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• Synonyms versus no synonyms – are objects permitted multiple synonymous identifiers?

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• Governance options – How are names registered and managed?  Does one authority control the entire namespace, or is there hierarchical management?

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• Human-usable versus machine-usable

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• Global versus local namespace

Types of Objects

The concept of object identification applies to numerous types of objects. Names can identify specific instances of objects or they can refer to classes of object – consider a network device, it is important to identify the specific network interface associated with that device, and it is also important to identify the type of device.

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• Physical versus Logical

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• What else?

Physical Objects

Object Identifiers are applied to any number of things found in the physical world: computing devices, mobile devices, servers, network infrastructure, meters, sensors, cameras, actuators, locks, medical implants, vehicles (and vehicle components) and more.  Each of those things can be referenced by an identifier, and additional identifying information can be conveyed regarding relationships to other objects.  For example a server may have a unique hostname, but also be assigned a number of IP addresses corresponding to its physical network interfaces.  The full identification of the system would include the name of the server, the IP address of each network interface and the association between the server and the network interfaces. 

ITU-T OIDs can be used to refer to physical objects, prominently in the Management Information Base (MIBs) used by the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Logical Objects

In addition to physical things, the area of identification of logical objects deserves consideration.  Logical objects include software, services, data and databases, documents and other digital objects, and more.  Identification of software is an area of considerable interest to a number of organizations, and approaches include Software ID Tags and the Common Platform Enumeration.  ITU-T OIDs can be used to refer to a number of logical objects, including (TBD pull from OID flyer).  Web services can be identified by the URL used to access them.  The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) standard is standardized as ISO 26324:2012, and provides a way of directly referencing digital objects as opposed to using a URL to identify how to access the document, which may not remain valid over time.

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Things or objects in the IoT have often a relationship to real persons. These could be owner(s), manufacture(s), user(s), administrator(s) or many other functions. These relationships are affected by lifecycles. A product might be owned by a manufacture first and subsequently by a user who bought the product. The owner, user or administrator of an object might change over time. Objects finally disappear from the IoT after a certain life time. Identity lifecycles in the IoT can be much longer or shorter than in classic user-related identity management systems.

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 Governance of object data

Objects in the "Internet of Things" produce data. These data might lead to personally identifiable information (PII). A car for example is able to track GPS positions and to provide a complete movement profile of a certain person.
Transparency
Although these data are mainly used for maintenance or additional services in automotive user information and consent should be mandatory.
Data minimization / data collection (in advance
Complex machines e.g. combine harvesters have hundreds of sensors that are able to produce tons of data. Data should not be collected if they are not used for a specific use-case.
TBD….

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