Patent ID: 7203768
Filing Date: 2007-04-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: broadcasting a discovery request to network devices; estimating a number of network devices from responses received from the network devices; dividing target devices into subsets of target devices, wherein a subset to which a particular device belongs is determined based on a subset index value corresponding to results of a hash function performed with an identifier of the device and a number of subsets to which the target devices are divided; sending a second request; limiting subsets of target devices responsive to the second request, in part based on the second request including the number of subsets to which the target devices are divided and the subset index value, wherein the subset index value indicates a specific subset of the number of subsets to which the second message is targeted; and varying a timing with which the second request is communicated to the subsets of target devices to result in the second request being sent to the multiple subsets at varying times.