Patent ID: 8725856
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining a list of services consumable by a client executing on a first device, wherein the first device includes a network interface for communication with other devices over a network, comprising: receiving a request from the client for a list of services; determining whether a second device on the network, which maintains a current list of services, can or can not be located; responsive to a determination that the second device on the network which maintains a current list of services can not be located, returning a local cached copy of a list of services to the client; responsive to a determination that the second device on the network which maintains a current list of services can be located, performing the following steps of: sending a request for the current list of services to the second device; receiving a response containing the current list of services from the second device, wherein the request and the response are communicated via the network interface; caching a local copy of the current list of services for future use in the event that there is a determination that the second device on the network which maintains a current list of devices can not be located; and returning the current list of services to the client, wherein a plurality of second devices exist on the network, wherein the service list indicates services available from multiple devices, and wherein the service list is maintained in a distributed fashion over the plurality of second devices on the network.