Potential Identity Resolution Systems for the Industrial Internet of Things: A Survey

In recent years, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) came into being. IIoT connects sensors, industrial equipment, products, and staff in the factory, enabling context-awareness and industrial equipment automate control. The identity resolution system is a core infrastructure in IIoT. Similar to the role of Domain Name System (DNS) on the Internet, it is the entrance to the IIoT. The difference between them is their input and output. The input of the identity resolution system in IIoT is an identifier of an object. And the output is the mapping data attached to the identifier, including the product profile, a URL, or the identifier’s surrounding environment. However, how to deploy an identity resolution system in IIoT has not yet been conclusive. In this article, we provide a comprehensive survey on the potential identity resolution systems that may be used in IIoT. Firstly, an overview of the identity resolution system is introduced, including a reference framework that can be used to evaluate an identity resolution system. Then we review some influential identity resolution systems based on this reference framework. After that, we make a comparison from the perspective of whether they can meet IIoT requirements and technology selection. Finally, some challenges and broader perspectives are discussed.