Relay apparatus, communication system and communicating method

• US 10,044,881 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Inoue, Toyoshi, Nagasaki, Takeshi, Shimada, Yusuke, Watanabe, Satoshi, Ito, Katsuaki, Banno, Hirokazu, Yamamoto, Kazutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Emad
• Application Number:
  US13/284,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: 709229, 705 2, 726 28, 358 11, 717168
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0062 Stand-alone interface device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A relay apparatus connected to service providing apparatuses respectively providing services and a communication apparatus that includes an additional-information storage unit configured to store additional information associated with the service and identification information, comprises: a receiving unit configured to receive notification including the service and the user identification information from the communication apparatus; a generating unit generating an output command for outputting, to the relay apparatus, the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit corresponding to the service and the identification information included in the notification; an output commanding unit transmitting the output command to the communication apparatus; an acquiring unit acquiring the additional information output in response to the output command; a first communication unit configured to perform communication with the service providing apparatus using the acquired additional information; and a second communication unit that transmits, to the communication apparatus, information acquired from the service providing apparatus.

Claims

1. A relay apparatus connectable through a network to a plurality of service providing apparatuses respectively providing services for managing image files as an album and a communication apparatus including a storage, the relay apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to store plural pieces of programs for performing communication with corresponding one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses, and computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the relay apparatus to;

in a first communication, receive first notification including a service from the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, receive second notification including user identification information from the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, receive, from the communication apparatus, album owner information which defines an owner of the album;

in the first communication, generate a storage command for commanding the communication apparatus to store, in the store, a specific album owner information being associated with the service included in the first notification and the user identification information included in the second notification;

in the first communication, transmit the generated storage command to the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, transmit the received specific album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification, by executing a specific processing using the acquired specific album owner information and the program for performing communication with the corresponding service providing apparatus that is stored in the memory;

in the first communication, receive an album name of the album, which is extracted from a database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification, based on the acquired specific album owner information; and

in the first communication, transmit, to the communication apparatus, the received album name,

in a second communication, receive the first notification including the service from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receive the second notification including the user identification information from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, generate an output command for commanding the communication apparatus to output the specific album owner information stored in the storage of the communication apparatus, the specific album owner information being associated with the combination of the service included in the received first notification and the user identification information included in the received second notification, the specific album owner information being stored in the storage at the time of the first communication and being unnecessary to be stored in the relay apparatus between the first communication and the second communication;

in the second communication, transmit the generated output command from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, acquire specific album owner information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

in the second communication, generate a display command including selection screen data, which includes the specific album owner information, the display command commanding the communication apparatus to display a selection screen showing the specific album owner information;

in the second communication, transmit the display command to the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receive the specific album owner information from the communication apparatus when the specific album owner information shown in the selection screen is selected;

in the second communication, transmit the received specific album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service, by executing a specific processing using the acquired specific album owner information and the program for performing communication with the corresponding service providing apparatus that is stored in the memory;

in the second communication, receive the album name, which is extracted from the database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service, based on the acquired specific album owner information; and

in the second communication, transmit, to the communication apparatus an album name selection user interface display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display an album name selection user interface including the received album name.

2. The relay apparatus according to claim 1 further configured to:

generate a display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen including the additional information output from the communication apparatus, and

transmit, to the communication apparatus, the display command generated.

3. The relay apparatus according to claim 2 further configured to:

determine whether use of the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is permitted by the communication apparatus,

wherein if the relay apparatus determines that use of the additional information is permitted by the communication apparatus, the relay apparatus performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the additional information acquired.

4. The relay apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

if the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is changed and the relay apparatus receives the notification of the change of the additional information, the relay apparatus performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the changed identification information.

5. The relay apparatus according to claim 2 further configured to:

generate, if the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is changed and the relay apparatus receives the notification of the change of the additional information, a storage command for storing the changed additional information, in the communication apparatus in association with the service and the identification information included in the notification received; and

transmit the storage command to the communication apparatus.

6. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after receiving the notification including the user identification information from the communication apparatus, adding the user identification information to each command transmitted to the communication apparatus.

7. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, further configured to

store type information of the service, and the user identification information registered in the service, in association with each other,

receive the user identification information stored in association with the type information of the service selected by a user,

generate a second display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen for selecting user identification information from the user identification information received and

transmit the second display command generated to the communication apparatus, and

notify the user identification information selected in the screen, from the communication apparatus, the screen being displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the second display command.

8. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service providing apparatus stores a plurality of contents, and provides a service for enabling a client to use the contents,

the relay apparatus transmits the additional information to the service providing apparatus and causes the service providing apparatus to transmit content or specification information for specifying the content to the relay apparatus, the content being extracted from a plurality of contents based on the transmitted additional information, and

the relay apparatus transmits, to the communication apparatus, the contents or the specification information received by the relay apparatus.

9. The relay apparatus according to claim 1 further configured to update the program.

10. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the output command transmitted to the communication apparatus commands the communication apparatus to transmit previous additional information which is previously used and stored in the additional-information storage unit to the relay apparatus,

the computer readable instructions when executed by the processor cause the relay apparatus to transmit a command to the communication apparatus to:

generate a display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen including the previous additional information, and transmit the display command to the communication apparatus;

when the additional information acquired from the communication apparatus in response to the display command changes from the previous additional information, generate a command for commanding the communication apparatus to store the changed additional information in the additional-information storage unit; and

receive a notification that the changed additional information is stored in the additional information storage unit from the communication apparatus.

11. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the output command transmitted to the communication apparatus includes the service and the user identification information, and

the additional information which is stored in the additional information storage unit in association with the service and the user identification information which are included in the output command is acquired from the communication apparatus.

12. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the relay apparatus is configured to receive, from at least one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses, information associated with collectively managing image files as an album.

13. A communication system comprising a relay apparatus connected to a network, and a communication apparatus connected to the relay apparatus through the network, wherein:

in the network, a plurality of service providing apparatuses for providing services for managing image files as an album exist, the communication apparatus configured to;

in a first communication, transmit first notification including the service selected in the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus;

in the first communication, transmit second notification including user identification information selected in the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus;

in the first communication, transmit album owner information which defines an owner of the album to the relay apparatus;

in the first communication, receive storage command from the relay apparatus, the storage command being for commanding the communication apparatus to store, in the storage, a specific album owner information being associated with the service included in the first notification and the user identification information included in the second notification;

in the first communication, store the specific album owner information in the storage;

in the first communication, receive, from the relay apparatus, the album name acquired from the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identified by the first notification;

in the second communication, transmit the first notification including the service to the relay apparatus;

in the second communication, transmit the second notification including the user identification information to the relay apparatus; and

in the second communication, receive an output command for commanding the communication apparatus to output the specific album owner information stored in the storage of the communication apparatus, the specific album owner information being associated with the combination of the service included in the received first notification and the user identification information included in the received second notification, the specific album owner information being stored in the storage at the time of the first communication and being unnecessary to be stored in the relay apparatus between the first communication and the second communication;

in the second communication, output the album owner information in response to the output command,

in the second communication, receive, from the relay apparatus, a display command including a selection screen data including the specific album owner information, the display command commanding the communication apparatus to display a selection screen showing the specific album owner information;

in the second communication, display the selection screen data including the specific album owner information;

in the second communication, transmit the specific album owner information to the relay apparatus when the specific album owner information shown in the selection screen is selected;

in the second communication, receive, from the relay apparatus, an album name selection user interface display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display an album name selection user interface including the album name; and

in the second communication, displaying the album name selection user interface including the album name in response to the album name selection user interface display command,

the relay apparatus configured to;

store a program in a program storage unit for performing communication with each of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

in the first communication, receive the first notification;

in the first communication, receive the second notification from the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, receive, from the communication apparatus, the album owner information;

in the first communication, generate the storage command;

in the first communication, transmit the generated storage command to the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, transmit the received album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification, by executing a specific processing using the acquired album owner information and the program stored in the program storage unit;

in the first communication, receiving an album name of the album which is extracted from a database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification based on the acquired album owner information; and

in the first communication, transmit, to the communication apparatus, the received album name;

in the second communication, receive the first notification from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receive the second notification from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, generate the output command;

transmit the generated output command to the communication apparatus;

acquire the specific album owner information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

in the second communication, generate a display command including a selection screen data including the specific album owner information, the display command commanding the communication apparatus to display a selection screen showing the specific album owner information;

in the second communication, transmit the display command to the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receive the specific album owner information from the communication apparatus when the specific album owner information shown in the selection screen is selected;

in the second communication, transmit the received album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the notification including the service using the specific album owner information and the program;

in the second communication, receive the album name which is extracted from the database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service based on the acquired specific album owner information; and

transmit, to the communication apparatus, an album name selection user interface display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display an album name selection user interface including the received album name.

14. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein:

the relay apparatus is further configured to;

generate a display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen including the additional information output from the communication apparatus, and

transmit, to the communication apparatus, the display, and

in the communication apparatus, display the screen including the additional information in response to the display command received from the relay apparatus.

15. The communication system according to claim 14, wherein

the relay apparatus is further configured to determine whether use of the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is permitted by the communication apparatus, and

if the relay apparatus determines that use of the additional information is permitted by the communication apparatus, the relay apparatus performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the additional information acquired.

16. The communication system according to claim 14, wherein the communication apparatus is further configured to:

change the additional information displayed in response to the display command, on the basis of a user'"'"'s manipulation, and

output the additional information to the relay apparatus, and

communicate with the service providing apparatus using the changed identification information.

17. The communication system according to claim 16, wherein the relay apparatus is further configured to:

generate a storage command for storing the changed additional information in association with the service and the identification information included in the received notification if receiving the changed additional information; and

transmit the generated storage command to the communication apparatus, and

the communication apparatus stores the additional information in response to the storage command received from the relay apparatus.

18. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein:

after receiving the notification of the identification information, the relay apparatus adds the identification information to each command transmitted from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

the communication apparatus adds the identification information to information to be output to the relay apparatus, in response to a command received from the relay apparatus.

19. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein

the communication apparatus stores type information of the service, and the user identification information registered in the service, in association with each other,

the communication apparatus is further configured to extract the user identification information stored in association with the type information of the service selected by a user, and outputs the user identification information to the relay apparatus,

the relay apparatus further configured to:

generate a second display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen for allowing the user to select the user identification information transmitted from the communication apparatus; and

transmit the generated second display command, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

notify the user identification information selected in the screen, from the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus, the screen being displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the second display command.

20. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein

the service providing apparatus stores a plurality of contents, and provides a service for enabling a client to use the contents,

the relay apparatus transmits the additional information to the service providing apparatus, and the service providing apparatus transmits contents or specification information for specifying the contents from the service providing apparatus to the relay apparatus in response to the additional information, and

the relay apparatus, to the communication apparatus, the contents or the specification information received by the relay apparatus.

21. A method of communicating through a network with a plurality of service providing apparatuses respectively providing services for managing image files as an album and a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

storing plural pieces of programs for performing communication with corresponding one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

in a first communication, receiving first notification including the service from the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, receiving second notification including user identification information from the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, receiving, from the communication apparatus, album owner information which defines an owner of the album;

in the first communication, generating a storage command for commanding the communication apparatus to store, in the storage, a specific album owner information being associated with the service included in the first notification and the user identification information included in the second notification;

in the first communication, transmitting the generated storage command to the communication apparatus;

in the first communication, transmitting the received album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification, by executing a specific processing using the acquired album owner information and one or more of the plural pieces of programs for performing communication with corresponding one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

in the first communication, receiving an album name of the album which is extracted from a database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the first notification based on the acquired album owner information; and

in the first communication, transmit, to the communication apparatus, the received album name;

in a second communication, receiving the first notification from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receiving the second notification from the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, generating an output command, for commanding the communication apparatus to output the specific album owner information stored in the storage of the communication apparatus, the specific album owner information being associated with the combination of the service included in the received first notification and the user identification information included in the received second notification, the specific album owner information being stored in the storage at the time of the first communication and being unnecessary to be stored in the relay apparatus between the first communication and the second communication;

in the second communication, transmitting the generated output command to the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, acquiring specific album owner information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

in the second communication, generating a display command including a selection screen data including the specific album owner information, the display command commanding the communication apparatus to display a selection screen showing the specific album owner information;

in the second communication, transmitting the display command to the communication apparatus;

in the second communication, receive the specific album owner information for the communication apparatus when the specific album owner information shown in the selection screen is selected;

in the second communication, transmitting the received specific album owner information to the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the received notification, by executing a specific processing using the acquired specific album owner information;

in the second communication, receiving the album name which is extracted from the database in the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service based on the acquired specific album owner information; and

in the second communication, transmitting an album name selection user interface display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display an album name selection user interface including the received album name.