Communication terminal, service providing system, service use method, storage medium, and program

• US 20020055985A1
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Saino, Yoko, Ushiku, Toyohiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5015 Service provider selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine

Abstract

Even if a look-up service cannot be searched, services of a service provider can be used while consumption of resources is suppressed. A client issues a multi cast notification if the look-up service cannot be searched. In response to the multi cast notification, the service provider issues a service register request (transmission of a service object) to the transmission originating client. The client temporarily stores the received service object in a memory. A service object not coincident with the attribute information of a desired service is deleted from the memory, and the desired service is used by using an agent object coincident with the attribute information of the desired service. A service search request from another client responding to the multi cast notification is rejected.

Claims

1. A communication terminal connected to a service provider for providing services and to a look-up service in which service objects defining the services of the service provider are registered, via a network, the communication terminal using the services of the service provider by using the service objects, the communication terminal comprising:

look-up service search means for searching the look-up service in the network;

first acquisition means for acquiring, if said look-up service search means can search the look-up service, a desired service object by checking whether the desired service object is registered in the searched look-up service;

transmission request notification means for issuing, if said look-up service search means cannot search the look-up service, a transmission request notification to the service provider in the network via the network in order to request the service provider to transmit a service object; and

second acquisition means responsive to the transmission request notification from said transmission request notification means for acquiring a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service.

2. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the service provider responds to a multi cast notification and transmits a service object of the service provider to a transmission originating site of the multi cast notification in order to register the service object in the transmission originating site.

3. A communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the transmission request notification by said transmission request notification means is performed by issuing the multi cast notification to the network.

4. A communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the look-up service issues the multi cast notification to the network, and registers the service object in response to a request from the service provider responding to the multi cast notification.

5. A communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein another client is connected to the network, and responds to the multi cast notification to request a transmission site of the multi cast notification to search a desired service;

and

wherein the communication terminal further comprises rejection means for rejecting a service search request from the other client.

6. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition means includes service object reception means for receiving a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service and filtering means for acquiring a desired service object by selecting from service objects received by said service object reception means.

7. A communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein said filtering means deletes a service object other than the desired service object, among the service objects received by said service object reception means.

8. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the service object includes an agent object which is program codes used for using each service of the service provider by the communication terminal, and attribute information of the service.

9. A service providing system in which a service provider for providing services, a look-up service in which service objects defining the services of the service provider are registered, and a communication terminal using the services of the service provider by using the service objects are connected via a network, wherein the communication terminal comprises:

look-up service search means for searching the look-up service in the network;

first acquisition means for acquiring, if said look-up service search means can search the look-up service, a desired service object by checking whether the desired service object is registered in the searched look-up service;

transmission request notification means for issuing, if said look-up service search means cannot search the look-up service, a transmission request notification to the service provider in the network via the network in order to request the service provider to transmit a service object; and

second acquisition means responsive to the transmission request notification from said transmission request notification means for acquiring a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service.

10. A service use method of using a service of a service provider by using a service object, for a communication terminal connected to the service provider for providing services and to a look-up service in which service objects defining the services of the service provider are registered, via a network, the service use method comprising:

a look-up service search step of searching the look-up service in the network;

a first acquisition step of acquiring, if said look-up service search step can search the look-up service, a desired service object by checking whether the desired service object is registered in the searched look-up service;

a transmission request notification step of issuing, if said look-up service search step cannot search the look-up service, a transmission request notification to the service provider in the network via the network in order to request the service provider to transmit a service object; and

a second acquisition step responsive to the transmission request notification in said transmission request notification step for acquiring a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service.

11. A service use method according to claim 10, wherein the service provider responds to a multi cast notification and transmits a service object of the service provider to a transmission originating site of the multi cast notification in order to register the service object in the transmission originating site.

12. A service use method according to claim 11, wherein the transmission request notification by said transmission request notification step is performed by issuing the multi cast notification to the network.

13. A service use method according to claim 11, wherein the look-up service issues the multi cast notification to the network, and registers the service object in response to a request from the service provider responding to the multi cast notification.

14. A service use method according to claim 12, wherein another client is connected to the network, and responds to the multi cast notification to request a transmission site of the multi cast notification to search a desired service;

and

wherein the service use method further comprises a rejection step of rejecting a service search request from the other client.

15. A service use method according to claim 10, wherein said second acquisition step includes:

a service object reception step of receiving a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service and a filtering step of acquiring a desired service object by selecting from service objects received in said service object reception step.

16. A service use method according to claim 15, wherein said filtering step deletes a service object other than the desired service object, among the service objects received in said service object reception step.

17. A service use method according to claim 10, wherein the service object includes an agent object which is program codes used for using each service of the service provider by the communication terminal, and attribute information of the service.

18. A storage medium storing a computer readable program for using a service of a service provider by using a service object, for a communication terminal connected to the service provider for providing services and to a look-up service in which service objects defining the services of the service provider are registered, via a network, said a computer readable program comprising codes for executing steps including:

a look-up service search step of searching the look-up service in the network;

a first acquisition step of acquiring, if said look-up service search step can search the look-up service, a desired service object by checking whether the desired service object is registered in the searched look-up service;

a transmission request notification step of issuing, if said look-up service search step cannot search the look-up service, a transmission request notification to the service provider in the network via the network in order to request the service provider to transmit a service object; and

a second acquisition step responsive to the transmission request notification in said transmission request notification step for acquiring a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service.

19. A computer readable program for using a service of a service provider by using a service object, for a communication terminal connected to the service provider for providing services and to a look-up service in which service objects defining the services of the service provider are registered, via a network, the program comprising codes for realizing steps which comprise:

a look-up service search step of searching the look-up service in the network;

a first acquisition step of acquiring, if said look-up service search step can search the look-up service, a desired service object by checking whether the desired service object is registered in the searched look-up service;

a transmission request notification step of issuing, if said look-up service search step cannot search the look-up service, a transmission request notification to the service provider in the network via the network in order to request the service provider to transmit a service object; and

a second acquisition step responsive to the transmission request notification in said transmission request notification step for acquiring a service object transmitted from the service provider without involvement of the look-up service.