Host-terminal emulation program, a relay program, a host-terminal emulation method, a communication program, a communication method, and a client computer

• US 20030187631A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Masushige, Akinori, Hirao, Yukio, Abe, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes

Abstract

A host-terminal emulation program which permits secure host linkage communication between a host within a protected network and a client outside the network. The client establishes in advance a receiving connection with a relay device, for receiving data compliant to a second protocol (Step S1). Subsequently, the client establishes a transmitting connection with the relay device, for transmitting data compliant to the second protocol (Step S2), and transmits data to the relay device via the transmitting connection (Step S3). The relay device converts the data to a first protocol (Step S4), and transmits the converted data to the host (Step S5). On completion of data processing by the host (Step S6), the processing result is transmitted to the relay device by means of the first protocol (Step S7). The processing result is converted to the second protocol in the relay device (Step S8) and transferred to the client (Step S9).

Claims

1. A host-terminal emulation program for performing a function as a terminal of a host computer, the terminal being connectable, via a firewall which blocks passage of a first protocol, to the host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of the first protocol,

wherein the host-terminal emulation program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with a relay device for receiving data compliant to a second protocol of which passage through the firewall is permitted, the relay device having a function of mutual data format conversion between the first and second protocols and connected to the computer through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection with the relay device for transmitting data compliant to the second protocol when data is to be transmitted to the host computer in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the relay device by means of the second protocol; and

receiving, from the relay device via the receiving connection, output data from the host computer by means of the second protocol.

2. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein when the output data from the host computer has been received, the receiving connection for receiving data compliant to the second protocol is again established with the relay device.

3. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein when a time period for which the receiving connection can be established has become out, the receiving connection for receiving data compliant to the second protocol is again established with the relay device.

4. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol is a protocol which the relay device uses to deliver contents by means of a Web server function thereof.

5. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol is a protocol which permits a connection to be established and cut off each time a request and a response as a unit are performed, respectively.

6. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein when the receiving connection is established, a request is output to the relay device to request start of a function within the relay device to wait for reception of data from the host computer.

7. The host-terminal emulation program according to claim 1, wherein the computer generates identification information by which the computer can be uniquely identified on a network or receives the identification information generated by the relay device, and when the transmitting connection and the receiving connection are established with the relay device, the computer transmits a connection request including the identification information to the relay device.

8. A relay program for relaying data between a client computer connected through a firewall and a host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of a first protocol,

wherein the relay program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection for a second protocol with the client computer, the second protocol being permitted to pass through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection for the second protocol with the client computer when data is to be received from the client computer;

converting data sent from the client computer via the transmitting connection to the first protocol and transmitting the converted data to the host computer; and

converting data sent from the host computer by means of the first protocol to the second protocol and transmitting the converted data to the client computer via the receiving connection.

9. A host-terminal emulation method for performing a function as a terminal of a host computer, the terminal being connectable, via a firewall which blocks passage of a first protocol, to the host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of the first protocol, the host-terminal emulation method comprising:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with a relay device for receiving data compliant to a second protocol of which passage through the firewall is permitted, the relay device having a function of mutual data format conversion between the first and second protocols and connected to the terminal through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection with the relay device for transmitting data compliant to the second protocol when data is to be transmitted to the host computer in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the relay device by means of the second protocol; and

receiving, from the relay device via the receiving connection, output data from the host computer by means of the second protocol.

10. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein when the output data from the host computer has been received, the receiving connection for receiving data compliant to the second protocol is again established with the relay device.

11. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein when a time period for which the receiving connection can be established has become out, the receiving connection for receiving data compliant to the second protocol is again established with the relay device.

12. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein the second protocol is a protocol which the relay device uses to deliver contents by means of a Web server function thereof.

13. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein the second protocol is a protocol which permits a connection to be established and cut off each time a request and a response as a unit are performed, respectively.

14. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein when the receiving connection is established, a request is output to the relay device to request start of a function within the relay device to wait for reception of data from the host computer.

15. The host-terminal emulation method according to claim 9, wherein the terminal generates identification information by which the terminal can be uniquely identified on a network or receives the identification information generated by the relay device, and when the transmitting connection and the receiving connection are established with the relay device, the terminal transmits a connection request including the identification information to the relay device.

16. A data relay method for relaying data between a client computer connected through a firewall and a host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of a first protocol, the data relay method comprising:

establishing in advance a receiving connection for a second protocol with the client computer, the second protocol being permitted to pass through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection for the second protocol with the client computer when data is to be received from the client computer;

converting data sent from the client computer via the transmitting connection to the first protocol and transmitting the converted data to the host computer; and

converting data sent from the host computer by means of the first protocol to the second protocol and transmitting the converted data to the client computer via the receiving connection.

17. A host-terminal device for performing a function as a terminal of a host computer, the terminal being connectable, via a firewall which blocks passage of a first protocol, to the host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of the first protocol, the host-terminal device comprising:

receiving connection establishing means for establishing in advance a receiving connection with a relay device for receiving data compliant to a second protocol of which passage through the firewall is permitted, the relay device having a function of mutual data format conversion between the first and second protocols and connected to the host-terminal device through the firewall;

transmitting connection establishing means for establishing a transmitting connection with the relay device for transmitting data compliant to the second protocol when data is to be transmitted to the host computer in response to an input operation;

transmitting means for transmitting, via the transmitting connection established by the transmitting connection establishing means, data entered by the input operation to the relay device by means of the second protocol; and

receiving means for receiving, from the relay device via the receiving connection established by the receiving connection establishing means, output data from the host computer by means of the second protocol.

18. A relay device for relaying data between a client computer connected thereto through a firewall and a host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of a first protocol, the relay device comprising:

receiving connection establishing means for establishing in advance a receiving connection for a second protocol with the client computer, the second protocol being permitted to pass through the firewall; and

transmitting connection establishing means for establishing a transmitting connection for the second protocol with the client computer when data is to be received from the client computer,

wherein the relay device converts data sent from the client computer via the transmitting connection established by the transmitting connection establishing means to the first protocol and transmits the converted data to the host computer, and

the relay device converts data sent from the host computer by means of the first protocol to the second protocol and transmits the converted data to the client computer via the receiving connection established by the receiving connection establishing means.

19. A computer-readable recording medium recording a host-terminal emulation program for performing a function as a terminal of a host computer, the terminal being connectable, via a firewall which blocks passage of a first protocol, to the host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of the first protocol,

wherein the host-terminal emulation program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with a relay device for receiving data compliant to a second protocol of which passage through the firewall is permitted, the relay device having a function of mutual data format conversion between the first and second protocols and connected to the computer through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection with the relay device for transmitting data compliant to the second protocol when data is to be transmitted to the host computer in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the relay device by means of the second protocol; and

receiving, from the relay device via the receiving connection, output data from the host computer by means of the second protocol.

20. A computer-readable recording medium recording a relay program for relaying data between a client computer connected through a firewall and a host computer which permits interactive operation from a remote place by means of a first protocol,

wherein the relay program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection for a second protocol with the client computer, the second protocol being permitted to pass through the firewall;

establishing a transmitting connection for the second protocol with the client computer when data is to be received from the client computer;

converting data sent from the client computer via the transmitting connection to the first protocol and transmitting the converted data to the host computer; and

converting data sent from the host computer by means of the first protocol to the second protocol and transmitting the converted data to the client computer via the receiving connection.

21. A communication program for performing a function of communicating with a server by means of a protocol following a communication procedure such that the server responds to a request from a client,

wherein the communication program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with the server for receiving data compliant to the protocol;

establishing a transmitting connection with the server for transmitting data compliant to the protocol when data is to be transmitted in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the server by means of the protocol; and

receiving, via the receiving connection, output data from the server by means of the protocol.

22. A communication method for permitting a client to perform a function of communicating with a server by means of a protocol following a communication procedure such that the server responds to a request from the client, comprising:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with the server for receiving data compliant to the protocol;

establishing a transmitting connection with the server for transmitting data compliant to the protocol when data is to be transmitted in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the server by means of the protocol; and

receiving, via the receiving connection, output data from the server by means of the protocol.

23. A client computer having a function of communicating with a server by means of a protocol following a communication procedure such that the server responds to a request from the client computer, comprising:

receiving connection establishing means for establishing in advance a receiving connection with the server for receiving data compliant to the protocol;

transmitting connection establishing means for establishing a transmitting connection with the server for transmitting data compliant to the protocol when data is to be transmitted in response to an input operation;

transmitting means for transmitting, via the transmitting connection established by the transmitting connection establishing means, data entered by the input operation to the server by means of the protocol; and

receiving means for receiving, via the receiving connection established by the receiving connection establishing means, output data from the server by means of the protocol.

24. A computer-readable recording medium recording a communication program for performing a function of communicating with a server by means of a protocol following a communication procedure such that the server responds to a request from a client,

wherein the communication program causes a computer to perform a process of:

establishing in advance a receiving connection with the server for receiving data compliant to the protocol;

establishing a transmitting connection with the server for transmitting data compliant to the protocol when data is to be transmitted in response to an input operation;

transmitting, via the transmitting connection, data entered by the input operation to the server by means of the protocol; and

receiving, via the receiving connection, output data from the server by means of the protocol.