Communication mediating device for mediating communication over network

• US 20040215785A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shima, Toshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it

Abstract

A mediation server 200 mediates a print demand from a client device 100 to a printing device 300. In order to elude a firewall F/W set between the mediation server 200 and the printing device 300, the printing device 300 first sends an HTTP request to the mediation server 200. The mediation server 200 sends back an HTTP response including a print demand to the printing device 300. Encrypted communication may be established between the client device 100 and the printing device 300 according to the following procedure. The mediation server 200 decrypts cipher data, which is encrypted with a public key by the client device, with a private key, re-encrypts the decrypted data with another private key, and mediates the encrypted data to the printing device 300. The printing device 300 decrypts the encrypted data with the public key and carries out printing. This arrangement enables the printing device to carry out printing in response to a demand from the client device via respective secure network environments.

Claims

1. A mediation apparatus for mediating a service demand from a client device to a service device for providing a predetermined service in a specific environment that does not allow the client device and the service device both connecting with a network to establish one-to-one connection at an arbitrary timing, the mediation apparatus comprising:

a service device communication module for receiving a specific preliminary communication from the service device prior to the mediation, and establishing communication with the service device in response to reception of the preliminary communication;

a selective information provision module for providing the client device with information to be used for specifying the service device in established communication as a destination of the mediation of the service demand;

an input module for inputting the service demand and specification of the destination of the mediation; and

a mediation module for mediating the input service demand to the specified destination of the mediation.

2. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communication is established by connection of the service device to the mediation apparatus.

3. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific environment is an environment that changes information for identifying a communication path to the service device.

4. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a specific information storage module for storing specific information for identifying the service device,

wherein the service device is identified by comparison between at least part of information received on the preliminary communication and the specific information.

5. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the specific information is different from an address of the service device on the network.

6. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a preliminary communication processing module for checking a status of communication to be established based on the preliminary communication, and sending a notice representing a result of the check to a preset destination related to the service device.

7. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a specific information storage for storing specific information for identifying the service device and the destination related to the service device,

wherein the preliminary communication processing module sends the notice to a destination identified by a comparison between at least part of information received on the preliminary communication and the specific information.

8. A service device for receiving a service demand via a network and providing a service, comprising:

a preliminary communication module for transmitting a specific preliminary communication to a predetermined external device, and causing the predetermined external device to establish communication with the service device in response to the transmission of the specific preliminary communication;

a demand reception module for receiving a service demand sent from the predetermined external device via the network; and

a service provision module for providing the service.

9. A service device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the preliminary communication is made at least one of in an always-on state, in an intermittent-on state, and at every specific operation of the service device.

10. A service device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the preliminary communication is made at least either of at a power-on time of the service device and at a time of recovery of cutoff connection of the service device to the network.

11. A mediation method of causing a computer connecting with a network to mediate a service demand from a client device to a service device for providing a predetermined service in a specific environment that does not allow the client device and the service device both connecting with the network to establish one-to-one connection at an arbitrary timing, the mediation method comprising the steps of:

receiving a specific preliminary communication from the service device prior to the mediation, and establishing communication with the service device in response to the reception of the preliminary communication;

providing the client device with information to be used for specifying the service device in established communication as a destination of the mediation of the service demand;

inputting the service demand and specification of the destination of mediation; and

mediating the input service demand to the specified destination of mediation.

12. A service providing method of causing a computer connecting with a network to receive a service demand via the network and provide a service, the service providing method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a specific preliminary communication to a predetermined external device, and causing the predetermined external device to establish communication with the service device in response to the transmission of the specific preliminary communication;

receiving a service demand sent from the predetermined external device via the network; and

providing the service.

13. A computer readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, the computer program causing a mediation apparatus to mediate a service demand from a client device to a service device for provides a predetermined service in a specific environment that does not allow the client device and the service device both connecting with the network to establish one-to-one connection at an arbitrary timing, the computer program causing the mediation apparatus to implement the functions of

receiving a specific preliminary communication from the service device prior to the mediation, and establishing communication with the service device in response to the reception of the preliminary communication;

providing the client device with information to be used for specifying the service device in established communication as a destination of the mediation of the service demand;

inputting the service demand and specification of the destination of mediation; and

mediating the input service demand to the specified destination of mediation.

14. A computer readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, the computer program causing a service device to receive a service demand via a network and provide a service, the computer program causing the service device to implement the functions of:

transmitting a specific preliminary communication to a predetermined external device, and causing the predetermined external device to establish communication with the service device in response to the transmission of the specific preliminary communication;

receiving a service demand sent from the predetermined external device via the network; and

providing the service.

15. A mediation apparatus for mediating communication between two client devices connected via a network, the mediation apparatus comprising:

a key storage for storing at least one private key to be used for communication with a client device;

a data acquisition module for acquiring cipher data from a first client device, the cipher data being encrypted with either of a public key corresponding to the private key and a key which is set in communication using the private key and the public key;

a data processing module for decrypting the cipher data with a corresponding key and re-encrypting the decrypted data with the key set in communication using the private key and the public key; and

a transmission module for sending the encrypted data to a second client device.

16. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the private key is common to the two client devices.

17. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the mediation apparatus utilizes communication with the second client device to obtain status information of the second client device.

18. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the first client device is a demand client device that sends a service demand, and

the second client device is a service device that provides a service in response to the service demand,

and wherein the mediation apparatus further comprises a transfer module for transferring data supplied from the second client device to the first client device without encryption.

19. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the data processing module selects a mode of the encryption and the decryption according to contents of data.

20. A mediation apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the mediation apparatus mediates a service demand relating to printing.

21. A mediation method of mediating communication between two client devices connected via a network, the mediation method comprising the steps of:

storing at least one private key to be used for communication with a client device;

acquiring cipher data from a first client device, the cipher data being encrypted with either of a public key corresponding to the private key and a key which is set in communication using the private key and the public key;

decrypting the cipher data with a corresponding key and re-encrypting the decrypted data with the key set in communication using the private key and the public key; and

sending the encrypted data to a second client device.

22. A computer readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, the computer program causing a mediation apparatus to mediate communication between two client devices connected via a network, the computer program causing the mediation apparatus to implement the functions of:

storing at least one private key to be used for communication with a client device;

acquiring cipher data from a first client device, the cipher data being encrypted with either of a public key corresponding to the private key and a key which is set in communication using the private key and the public key;

decrypting the cipher data with a corresponding key and re-encrypting the decrypted data with the key set in communication using the private key and the public key; and

sending the encrypted data to a second client device.