Program, information processing method and device

• US 20040255031A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakata, Haruhiko, Yamashita, Kei, Nomura, Takashi, Tominaga, Hiroyuki, Takahashi, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,886,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a program and an information processing method and apparatus with which a connection can be formed reliably between apparatuses having different capabilities. An application #1, using a presence function, announces a profile space ID representing processing for a service that can be provided. An application #n receives the announcement. The application #n requests the application #1 for detailed information of the service and registration to the service. The application #n connects to the application #1 by peer to peer, based on a URI needed for peer-to-peer access, transmitted from the application #1. The present invention can be applied to personal computers, network-enabled CE devices, and commercial application servers on the Internet.

Claims

1. A program for allowing a computer to execute a process for exchanging information with a first information processing apparatus via a network, the program comprising:

a first notifying step of notifying the first information processing apparatus, via a second information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

a second notifying step of notifying the first information processing apparatus, via the second information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus; and

a third notifying step of notifying that the first information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus, and notifying the first information processing apparatus, via the second information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first information processing apparatus that has been registered to establish a connection without connecting to the second information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus.

2. A program according to claim 1,

further comprising an accepting step of accepting an access that is made based on the connection information by the first information processing apparatus that has been registered, without connecting to the second information processing apparatus.

3. A program according to claim 1,

wherein the notification in the first notifying step uses a presence function of instant messaging,

and wherein the notification in the second notifying step and the notification in the third notifying step use a messaging function or an Info/Query function of instant messaging.

4. A program according to claim 1,

wherein the first notifying step further issues a notification of a provider entity identifier for identifying an entity that acts as a provider who provides the service.

5. A program according to claim 4,

further comprising a registering step of registering the provider entity identifier and a user entity identifier for identifying an entity that acts as a user who uses the service associated with the provider entity identifier, such that the provider entity identifier and the user entity identifier are associated with each other, when a request for registering the first information processing apparatus for the service that can be provided has been transmitted from the first information processing apparatus together with the user entity identifier.

6. A program according to claim 5,

further comprising a first sending step of sending invitation information for inviting the entity associated with the user entity identifier to use the service.

7. A program according to claim 6,

wherein the first sending step sends the invitation information using a messaging function or an Info/Query function of instant messaging.

8. A program according to claim 6,

wherein the first sending step sends the invitation information to the user associated with the user entity identifier registered by the processing in the registering step.

9. A program according to claim 6,

further comprising a second sending step of sending cancellation information for canceling the invitation for using the service after the invitation information is sent by the processing in the first sending step.

10. A program according to claim 9,

wherein the second sending step sends the cancellation information using a messaging function or an Info/Query function of instant messaging.

11. A program according to claim 9,

wherein, in the second sending step, a reference number for identifying the cancellation information, the provider entity identifier, and the user entity identifier are included in the cancellation information.

12. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing method comprising:

a first notifying step of notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via second another information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

a second notifying step of notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus; and

a third notifying step of notifying that the first another information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus, and notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first another information processing apparatus that has been registered to connect to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus.

13. An information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing apparatus comprising:

first notifying means for notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via second another information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

second notifying means for notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus; and

third notifying means for notifying that the first another information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus, and notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first another information processing apparatus that has been registered to connect to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus.

14. A program for allowing a computer to execute a process for exchanging information with a first information processing apparatus via a network, the program comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving identification information for identifying a service that can be provided, from the first information processing apparatus via a second information processing apparatus on the network;

a first requesting step of requesting, via the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

a second requesting step of requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus to register itself for the service that can be provided;

a first sending step of sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first information processing apparatus via the second information processing apparatus; and

a second receiving step of receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second information processing apparatus, from the first information processing apparatus via the second information processing apparatus.

15. A program according to claim 14,

further comprising an accessing step of making an access based on the connection information without connecting to the second information processing apparatus.

16. A program according to claim 14,

wherein the requests in the first step and in the second step and the sending in the first sending step use a messaging function or an Info/Query function of instant messaging.

17. A program according to claim 14,

wherein the first receiving step receives, together with the identification information, a provider entity identifier for identifying an entity that acts as a provider who provides the service,

and wherein the program further comprises a storing step of storing the provider entity identifier and a user entity identifier for identifying an entity that acts as a user who uses the service, such that the provider entity identifier and the user entity identifier are associated with each other.

18. A program according to claim 17,

further comprising a third receiving step of receiving invitation information of invitation for using the service, sent by the first information processing apparatus.

19. A program according to claim 18,

further comprising a second sending step of sending information indicating acceptance or rejection when the invitation information is received by the processing in the third receiving step.

20. A program according to claim 19,

wherein the sending in the second sending step uses a messaging function or an Info/Query function of instant messaging.

21. A program according to claim 19,

wherein, when the third step has been executed, the first sending step sends information regarding usage of the service that can be provided, on condition that the information indicating acceptance has been sent by the processing in the second sending step.

22. A program according to claim 21,

wherein, in the first sending step, the provider entity identifier and the user entity identifier are included.

23. A program according to claim 19,

wherein, in the second sending step, a reference number for identifying the information indicating acceptance or rejection, the provider entity identifier, and the user entity identifier are included in the information indicating acceptance or rejection.

24. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing method comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving identification information for identifying a service that can be provided, from the first another information processing apparatus via second another information processing apparatus on the network;

a first requesting step of requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

a second requesting step of requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to register the information processing apparatus for the service that can be provided;

a sending step of sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus; and

a second receiving step of receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus.

25. An information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving identification information for identifying a service that can be provided, from the first another information processing apparatus via second another information processing apparatus on the network;

first requesting means for requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

second requesting means for requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to register the information processing apparatus for the service that can be provided;

sending means for sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus; and

second receiving means for receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus.

26. A program for allowing a computer to execute a process for exchanging information with a first information processing apparatus via a network, the program comprising:

a first notifying step of notifying the first information processing apparatus, via a second information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

a second notifying step of notifying the first information processing apparatus, via the second information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus;

a third notifying step of notifying that the first information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus, and notifying the first information processing apparatus, via the second information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first information processing apparatus that has been registered to connect to itself without connecting to the second information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first information processing apparatus;

a first receiving step of receiving the identification information from the first information processing apparatus via the second information processing apparatus;

a first requesting step of requesting, via the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

a second requesting step of requesting, via the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus to register itself for the service that can be provided;

a sending step of sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first information processing apparatus via the second information processing apparatus; and

a second receiving step of receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second information processing apparatus, from the first information processing apparatus via the second information processing apparatus.

27. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing method comprising:

a first notifying step of notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via second another information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

a second notifying step of notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus;

a third notifying step of notifying that the first another information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus, and notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first another information processing apparatus that has been registered to connect to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus;

a first receiving step of receiving the identification information from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus;

a first requesting step of requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

a second requesting step of requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to register the information processing apparatus for the service that can be provided;

a sending step of sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus; and

a second receiving step of receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus.

28. An information processing apparatus for exchanging information with first another information processing apparatus via a network, the information processing apparatus comprising:

first notifying means for notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via second another information processing apparatus on the network, of identification information for identifying a service that can be provided;

second notifying means for notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of detailed information regarding the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus;

third notifying means for notifying that the first another information processing apparatus has been registered for the service that can be provided, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus, and notifying the first another information processing apparatus, via the second another information processing apparatus, of connection information for allowing the first another information processing apparatus that has been registered to connect to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, based on a request from the first another information processing apparatus;

first receiving means for receiving the identification information from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus;

first requesting means for requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to send detailed information regarding the service that can be provided;

second requesting means for requesting, via the second another information processing apparatus, the first another information processing apparatus to register the information processing apparatus for the service that can be provided;

sending means for sending information regarding use of the service that can be provided, to the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus; and

second receiving means for receiving connection information for connecting to the information processing apparatus without connecting to the second another information processing apparatus, from the first another information processing apparatus via the second another information processing apparatus.