Peer-to-peer communications system and computer readable medium

• US 20050005030A1
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Asai, Arito
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A private network terminal device issues, to a repeating installation, a relay request for relaying a connection request. A global network terminal device connects with the repeating installation, to transmit the connection request. The repeating installation relays the connection request and relays communication between the terminal devices in an as-is manner. Here, the private network terminal device separately commences new connection with the global network terminal device through direct connection and transmits a replacement request for replacing the connection by way of the repeating installation with this direct connection. The global network terminal device transmits a disconnection request to the repeating installation. The private network terminal device disconnects communication with the repeating installation. The global network terminal device disconnects communication with the repeating installation, thereby commencing communication with the private network terminal device through direct connection. Subsequently, peer-to-peer communication is performed through use of the direct connection.

Claims

1. A peer-to-peer communications system comprising:

a private network terminal device having only a private address and configured to generate a relay request for relaying a connection request to the private network terminal device;

a global network terminal device having a first global address, the connection request being from the global network terminal device for connection with the private network terminal device; and

a repeating installation having a second global address and configured to receive the relay request transmitted from the private network and the connection request transmitted from the global network terminal device,

wherein the private network terminal device is directly connected with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request to transmit, to the global network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal and the global network terminal, and

wherein, in response to a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication with the repeating installation, transmitted by the global network terminal device after receiving said replacement request and subsequently received in the private network terminal device, said first communication with the repeating installation is disconnected and the second communication is commenced.

2. The peer-to-peer communications system according to claim 1,

wherein the private network terminal transmits a disconnection request receipt acknowledgment to the global network terminal device in reply to the disconnection request and after receiving the disconnection request,

and the global network terminal device disconnects the communication with the repeating installation after receiving the disconnection request receipt acknowledgment.

3. A private network terminal device for a peer-to-peer communications system that includes the private network terminal device having only a private address, a global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation having a second global address,

wherein the private network terminal device,

transmits, to the repeating installation, a relay request for relaying a connection request to the private network terminal device, the connection request issued by the global network terminal device for connection with the private network terminal device;

receives the connection request via the repeating installation;

directly connects with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request, to transmit, to the global network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device;

receives, from the global network terminal device, a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication; and

disconnects the first communication with the repeating installation after receiving the disconnection request.

4. The private network terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the private network terminal device transmits, to the global network terminal device, a receipt acknowledgment in reply to the received disconnection request.

5. A global network terminal device for a peer-to-peer communications system that includes a private network terminal device having only a private address, the global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation having a second global address,

wherein the global network terminal device,

transmits, from the global network terminal device to the repeating installation, a connection request for connection with the private network terminal device;

receives, from the private network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication by way of a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device;

transmits, to the private network terminal device, a disconnection request for disconnecting a communication with the repeating installation after receiving the replacement request; and

disconnects the first communication with the repeating installation and commences the second communication.

6. The global network terminal device according to claim 5,

wherein the first communication is disconnected from the repeating installation after the global network terminal device receives a receipt acknowledgment from the private network terminal device in reply to the disconnection request.

7. A computer readable medium containing a set of instructions, executable by a private network terminal having only a private address, for communication in a peer-to-peer communications system including the private network terminal, a global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation having a second global address, the set of instructions comprising:

transmitting to the repeating installation a relay request for relaying to the private network terminal device a connection request issued by the global network terminal device for connection with the private network terminal device;

receiving the connection request from the global network terminal device via the repeating installation;

directly connecting with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request, to transmit to the global network terminal device a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device; and

disconnecting the first communication in response to a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication received from the global network terminal device.

8. A computer readable medium containing a set of instructions executable by a global network terminal device having a first global address, for communication in a peer-to-peer communications system that includes a private network terminal device having only a private address, the global network terminal device, and a repeating installation having a second global address, the set of instructions comprising:

generating and transmitting to the repeating installation a connection request for connection with the private network terminal device;

in response to a replacement request from the private network terminal for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and said global network terminal device, transmitting to the private network terminal device a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication; and

disconnecting the first communication and commencing the second communication.

9. A method of communication in a peer-to-peer network including a private network terminal device having, a global network terminal device and a repeating installation, the method comprising:

(a) creating a standby condition for receiving a connection request in the private network terminal device;

(b) in response to the connection request transmitted by an indirect connection from the global network terminal device to the private network terminal device via the repeating installation, establishing a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device;

(c) requesting disconnection of the indirect connection based on a replacement request from the private network terminal device to the global network terminal device via the direct connection;

(d) in response to said (c), disconnecting the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device from the repeating installation; and

(e) performing direct communication between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device via said direct connection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein

said (a) includes creating the standby condition in the private network terminal device based on a relay request receipt acknowledgment from the repeating installation generated in response to a relay request for relay of a connection request from the global network terminal device;

said (c) includes, in response to the replacement request, transmitting a disconnection request from the global network terminal device to the private network terminal device via the repeating installation; and

said (d) includes transmitting a disconnection request receipt acknowledgment from the private network terminal device to the repeating installation based on the disconnection request and then disconnecting the private network terminal device from the repeating installation, and forwarding the disconnection request receipt acknowledgment from the repeating installation to the global network terminal device and then disconnecting the global network terminal device from the repeating installation.