Network service system, service proxy processing method, computer-readable storage medium storing program, and program therefor

• US 20060101109A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishio, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A service proxy processing method is used with a network service system in which a service providing device connected over a network for performing predetermined capability processing can communicate with a plurality of client devices for performing network connection capability processing for recognizing connection status of each service providing device over a network. Each service providing device has a proxy process step of specifying a specific communications capability in response to a communications capability request from any client device when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period, allowing any service providing device in a network to perform as a proxy a communications process based on the specified specific communications capabilities, and making a transition to a network sleep status not recognized by a client device in the network.

Claims

1. A service providing device that communicates with a predetermined device and at least one client device, and performs a predetermined process, comprising:

proxy process means for specifying a specific communication protocol for responding to a packet provided based on a predetermined communication protocol by any client device, performing a proxy process for a communication process based on the specified specific communication protocol, and shifting the predetermined device into a network sleep status in which the predetermined device is not recognized by any client device, when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period.

2. A service providing device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined device performs a process of transition to a power consumption saving mode after being shifted into the network sleep status.

3. A service providing device according to claim 1, wherein after being shifted into the network sleep status, the predetermined device is shifted from the network sleep status to a network alive status in response to a sleep release request from said service providing device.

4. A service providing device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined device is shifted from the network sleep status to a network alive status on a condition determined based on the specified specific communication protocol or a combination of specific communication protocols.

5. A service providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said service providing device is provided as a proxy server.

6. A service providing device that communicates with a predetermined device and a client device, comprising:

restriction means for restricting a communication function provided by the predetermined device to a communication function in a communication protocol, and performing a proxy process for the communication function in the communication protocol, when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period.

7. A service providing device according to claim 6, wherein said restriction means performs the communication function in the communication protocol before restricting the communication function.

8. A service providing device according to claim 6, wherein said restriction means can specify the communication function in the communication protocol for which the proxy process is to be performed.

9. A service providing device according to claim 6, wherein said restriction means can specify the communication function in the communication protocol for which the proxy process is not to be performed.

10. A service providing device according to claim 6, wherein said restriction means can perform the proxy process for all or a part of the communication function in the communication protocol.

11. A service providing device according to claim 6, wherein, when communication data sent for the predetermined device is received during the proxy process, the communication data relating to the restricted communication function in the communication, said service providing device notifies the predetermined device to that effect.

12. A service providing device according to claim 11, wherein said restriction means releases a restriction on the communication function when said service providing device notifies the predetermined device to that effect.

13. A service providing device according to claim 12, wherein said restriction means releases the restriction on the communication function when said service providing device that notifies the predetermined device to that effect has the same identifier as an identifier notified in advance.

14. A method carried out in a service providing device that communicates with a predetermined device and at least one client device, and performs a predetermined process, said method comprising:

a proxy process step of specifying a specific communication protocol for responding to a packet provided based on a predetermined communication protocol by any client device, performing a proxy process for a communication process based on the specified specific communication protocol, and shifting the predetermined device into a network sleep status in which the predetermined device is not recognized by any client device, when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined device performs a process of transition to a power consumption saving mode after being shifted into the network sleep status.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein after being shifted into the network sleep status, the predetermined device is shifted from the network sleep status to a network alive status in response to a sleep release request from the service providing device.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined device is shifted from the network sleep status to a network alive status on a condition determined based on the specified specific communication protocol or a combination of specific communication protocols.

18. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the service providing device is provided as a proxy server.

27. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for realizing the method according to any one of claims 14 to 17 and 19 to 26.

28. A program which realizes the method according to any one of claims 14 to 17 and 19 to 26.

19. A method carried out in a service providing device that communicates with a predetermined device and a client device, said method comprising:

a restriction step of restricting a communication function provided by the predetermined device to a communication function in a communication protocol, and performing a proxy process for the communication function in the communication protocol, when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said restriction step performs the communication function in the communication protocol before restricting the communication function.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said restriction step can specify the communication function in the communication protocol for which the proxy process is to be performed.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said restriction step can specify the communication function in the communication protocol for which the proxy process is not to be performed.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein said restriction step can perform the proxy process for all or a part of the communication function in the communication protocol.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein, when communication data sent for the predetermined device is received during the proxy process, the communication data relating to the restricted communication function in the communication, the service providing device notifies the predetermined device to that effect.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said restriction step releases a restriction on the communication function when the service providing device notifies the predetermined device to that effect.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said restriction step releases the restriction on the communication function when the service providing device that notifies the predetermined device to that effect has the same identifier as an identifier notified in advance.

29. A network service system in which a service providing device that performs a predetermined process, a predetermined device and at least one client device can communicate with each other,

wherein said service providing device includes proxy process means for specifying a specific communication protocol for responding to a packet provided based on a predetermined communication protocol by any client device, performing a proxy process for a communication process based on the specified specific communication protocol, and shifting the predetermined device into a network sleep status in which the predetermined device is not recognized by any client device, when a predetermined service providing process is not performed in a predetermined period.

30. A peripheral device comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining discovery request information from a service providing device;

recognition means for recognizing whether or not a pattern included in the discovery request information obtained by said obtaining means is a predetermined pattern; and

response means for continuously keeping said peripheral device in a sleep status if said recognition means recognizes that the pattern is not a predetermined pattern, and issuing a corresponding response to the service providing device with respect to the discovery request information if said recognition means recognizes that the pattern is a predetermined pattern.

31. A peripheral device according to claim 30, wherein said recognition means composes a pass code including a predetermined ASCII character train from a discovery packet provided as the discovery request information, and makes a recognition based on the pass code.

32. A method carried out in a peripheral device, comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining discovery request information from a service providing device;

a recognition step of recognizing whether or not a pattern included in the discovery request information obtained in said obtaining step is a predetermined pattern; and

a response step of continuously keeping the peripheral device in a sleep status if said recognition step recognizes that the pattern is not a predetermined pattern, and issuing a corresponding response to the service providing device with respect to the discovery request information if said recognition step recognizes that the pattern is a predetermined pattern.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said recognition step composes a pass code including a predetermined ASCII character train from a discovery packet provided as the discovery request information, and makes a recognition based on the pass code.

34. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for realizing the method according to claim 32 or 33.