Control information transmission method, relay server, and controllable device

• US 20060161639A1
• Filed: 02/19/2004
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Daisaku
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A controlled device (12) sends a signal to a intermediary server (21) at a predetermined time interval, and the intermediary server (21) receives the signal from the controlled device (12) with a private address allocated by a router (11) and changes an operation mode from a passive mode to an active mode. The operation of the controlled device (12) is changed to the passive mode. The intermediary server (21) continuously establishes a communication path with the controlled device (12). The intermediary server (21), which receives control information from a control terminal (41), relays data transmitted via two communication paths, that is, a communication path established with the control terminal (41) and a communication path established with the controlled device (12), to allow the control terminal (41) to control the controlled device (12) operating in the passive mode.

Claims

1. A control information transmission method for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router and not publicizing an IP address thereof;

a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling the controlled device; and

an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from the terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said method comprising the steps of;

transmitting a connection request signal from said controlled device to said intermediary server, with a mode of communication with said intermediary server being an active connection;

receiving, by said intermediary server, the transmitted connection request signal, with a mode of communication with said controlled device being a passive connection, and authenticating said controlled device;

changing, by said controlled device, the mode of communication with said intermediary server to the passive connection and at the same time changing, by said intermediary server, the mode of communication with said controlled device to the active connection after authenticating, by said intermediary server, said controlled device as a controlled device enabled for communication;

establishing a communication path, by said intermediary server, with said controlled device when said controlled device is authenticated as the controlled device enabled for communication and, at the same time, transmitting pseudo transmission information to request said controlled device, with which the communication path has been established, to respond;

continuously maintaining, by said controlled device that received the pseudo transmission information, the established communication path by carrying out pseudo transmission communication repeatedly, said pseudo transmission communication being carried out by generating pseudo response information and returning the generated pseudo response information to said intermediary server; and

waiting, by said intermediary server, for a reception of the control information transmitted from said terminal and transmitting the control information, received via the internet, to said controlled device.

2. The control information transmission method as claimed in claim 1

wherein said control information is timer recording information for recording a broadcasts program.

3. The control information transmission method as claimed in claim 1

wherein said controlled device is a video signal recording device for recording a received broadcast program.

4. The control information transmission method as claimed in claim 1

wherein said controlled device is a video signal transmission device for transmitting a photographed video signal.

5. The control information transmission method as claimed in claim 1

wherein said controlled device is authenticated by detecting if the connection request signal matches a character string described in registration information registered in said intermediary server in advance.

6. An intermediary server for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router and not publicizing an IP address thereof;

a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling the controlled device; and

an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from the terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said intermediary server at least comprising;

connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request signal transmitted from said controlled device, with a mode of communication with said controlled device being passive connection;

authentication means for authenticating said controlled device by detecting if the connection request signal received by said connection request receiving means is a signal sent from a controlled device enabled for communication;

connection mode changing means for changing the mode of communication with said controlled device to an active connection after said authentication means authenticates said controlled device;

communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with said controlled device after said authentication means authenticates said controlled device;

pseudo transmission information transmission means for transmitting pseudo transmission information to said controlled device via the established communication path to request said controlled device to respond;

communication path continuation maintenance means for continuously maintaining the established communication path by carrying out pseudo transmission communication repeatedly, said pseudo transmission communication being carried out by receiving pseudo response information returned from said controlled device in response to the transmitted pseudo transmission information; and

received information intermediary means for waiting for a reception of the control information transmitted from said terminal via the Internet and transmitting the received control information to said controlled device via the communication path.

7. The intermediary server as claimed in claim 6

wherein said authentication means authenticates said controlled device by detecting if the connection request signal matches a character string described in registration information registered in advance.

8. The intermediary server as claimed in claim 6

wherein the pseudo transmission information is information based on a GET method or a HEAD method.

9. A controlled device for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router and not publicizing an IP address thereof;

a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling the controlled device; and

an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from the terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said controlled device comprising;

connection request transmission means for transmitting a connection request signal to said intermediary server, with a mode of communication with said intermediary server being an active connection;

connection mode changing means for changing the mode of communication with said intermediary server to a passive connection after the connection request signal transmitted from said connection request transmitting means is received by said intermediary server and said controlled device is authenticated by said intermediary server, as a controlled device enabled for communication;

pseudo response information transmission means for receiving pseudo transmission information, generating pseudo response information in response to the reception, and returning the generated response information to said intermediary server, said pseudo transmission information being transmitted by said intermediary server via a communication path established between said controlled device and said intermediary server after said controlled device is authenticated by said intermediary server, said pseudo transmission information requesting said controlled device to respond; and

control operation means for receiving the control information via the communication path, to perform a control operation for said controlled device based on the received control information, the received control information being received by said intermediary server via the Internet.

10. The controlled device as claimed in claim 9

wherein said controlled device is a video signal recording device for recording a received broadcast program.

11. The controlled device as claimed in claim 10

wherein, when the control information received by said control operation means is control information requesting a transmission of a list of programs to be timer-recorded, said control operation means transmits information on a timer recoding list describing a list of programs set up for timer recording to said intermediary server.

12. The controlled device as claimed in claim 10 wherein, when control information on cancellation of timer recording of a program, which is one of programs set up in advance by said control operation means for timer recording but for which timer recording is to be canceled, is received, said control operation means cancels the timer recording for the specified particular program.