COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM

• US 20070189486A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ise, Kotaro
• Application Number:
  US11/469,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20070189486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/256 NAT traversal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

There is provided with a communication apparatus connected to a first network on which service providing servers are disposed, including: a service finder configured to find a service providing server on the first network; and a transmitter configured to transmit an information packet including a header part and a data part to a packet relay apparatus which connects the first network to a second network, wherein the header part contains an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits, as a source address and a source port number and an address of an information processing server disposed on the second network and a port number at which the information processing server waits, as a destination address and a destination port number, and the data part contains service identification information which identifies a service provided by the found service providing server.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus connected to a first network on which one or more service providing servers are disposed, comprising:

a service finder configured to find a service providing server on the first network; and

a transmitter configured to transmit an information packet including a header part and a data part to a packet relay apparatus which connects the first network to a second network, wherein the header part contains

an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits, as a source address and a source port number and

an address of an information processing server disposed on the second network and a port number at which the information processing server waits, as a destination address and a destination port number, and

the data part contains service identification information which identifies a service provided by the found service providing server.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transmitter transmits a first packet and a second packet as the information packet,

the first packet has a header part containing an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits as a source address and a source port number and containing an address of the information processing server and a port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number, and

the second packet has a header part containing the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits, as a destination address and a destination port number and containing own address and a port number specified beforehand as a source address and a source port number, and a data part containing the service identification information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the transmitter first transmits the second packet, and

upon receiving a transmission request packet to request transmission of the first packet from the information processing server which has received the second packet, the transmitter transmits the first packet.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

the transmitter transmits the first packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet to request stop of transmission of the first packet from the information processing server, the transmitter stops transmission of the first packet.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the transmitter transmits the first packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet to request stop of transmission of the first packet from the information processing server, the transmitter stops transmission of the first packet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transmitter transmits the information packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet to request stop of transmission of the information packet from the information processing server, the transmitter stops transmission of the information packet.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the transmitter transmits a packet for inquiring the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits, toward an information management server disposed on the first network or the second network to manage the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits, and receives a packet containing a result of the inquiry from the information management server.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a packet containing information to identify the services providing servers and information to identify services provided by the service providing servers from the information processing server;

a exhibitor configured to exhibit the information to identify the services providing servers; and

a selector configured to select a service providing server based on the information exhibited,

wherein the transmitter transmits a service request packet to request the information processing server to perform data communication concerning a service provided by the service providing server selected with the service providing server selected.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the receiver receives a packet containing a result of the data communication from the information processing server

10. A communication system including a communication apparatus connected to a first network on which one or more service providing servers are disposed, and an information processing server connected to a second network which is connected to the first network via a packet relay apparatus, wherein

the communication apparatus comprises:

a service finder configured to find a service providing server on the first network; and

a transmitter configured to transmit an information packet including a header part and a data part to the packet relay apparatus, the header part containing an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits as a source address and a source port number and containing an address of the information processing server and a port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number, the data part containing service identification information which identifies a service provided by the found service providing server, and

the information processing server comprises;

a receiver configured to receive the information packet from the communication apparatus via the packet relay apparatus;

an exhibitor configured to exhibit information to identify the service providing servers respectively;

a selector configured to select a service providing server based on the information exhibited; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a request packet to request implementation of the service provided by the service providing server selected to the service providing server selected, and perform data communication concerning said service with the service providing server selected, wherein the request packet has a header part containing an address of the service providing server selected and a port number at which the service providing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number and containing own address and a port number for implementing the data communication as a source address and a source port number.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits a first packet and a second packet as the information packet,

the first packet has a header part containing an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits as a source address and a source port number and containing an address of the information processing server and a port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number,

the second packet has a header part containing the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number and containing an address of the communication apparatus and a port number specified beforehand as a source address and a source port number, and a data part containing the service identification information, and

the header part of the request packet transmitted by the transmitter in the information processing server contains the source address and the source port number of the first packet as a destination address and a destination port number and contains the destination address and the destination port number of the first packet as a source address and a source port number.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus first transmits the second packet, and

upon receiving a transmission request packet from the information processing server which has received the second packet to request transmission of the first packet, the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits the first packet.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits the first packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet from the information processing server to request stop of transmission of the first packet, the transmitter in the communication apparatus stops transmission of the first packet.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits the first packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet from the information processing server to request transmission stop of the first packet, the transmitter in the communication apparatus stops transmission of the first packet.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits the information packet periodically, and

upon receiving a stop request packet from the information processing server to request stop of transmission of the information packet, the transmitter in the communication apparatus stops transmission of the information packet.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein

the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits a packet for inquiring the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits, toward an information management server disposed on the first network or the second network to manage the address of the information processing server and the port number at which the information processing server waits, and receives a packet containing a result of the inquiry from the information management server.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:

a receiver configured to receive a packet containing information to identify the service providing servers and information to identify services provided by the service providing servers from the information processing server;

an exhibitor configured to exhibit the information to identify the service providing servers; and

a selector configured to select a service providing server based on information exhibited,

wherein the transmitter in the communication apparatus transmits a service request packet to request the information processing server to perform data communication concerning the service provided by the service providing server selected with the service providing server selected

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the receiver in the communication apparatus receives a packet containing a result of the data communication from the information processing server.

19. A method performed in a communication apparatus connected to a first network on which one or more service providing servers are disposed, comprising:

finding a service providing server on the first network; and

transmitting an information packet including a header part and a data part to a packet relay apparatus which connects the first network to a second network, wherein the header part contains an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits as a source address and a source port number, and an address of an information processing server disposed on the second network and a port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number, and the data part contains service identification information which identifies a service provided by the found service providing server.

20. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for causing a computer connected to a first network on which one or more service providing servers are disposed, to execute instructions to perform steps of:

finding a service providing server on the first network; and

transmitting an information packet including a header part and a data part to a packet relay apparatus which connects the first network to a second network, wherein the header part contains an address of the found service providing server and a port number at which the found service providing server waits as a source address and a source port number, and an address of an information processing server disposed on the second network and a port number at which the information processing server waits as a destination address and a destination port number, and the data part contains service identification information which identifies a service provided by the found service providing server.