Server Device, Inter-Server Device Connection Method, Program, And Recording Medium

• US 20080034097A1
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nomura, Takashi, Ishikawa, Masayuki, Kanao, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A procedure from when device registration is completed until an always-on connection session with a server apparatus is established is simplified. Upon receiving a start request for directly accessing a controlled device from a controlling device via a service server, a direct-access management server transmits a direct-access URI obtaining request to the controlled device. The controlled device transmits a direct-access-port NAT setting request to a router. Upon receiving a notification of a global-IP-address and port-number obtaining error from the router, the controlled device transmits, to the direct-access management server, an error code for giving an instruction for a new remote video-recording reservation using tunneling. Upon receiving the error code, the direct-access management server assigns a tunneling port in the server, creates a direct-access URI based on the information of the port and so on, and transmits the direct-access URI to the controlling device via the service server.

Claims

1. A server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device, the apparatus comprising:

connecting means for setting a session for communication with the first device;

first receiving means for receiving, from the second device, an access start request for starting access to the first device;

first transmitting means for issuing, to the first device, a request for access-target information for allowing the second device to access the first device, when the first receiving means receives the access start request;

second receiving means for receiving a response from the first device in response to the request issued from the first transmitting means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting, when the response is a first response containing first access-target information, the received first access-target information to the second device, and for assigning, when the response is a second response that does not contain the first access-target information, an access-target for access of the second device to the server apparatus and transmitting second access-target information indicating the assigned access target to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other through the session.

2. The sever apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first device is connected to the network via a router, and

the first access-target information is information specifying an access target, the information being transmitted from the router to the first device.

3. The server apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the first access-target information is information containing a port number and a global IP address in the network, the information being transmitted from the router to the first device.

4. The server apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first access-target information is information containing a port number and an address in the network.

5. The server apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first access-target information is information containing a port number and a global address in the network.

6. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second access-target information is information containing a global address and a port number of the server apparatus.

7. The server apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling means for receiving a request given from the second device to the first device, the request being based on the second access-destination information, and for transmitting the request to the first device,

wherein the connecting means sets a two-way communication session with the first connecting device, and

the controlling means transmits the request, given from the second device to the first device, to the first device through the two-way communication session.

8. The server apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the connecting means sets an always-on-connection two-way communication session with the first device, and

the controlling means transmits the request, given from the second device to the first device, to the first device through the always-on-connection two-way communication session.

9. The server apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the connecting means sets a communication session with the first device, the communication session using an XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol).

10. The server apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when the first receiving means receives the access start request, the first transmitting means issues a request for access-destination information for allowing the second device to access the first device to the first device through the session set by the connecting means.

11. The server apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second device is connected to the server apparatus via a service server apparatus that provides the second device with a service.

12. An inter-device connection method for a server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

a step of setting a session for communication with the first device;

a step of receiving, from the second device, an access start request for starting access to the first device;

a step of issuing, to the first device, a request for access-target information for allowing the second device to access the first device, when the access start request is received;

a step of receiving a response from the first device in response to the request; and

a step of transmitting, when the response is a first response containing first access-target information, the received first access-target information to the second device, and for assigning, when the response is a second response that does not contain the first access-target information, an access-target for access of the second device to the server apparatus and transmitting second access-target information indicating the assigned access target to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other through the session.

13. A program for causing a computer to function as a server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device, the program comprising:

a connecting unit for causing the computer to set a session for communication with the first device;

a first receiving unit for causing the computer to receive, from the second device, an access start request for starting access to the first device;

a first transmitting unit for causing the computer to issue, to the first device, a request for access-target information for allowing the second device to access the first device, when the first receiving unit receives the access start request;

a second receiving unit for causing the computer to receive a response from the first device in response to the request issued from the first transmitting unit; and

a second transmitting unit for causing the computer to transmit, when the response is a first response containing first access-target information, the received first access-target information to the second device, and to assign, when the response is a second response that does not contain the first access-target information, an access-target for access of the second device to the server apparatus and transmitting second access-target information indicating the assigned access target to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other through the session.

14. A storage medium on which a program is recorded, the program causing a computer to function as a server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device to function as a server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device, the program comprising:

a connecting unit for causing the computer to set a session for communication with the first device;

a first receiving unit for causing the computer to receive, from the second device, an access start request for starting access to the first device;

a first transmitting unit for causing the computer to issue, to the first device, a request for access-target information for allowing the second device to access the first device, when the first receiving unit receives the access start request;

a second receiving unit for causing the computer to receive a response from the first device in response to the request issued from the first transmitting unit; and

a second transmitting unit for causing the computer to transmit, when the response is a first response containing first access-target information, the received first access-target information to the second device, and to assign, when the response is a second response that does not contain the first access-target information, an access-target for access of the second device to the server apparatus and transmitting second access-target information indicating the assigned access target to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other through the session.