RELAY APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATING METHOD

• US 20120113464A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: INOUE, Toyoshi, NAGASAKI, Takeshi, SHIMADA, Yusuke, WATANABE, Satoshi, ITO, Katsuaki, BANNO, Hirokazu, YAMAMOTO, Kazutaka
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0062 Stand-alone interface device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A relay apparatus connected to service providing apparatuses respectively providing services and a communication apparatus that includes an additional-information storage unit configured to store additional information associated with the service and identification information, comprises: a receiving unit configured to receive notification including the service and the user identification information from the communication apparatus; a generating unit generating an output command for outputting, to the relay apparatus, the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit corresponding to the service and the identification information included in the notification; an output commanding unit transmitting the output command to the communication apparatus; an acquiring unit acquiring the additional information output in response to the output command; a first communication unit configured to perform communication with the service providing apparatus using the acquired additional information; and a second communication unit that transmits, to the communication apparatus, information acquired from the service providing apparatus.

Claims

1. A relay apparatus connectable through a network to a plurality of service providing apparatuses respectively providing services and a communication apparatus that includes an additional-information storage unit configured to store additional information associated with a combination of the service and user identification information registered in the corresponding service, the relay apparatus comprising:

a program storage unit configured to store plural pieces of programs for performing communication with corresponding one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

a receiving unit configured to receive notification including the service and the user identification information from the communication apparatus;

an output-command generating unit configured to generate an output command for commanding the communication apparatus to output, to the relay apparatus, the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit corresponding to the service and the user identification information included in the notification received by the receiving unit;

an output commanding unit configured to transmit the output command generated by the output-command generating unit, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus;

an additional-information acquiring unit configured to acquire the additional information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

a first communication unit configured to perform communication with the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the notification received by the receiving unit, using the additional information acquired by the additional-information acquiring unit and the program stored in the program storage unit; and

a second communication unit that transmits, to the communication apparatus, information on the service acquired from the service providing apparatus by the communication through the first communication unit.

2. The relay apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a display-command generating unit configured to generate a display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen including the additional information output from the communication apparatus, and

a display commanding unit configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, the display command generated by the display-command generating unit.

3. The relay apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

a determining unit configured to determine whether use of the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is permitted by the communication apparatus,

wherein if the determining unit determines that use of the additional information is permitted by the communication apparatus, the first communication unit performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the additional information acquired by the additional-information acquiring unit.

4. The relay apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

if the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is changed and the receiving unit receives the notification of the change of the additional information, the first communication unit performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the changed identification information.

5. The relay apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

a storage-command generating unit configured to generate, if the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is changed and the receiving unit receives the notification of the change of the additional information, a storage command for storing the changed additional information, in the communication apparatus in association with the service and the identification information included in the notification received by the receiving unit; and

a storage commanding unit that transmits the storage command generated by the storage-command generating unit, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus.

6. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the receiving unit receives the notification including the user identification information from the communication apparatus, the relay apparatus adds the user identification information to each command transmitted from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus.

7. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the additional-information storage unit stores type information of the service, and the user identification information registered in the service, in association with each other,

the receiving unit receives, from the communication unit, the user identification information stored in the additional-information storage unit of the communication unit in association with the type information of the service selected by a user,

the relay apparatus further comprises

a second display-command generating unit that generates a second display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen for selecting user identification information from the user identification information received by the receiving unit, and

a second display commanding unit that transmits the second display command generated by the second display-command generating unit, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

the identification-information notifying unit notifies the user identification information selected in the screen, from the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus, the screen being displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the second display command.

8. The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the service providing apparatus stores a plurality of contents, and provides a service for enabling a client to use the contents,

the first communication unit transmits the additional information from the relay apparatus to the service providing apparatus, and causes the service providing apparatus to transmit content or specification information for specifying the content to the relay apparatus, the content being extracted from a plurality of contents based on the transmitted additional information, and

the second communication unit transmits, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, the contents or the specification information received by the first communication unit of the relay apparatus.

9. The relay apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

an updating unit configured to update the program.

10. A communication system comprising a relay apparatus connected to a network, and a communication apparatus connected to the relay apparatus through the network, wherein:

in the network, a plurality of service providing apparatuses for providing services exist,

the communication apparatus comprises;

an additional-information storage unit configured to store additional information associated with a combination of the service and user identification information registered in the corresponding service;

a service notifying unit configured to notify the service selected in the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus;

an identification-information notifying unit configured to notify user identification information selected in the communication to the relay apparatus; and

a command executing unit configured to output the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit, in response to an output command received from the relay apparatus,

the relay apparatus comprises;

a program storage unit configured to store a program for performing communication with each of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

a receiving unit configured to receive notification including the service and the user identification information from the service notifying unit and the identification-information notifying unit;

an output-command generating unit configured to generate an output command for commanding the communication apparatus to output, to the relay apparatus, the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit corresponding to the service and the user identification information included in the notification received by the receiving unit;

an additional-information acquiring unit configured to acquire the additional information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

a first communication unit configured to perform communication with the service providing apparatus corresponding to the notification including the service received by the receiving unit, using the additional information acquired by the additional-information acquiring unit and the program stored in the program storage unit; and

a second communication unit configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, information on the service acquired from the service providing apparatus by the communication through the first communication unit.

11. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

the relay apparatus further comprises;

a display-command generating unit configured to generate a display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen including the additional information output from the communication apparatus, and

a display commanding unit configured to transmit, to the communication apparatus, the display command generated by the display-command generating unit, and

in the communication apparatus, the command executing unit displays the screen including the additional information in response to the display command received form the relay apparatus.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein

the relay apparatus further includes a determining unit configured to determine whether use of the additional information displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the display command is permitted by the communication apparatus, and

if the determining unit determines that use of the additional information is permitted by the communication apparatus, the first communication unit performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the additional information acquired by the additional-information acquiring unit.

13. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein

the communication apparatus further comprises:

a changing unit configured to change the additional information displayed in response to the display command, on the basis of a user'"'"'s manipulation, and

a change notifying unit configured to output the additional information changed by the changing unit, to the relay apparatus, and

the first communication unit performs communication with the service providing apparatus using the changed identification information.

14. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein

the relay apparatus further comprises:

a storage-command generating unit configured to generate a storage command for storing the additional information changed by the changing unit, in the additional-information storage unit in association with the service and the identification information included in the notification received by the receiving unit, if receiving the changed additional information; and

a storage commanding unit that transmits the storage command generated by the storage-command generating unit, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

the command executing unit of the communication apparatus stores the additional information in the additional-information storage unit in response to the storage command received from the relay apparatus.

15. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein:

after the receiving unit receives the notification of the identification information, the relay apparatus adds the identification information to each command transmitted from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

the communication apparatus adds the identification information to information to be output to the relay apparatus, in response to a command received from the relay apparatus.

16. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein

the additional-information storage unit stores type information of the service, and the user identification information registered in the service, in association with each other,

the communication apparatus further comprises an extracted-information output unit configured to extract the user identification information stored in the additional-information storage unit in association with the type information of the service selected by a user, and outputs the user identification information to the relay apparatus,

the relay apparatus further comprises:

a second display-command generating unit configured to generate a second display command for commanding the communication apparatus to display a screen for allowing the user to select the user identification information transmitted from the communication apparatus by the extracted-information output unit; and

a second display commanding unit configured to transmit the second display command generated by the second display-command generating unit, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, and

the identification-information notifying unit notifies the user identification information selected in the screen, from the communication apparatus to the relay apparatus, the screen being displayed in the communication apparatus in response to the second display command.

17. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein

the service providing apparatus stores a plurality of contents, and provides a service for enabling a client to use the contents,

the first communication unit transmits the additional information from the relay apparatus to the service providing apparatus, and the service providing apparatus transmits contents or specification information for specifying the contents from the service providing apparatus to the relay apparatus in response to the additional information, and

the second communication unit transmits, from the relay apparatus to the communication apparatus, the contents or the specification information received by the first communication unit of the relay apparatus.

18. A method of communicating through a network with a plurality of service providing apparatuses respectively providing services and a communication apparatus that includes an additional-information storage unit configured to store additional information associated with a combination of the service and user identification information registered in the corresponding service, the method comprising:

storing plural pieces of programs for performing communication with corresponding one of the plurality of service providing apparatuses;

receiving notification including the service and the user identification information from the communication apparatus;

generating an output command for commanding the communication apparatus to output, to the relay apparatus, the additional information stored in the additional-information storage unit corresponding to the service and the identification information included in the received notification;

transmitting the generated output command to the communication apparatus;

acquiring the additional information output from the communication apparatus in response to the output command;

performing communication with the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service included in the received notification, using the acquired additional information; and

transmitting information on the service acquired from the service providing apparatus to the communication apparatus.