File transfer systems, file transfer methods and storage media for storing file transfer programs

• US 5,948,070 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Tomoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US08/741,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.31, 395/200.42, 395/200.44, 395/200.46, 395/200.48, 395/200.57, 395/200.68, 395/200.73, 395/200.79, 395/730, 707/8, 707/10, 707/200, 707/203, 707/511, 709/201, 709/212, 709/214, 709/216, 709/218, 709/227, 709/238, 709/243, 709/247
• US Class Current: 709/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership

Abstract

For broadcasting a file to communication processing systems E, F, H, I, J and K, a communication processing system A sends the file and destinations E, H and I to the communication processing system B, and the file and destinations F, J and K to the communication processing system C. Of the sent destinations E, H and I, the communication processing system B delivers the file to the communication processing system E for which the system B is responsible for delivering the file, and for the other destinations, sends the file and the file destinations H and I to the relaying communication processing system D.

Claims

1. A file transfer system for broadcasting a file from a sending communication processing system to a plurality of receiving communication processing systems via at least one relaying communication processing system, which comprises:

said sending communication processing system which includes first file destination-sorting means and first file transfer processing means,

wherein said first file destination-sorting means inputs a broadcast request, including the name of a file to be broadcast and a plurality of file destinations, and determines at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent, and

said first file transfer processing means sends the file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the relaying communication processing systems determined by said first file destination-sorting means;

said relaying communication processing systems each having second file destination-sorting means and second file transfer processing means,

wherein said second file destination-sorting means determines, for the destinations which indicate said receiving communication processing systems to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file from among the plurality of file destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, the lower-order relaying communication processing systems to which said file are to be sent on the basis of said destinations, and

said second file transfer processing means sends, for the destinations which indicate said receiving communication processing systems to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file from among the plurality of file destinations sent from said sending communications processing system, the file to said receiving communication processing systems, and for the file destinations which indicate communication processing systems which are not said receiving communication processing systems to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file, sends the received file and the destinations of said file to the lower-order relaying communication processing systems determined by said second file destination-sorting means;

said sending communication processing system comprising a first relay information table which stores the relay information indicating the relationship between the destinations to which the sending communication processing system may send the file and said relaying communication processing systems to which said file is sent;

said first file destination-sorting means inputs a broadcast request, including the name of the file to be broadcast and a plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, and determines at least one lower-order relaying communication processing system to which the file designated in said broadcast request is to be sent, on the basis of the relay information stored in said first relay information table and the plurality of destinations included in said broadcast request;

said relaying communication processing systems each comprising a connection information table which stores the connection information indicating the relationship between the relaying communication processing system and said at least one receiving communication processing system to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file, and a second relay information table which stores the relay information indicating the relationship between at least one destination to which the relaying communication processing system may send the file and said lower-order relaying communication processing system to which said file is sent;

said second file destination-sorting means determines, for the destinations which indicate communication processing systems which are not the communication processing systems included in the connection information stored in said connection information table, of the plurality of the destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, at least one lower-order relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent, on the basis of said destinations and the relay information stored in said relay information table; and

the second file transfer processing means sends, for the destinations which indicate the communication processing systems included in the connection information stored in said connection information table, of the plurality of destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, the file to said receiving communication processing systems indicated by said destinations, and for the destinations which indicate communication processing systems which are not said receiving communication processing systems to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file, sends the received file and the destinations of said file to the lower-order relaying communication processing systems determined by said second file destination-sorting means.

2. A file transfer method of broadcasting a file from a sending communication processing system to a plurality of receiving communication processing systems via at least one relaying communication processing system, which comprises the steps of:

inputting a broadcast request, including the name of a file to be broadcast and a plurality of destinations to which said file is to be sent, determining at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent, and sending said file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems, by said sending communication processing system;

sending, for the destinations which indicate said receiving communication processing systems to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file from among the plurality of destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, the file to said receiving communication processing systems, and for the other destinations, determining at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent on the basis of said destinations, and sending the received file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems, by said relaying communication processing system;

the sending communication processing system holds the relay information indicating the relationship between at least one file destination to which the sending communication processing system may send the file and the relaying communication processing system to which said file is sent, inputs a broadcast request, including the name of the file to be broadcast and a plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, and determines at least one relaying communication processing system to which the file designated in said broad-cast request is to be sent, on the basis of said relay information and the plurality of destinations included in said broadcast request, to send said file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems; and

said relaying communication processing systems each hold the connection information indicating the relationship between the relaying communication processing system and said receiving communication processing system to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file, and the relay information indicating the relationship between at least one destination to which the relaying communication processing system may send the file and said relaying communication processing system to which said file is sent, and send, for the destinations which indicate the communication processing systems included in said connection information from among the plurality of destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, the file to said receiving communication processing systems indicated by said destinations, and for the other destinations, determine at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent on the basis of said destinations and on said relay information, and send the received file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems.

3. A computer-readable storage medium which stores:

a program for the execution by the file-sending communication processing system of the process of inputting a broadcast request, which includes the name of a file to be broadcast and a plurality of destinations to which said file is to be sent, determining at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent, and sending said file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems;

a program for the execution by at least one relaying communication processing system of the process of sending, for the destinations which indicate the receiving communication processing systems to which the sending communication processing system sends the file from among the plurality of destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, the file to said receiving communication processing systems, and for the other destinations, determining at least one relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent on the basis of said destinations, and sending the receiving file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems, by the at least one relaying communication processing system;

a program for the execution by the sending communication processing system of the process of holding the relay information indicating the relationship between at least one destination to which the sending communication processing system may send the file and the relaying communication processing system to which said file is sent, inputting a broadcast request, which includes the name of the file to be broadcast and a plurality of destinations to which said file is to be sent, and determining at least one relaying communication processing system to which the file designated in said broadcast request is to be sent, on the basis of said relay information and the plurality of destinations included in said broadcast request, to send said file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems; and

a program for the execution by the relaying communication processing system of the process of holding the connection information indicating the relationship between the relaying communication processing system and said receiving communication processing system to which the relaying communication processing system sends the file, and the relay information indicating the relationship between at least one destination to which the relaying communication processing system may send the file and said relaying communication processing system to which said file is sent, and for the destinations indicating the communication processing systems included in said connection information of the plurality of destinations sent from said sending communication processing system, sending the file to said receiving communication processing systems indicated by said destinations, and for the other destinations, determining at least one lower-order relaying communication processing system to which said file is to be sent, on the basis of said destinations and said relay information, and sending the received file and the plurality of destinations to which said file is sent, to each of the determined relaying communication processing systems.