Communication terminal, service providing system, service use method, storage medium, and program

• US 7,174,380 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Saino, Yoko, Ushiku, Toyohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOROBOV, VITALI A
• Application Number:
  US09/975,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/218, 709/219, 709/229, 709/220, 709/221, 709/226, 709/250, 709/217, 719/330, 707/10, 455/456.1, 370/238
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5015 Service provider selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine

Abstract

Even if a look-up service cannot be searched, services of a service provider can be used while consumption of resources is suppressed. A client issues a multi cast notification if the look-up service cannot be searched. In response to the multi cast notification, the service provider issues a service register request (transmission of a service object) to the transmission originating client. The client temporarily stores the received service object in a memory. A service object not coincident with the attribute information of a desired service is deleted from the memory, and the desired service is used by using an agent object coincident with the attribute information of the desired service. A service search request from another client responding to the multi cast notification is rejected.

Claims

1. A communication terminal connected to, via a network, a plurality of service providers and to a look-up service that registers a plurality of service objects defining services provided by the plurality of service providers, where the communication terminal uses the services of the service provider by using the service objects, the communication terminal comprising:

look-up service search means for searching the look-up service in the network;

determining means for determining whether said look-up service search means can search the look-up service;

first acquisition means for acquiring, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search means can search the look-up service, a desired service object from the searched look-up service by transmitting a service search request to the look-up service and receiving the desired service object, which is searched based on the service search request in the searched look-up service, from the look-up service;

multicast notification means for issuing, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search means cannot search the look-up service, a multicast notification to the network in order to request the plurality of service providers to transmit respective service objects; and

second acquisition means for receiving a plurality of service objects from the plurality of service providers, the plurality of service objects being transmitted from the plurality of service providers responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means, and acquiring a desired service object from among the plurality of received service objects, wherein said second acquisition means rejects a service search request transmitted from another client'"'"'s apparatus responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means.

2. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when one of the plurality of service providers receives a multicast notification from a transmission originating site, the service provider transmits the service object of the service provider to the transmission originating site in order to register the service object in the transmission originating site.

3. A communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the look-up service issues the multi cast notification to the network, and registers the service object transmitted from the service provider responding to the multi cast notification.

4. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition means acquires the desired service object by deleting a service object other than the desired service object, among the plurality of received service objects.

5. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the service object includes an agent which is program codes for using each service of the service provider, and attribute information of the service.

6. A service providing system in which a plurality of service providers and a look-up service that registers a plurality of service objects defining services provided by the plurality of service providers are connected to a communication terminal via a network where the communication terminal uses the services of the service provider by using the service objects, the communication terminal comprises:

look-up service search means for searching the look-up service in the network;

determining means for determining whether said look-up service search means can search the look-up service;

first acquisition means for acquiring, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search means can search the look-up service, a desired service object from the searched look-up service by transmitting a service search request to the look-up service and receiving the desired service object, which is searched based on the service search request in the searched look-up service, from the look-up service;

multicast notification means for issuing, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search means cannot search the look-up service, a multicast notification to the network in order to request the plurality of service providers to transmit respective service objects; and

second acquisition means for receiving a plurality of service objects from the plurality of service providers, the plurality of service objects being transmitted from the plurality of service providers responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means, and acquiring a desired service object from among the plurality of received service objects, wherein said second acquisition means rejects a service search request transmitted from another client'"'"'s apparatus responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means.

7. A method of using a service of a plurality of service providers by using a plurality of service objects provided by the plurality of service providers, where a communication terminal is connected, via a network, to the plurality of service providers and to a look-up service that registers a plurality of service objects defining services provided by the plurality of service providers, the method comprising:

a look-up service search step of searching the look-up service in the network;

a determining step of determining whether said look-up service search step can search the look-up service;

a first acquisition step of acquiring, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search step can search the look-up service, a desired service object from the searched look-up service by transmitting a service search request to the look-up service and receiving the desired service object, which is searched based on the service search request in the searched look-up service, from the look-up service;

a multicast notification step of issuing, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search step cannot search the look-up service, a multicast notification to the network in order to request the plurality of service providers to transmit respective service objects; and

a second acquisition step for receiving a plurality of service objects from the plurality of service providers, the plurality of service objects being transmitted from the plurality of service providers responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means, and acquiring a desired service object from among the plurality of received service objects, wherein said second acquisition means rejects a service search request transmitted from another client'"'"'s apparatus responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means.

8. A service use method according to claim 7, wherein when one of the plurality of service providers receives a multicast notification from a transmission originating site, the service provider transmits the service object of the service provider to the transmission originating site in order to register the service object in the transmission originating site.

9. A service use method according to claim 8, wherein the look-up service issues the multi cast notification to the network, and registers the service object transmitted from the service provider responding to the multi cast notification.

10. A service use method according to claim 7, wherein said second acquisition step acquires the desired service object by deleting a service object other than the desired service object, among the plurality of received service objects.

11. A service use method according to claim 7, wherein the service object includes an agent which is program codes used for using each service of the service provider, and attribute information of the service.

12. A storage medium storing a computer readable program for using a service of a plurality of service providers by using a plurality of service objects provided by the plurality of service providers, where a communication terminal is connected, via a network, to the plurality of service providers and to a look-up service that registers service objects defining the services provided by the plurality of service providers, said computer readable program comprising codes for executing steps including:

a look-up service search step of searching the look-up service in the network;

a determining step of determining whether said look-up service search step can search the look-up service;

a first acquisition step of acquiring, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search step can search the look-up service, a desired service object from the searched look-up service by transmitting a service search request to the look-up service and receiving the desired service object, which is searched based on the service search request in the searched look-up service, from the look-up service;

a multicast notification step of issuing, if said determining means determines that said look-up service search step cannot search the look-up service, a multicast notification to the network in order to request the plurality of service providers to transmit respective service objects; and

a second acquisition step for receiving a plurality of service objects from the plurality of service providers, the plurality of service objects being transmitted from the plurality of service providers responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means, and acquiring a desired service object from among the plurality of received service objects, wherein said second acquisition means rejects a service search request transmitted from another client'"'"'s apparatus responsive to the multicast notification issued by said multicast notification means.