Control system and control method, method and apparatus for processing information, information processing terminal and method thereof, storage medium, and program

• US 7,603,465 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tadashi, Oshima, Takuya, Ota, Toyokazu, Miura, Atsushi, Akashika, Hideki, Hirano, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US10/714,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-228, 709/208
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

A client (such as a PC, portable telephone, PDA, electrical appliances), to which a device such as a IC card is connected, starts a handshake protocol to request a server to start communication. When communication is established via the handshake protocol, the initiative of communication is transferred to the server, and the state changes into a neutral state. In this neutral state, a control packet including a particular number of messages and a finished message is transmitted from the server to the client. If the client receives the control packet, the client performs a process according to the messages included in the control packet. This makes it possible to remotely control a device via a network in a highly reliable and efficient manner.

Claims

1. A control system comprising an information processing apparatus and an information terminal connected with each other via a network, the system comprising:

the information terminal comprising;

request means for, in a state in which a device is connected with the information terminal, requesting the information processing apparatus to establish communication via the network;

receiving means for receiving a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command, from the information processing apparatus via communication established in response to the request issued by the request means; and

control means for controlling the device in accordance with the command included in the packet received by the receiving means,

the information processing apparatus comprising;

establishment means for establishing communication performed via the network between the information processing apparatus and the information terminal, in response to the request issued by the information terminal; and

transmission means for transmitting the packet to the information terminal from the information processing apparatus after the communication with the information terminal is established by the establishment means,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

2. A control method for controlling a control system comprising an information processing apparatus and an information terminal connected with each other via a network, the method comprising an information processing method associated with the information terminal and an information processing method associated with the information processing apparatus,

the information processing method associated with the information terminal comprising:

in a state in which a device is connected with the information terminal, requesting the information processing apparatus to establish communication via the network;

receiving a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command, from the information processing apparatus via communication established in response to the request issued in the requesting; and

controlling the device in accordance with the command included in the packet received in the receiving,

the information processing method associated with the information processing apparatus comprising;

establishing communication performed via the network between the information processing apparatus and the information terminal, in response to the request issued by the information terminal; and

transmitting the packet to the information terminal from the information processing apparatus after the communication with the information terminal is established,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

3. An information processing apparatus for controlling a device connected with an information terminal with a particular timing via the information terminal connected via a network with the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:

establishment means for establishing communication performed via the network between the information processing apparatus and the information terminal, in response to a request issued, in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, by the information terminal; and

transmission means for transmitting a first packet, including a command for controlling the device and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command to the information terminal from the information processing apparatus after the communication with the information terminal is established by the establishment means,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising receiving means for receiving, from the information terminal, a second packet including a response to the command transmitted from the transmission means.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first packet transmitted by the transmission means includes a plurality of commands belonging to a same protocol.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission means transmits, together with the first packet, a simple program for causing the information terminal to determine which process should be performed by the device.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first packet transmitted by the transmission means includes identification information identifying the device to be controlled in accordance with the command.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the communication link includes communicating via a firewall, the transmission means transmits the first packet using HTTP as a communication protocol.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising command means for commanding the information terminal to start transmitting predetermined information in the communication established by the establishment means.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the transmission means maintains the communication link using HTTP established by the establishment means for a period during which a plurality of first packets are transmitted.

11. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus to control a device connected with an information terminal with a particular timing via the information terminal connected via a network with the information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

establishing communication performed via the network between the information processing apparatus and the information terminal, in response to a request issued, in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, by the information terminal; and

transmitting a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command to the information terminal from the information processing apparatus after the communication with the information terminal is established,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

12. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor cause a computer to perform a process of controlling a device connected with an information terminal with a particular timing via the information terminal connected via a network with the computer, the process comprising:

establishing communication performed via the network between the information processing apparatus and the information terminal, in response to a request issued, in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, by the information terminal; and

transmitting a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command to the information terminal from the information processing apparatus after the communication with the information terminal is established,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

13. An information terminal connected via a network with an information processing apparatus for remotely controlling a device, comprising:

request means for, in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, requesting the information processing apparatus to establish communication via the network;

receiving means for receiving a first packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command, from the information processing apparatus via communication established in response to the request issued by the request means; and

control means for controlling the device in accordance with the command included in the first packet received by the receiving means,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

14. An information terminal according to claim 13, further comprising transmission means for transmitting to the information processing apparatus a second packet including a response indicating a result of controlling performed by the control means on the device.

15. An information processing method for an information terminal connected via a network with an information processing apparatus for remotely controlling a device, the method comprising:

in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, requesting the information processing apparatus to establish communication via the network;

receiving a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command, from the information processing apparatus via communication established in response to the request issued in the requesting; and

controlling the device in accordance with the command included in the packet received in the receiving,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.

16. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor cause a computer to perform information processing performed between the computer and an information processing apparatus for remotely controlling a device, the process comprising:

in a state in which the device is connected with the information terminal, requesting the information processing apparatus to establish communication via the network;

receiving a packet, including a command for controlling the device, and a script indicating processes to be performed to complete the command, from the information processing apparatus via communication established in response to the request issued in the requesting; and

controlling the device in accordance with the command included in the packet received in the receiving,

wherein the command includes information indicating whether, when the information terminal fails to perform a process to be performed in order to complete the command, an other process should be continued in accordance with a following command, part of the processes in the script for controlling the device are performed in the information terminal, and after the processes in the script are performed, a response packet, including responses from the device to the information terminal, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.