Control information transmission method, intermediary server, and controlled device
First Claim
1. A control information transmission method for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router not publicizing an IP address thereof, and compatible with a protocol on a client side and a server side of HTTP;
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said method comprising the steps of;
transmitting, by said controlled device, a connection request signal to said intermediary server, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said intermediary server being set as an active connection mode;
receiving, by said intermediary server, the transmitted connection request signal, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said controlled device being set as a passive connection mode, and authenticating said controlled device;
changing, by said controlled device, the TCP connection mode of said controlled device to the passive connection mode and changing, by said intermediary server, the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server to the active connection mode after authenticating, by said intermediary server, said controlled device as a controlled device enabled for communication;
making said controlled device wait as a server in an operation wait status under the HTTP protocol while maintaining a TCP connection in which the TCP connection mode of said controlled device has been changed to the passive connection mode and the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server has been changed to the active connection mode; and
transmitting, by said intermediary server, when receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal via the Internet for controlling said controlled device, the control information to said controlled device waiting as the server.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A controlled device (12) sends a signal to a intermediary server (21) at a predetermined time interval, and the intermediary server (21) receives the signal from the controlled device (12) with a private address allocated by a router (11) and changes an operation mode from a passive mode to an active mode. The operation of the controlled device (12) is changed to the passive mode. The intermediary server (21) continuously establishes a communication path with the controlled device (12). The intermediary server (21), which receives control information from a control terminal (41), relays data transmitted via two communication paths, that is, a communication path established with the control terminal (41) and a communication path established with the controlled device (12), to allow the control terminal (41) to control the controlled device (12) operating in the passive mode.
45 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A control information transmission method for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router not publicizing an IP address thereof, and compatible with a protocol on a client side and a server side of HTTP;
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said method comprising the steps of;transmitting, by said controlled device, a connection request signal to said intermediary server, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said intermediary server being set as an active connection mode; receiving, by said intermediary server, the transmitted connection request signal, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said controlled device being set as a passive connection mode, and authenticating said controlled device; changing, by said controlled device, the TCP connection mode of said controlled device to the passive connection mode and changing, by said intermediary server, the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server to the active connection mode after authenticating, by said intermediary server, said controlled device as a controlled device enabled for communication; making said controlled device wait as a server in an operation wait status under the HTTP protocol while maintaining a TCP connection in which the TCP connection mode of said controlled device has been changed to the passive connection mode and the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server has been changed to the active connection mode; and transmitting, by said intermediary server, when receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal via the Internet for controlling said controlled device, the control information to said controlled device waiting as the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
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6. An intermediary server for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router, not publicizing an IP address thereof, and compatible with a protocol on a client side and a server side of HTTP;
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said intermediary server comprising;connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request signal, which is transmitted from said controlled device whose TCP connection mode for communication with said intermediary server being set as an active connection mode, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said controlled device being set as a passive connection mode; authentication means for authenticating said controlled device by detecting if the connection request signal received by said connection request receiving means is a signal sent from a controlled device enabled for communication; connection mode changing means for changing the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server to the active connection mode after said authentication means authenticates said controlled device; connection maintenance means for maintaining a TCP connection with said controlled device whose TCP mode is changed to the passive connection mode, in a condition where the TCP connection mode of said intermediary server has been changed to the active connection mode by said connection mode changing means; and control information transmitting means for transmitting, when receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal via the Internet for controlling said controlled device in a condition where the TCP connection is maintained by said connection maintenance means, the control information to said controlled device waiting as a server in an operation wait status under the HTTP protocol. - View Dependent Claims (7)
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
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8. A controlled device for use in a communication system comprising a controlled device connected to the Internet via a router, not publicizing an IP address thereof, and compatible with a protocol on a client side and a server side of HTTP;
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
an intermediary server, connected to the Internet, for receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal and transmitting the control information to said controlled device for carrying out communication between said controlled device and said terminal, said controlled device comprising;connection request transmission means for transmitting a connection request signal to said intermediary server, whose TCP connection mode for communication with said controlled device is set as a passive connection mode, with a TCP connection mode for communication with said intermediary server being set as an active connection mode; connection mode changing means for changing the TCP connection mode of said controlled device to the passive connection mode after the connection request signal transmitted from said connection request transmitting means is received by said intermediary server and said controlled device is authenticated by said intermediary server, as a controlled device enabled for communication; waiting means for waiting as a server in an operation wait status under the HTTP protocol while maintaining a TCP connection with said intermediary server whose the TCP connection mode is changed to the active connection mode, in a condition where the TCP connection mode of said controlled device has been changed to the passive connection mode by said connection mode changing means; receiving means for receiving the control information transmitted from said terminal via the Internet and relayed by said intermediary server in a condition where said waiting means waits as the server in the operation wait status under HTTP protocol; and control operation means for performing a control operation based on the control information received by said receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
- a terminal for transmitting control information via the Internet for controlling said controlled device; and
Specification