Peer-to-peer communications system and computer readable medium

• US 7,761,576 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Asai, Arito
• Primary Examiner(s): Tang; Karen C
• Application Number:
  US10/866,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: 709/237, 709/227, 709/223, 709/229, 709/226, 726/15
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A private network terminal device issues, to a repeating installation, a relay request for relaying a connection request. A global network terminal device connects with the repeating installation, to transmit the connection request. The repeating installation relays the connection request and relays communication between the terminal devices in an as-is manner. Here, the private network terminal device separately commences new connection with the global network terminal device through direct connection and transmits a replacement request for replacing the connection by way of the repeating installation with this direct connection. The global network terminal device transmits a disconnection request to the repeating installation. The private network terminal device disconnects communication with the repeating installation. The global network terminal device disconnects communication with the repeating installation, thereby commencing communication with the private network terminal device through direct connection. Subsequently, peer-to-peer communication is performed through use of the direct connection.

Claims

1. A peer-to-peer communications system comprising:

a private network terminal device having only a private address;

a global network terminal device having a first global address; and

a repeating installation device having a second global address, wherein the private network terminal device is configured to generate a relay request to be transmitted to the repeating installation device to instruct the repeating installation device to relay a subsequent connection request to the private network terminal device, wherein the connection request is initially sent from the global network terminal device to the repeating installation device to request connection with the private network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation device is configured to receive the relay request transmitted from the private network and the connection request transmitted from the global network terminal device, wherein the private network terminal device is directly connected with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request to transmit, to the global network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation device between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device in which the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device do not communicate further with the repeating installation device, wherein, in response to a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication with the repeating installation device, transmitted by the global network terminal device after receiving said replacement request and subsequently received in the private network terminal device, said first communication with the repeating installation device is disconnected and the second communication is commenced, and wherein the repeating installation device relays the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation transmits the disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device.

2. The peer-to-peer communications system according to claim 1, wherein the private network terminal transmits a disconnection request receipt acknowledgment to the global network terminal device in reply to the disconnection request and after receiving the disconnection request, and the global network terminal device disconnects the communication with the repeating installation device after receiving the disconnection request receipt acknowledgment.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a special type indicator to the data packet message when the size of the data packet message is less than the predetermined maximum size, wherein the transmitting of the data packet message over the reservation channel further comprises transmitting the special type indicator along with the data packet message.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

a private network terminal device for a peer-to-peer communications system that includes the private network terminal device having only a private address, a global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation device having a second global address, wherein the private network terminal device, transmits, to the repeating installation device, a relay request for relaying a connection request to the private network terminal device, the connection request issued by the global network terminal device for connection with the private network terminal device;

receives the connection request via the repeating installation device;

directly connects with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request, to transmit, to the global network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation device between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device in which the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device do not communicate further with the repeating installation device;

receives, from the global network terminal device, a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication; and

disconnects the first communication with the repeating installation device after receiving the disconnection request, wherein the repeating installation device transmits the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation transmits the disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device.

4. The private network terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the private network terminal device transmits, to the global network terminal device, a receipt acknowledgment in reply to the received disconnection request.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a global network terminal device for a peer-to-peer communications system that includes a private network terminal device having only a private address, the global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation device having a second global address, wherein the global network terminal device, transmits, from the global network terminal device to the repeating installation device, a connection request for connection with the private network terminal device;

receives, from the private network terminal device, a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation device between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication by way of a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device in which the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device do not communicate further with the repeating installation device;

transmits, to the private network terminal device, a disconnection request for disconnecting a communication with the repeating installation device after receiving the replacement request; and

disconnects the first communication with the repeating installation device and commences the second communication, wherein the repeating installation device transmits the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation transmits the disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a set of instructions, executable by a private network terminal having only a private address, for communication in a peer-to-peer communications system including the private network terminal, a global network terminal device having a first global address, and a repeating installation device having a second global address, wherein the set of instructions when read by a processor cause the processor to execute a method comprising:

transmitting to the repeating installation device a relay request for relaying to the private network terminal device a connection request issued by the global network terminal device for connection with the private network terminal device;

receiving the connection request from the global network terminal device via the repeating installation device;

directly connecting with the global network terminal device after receiving the connection request, to transmit to the global network terminal device a replacement request for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation device between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device, with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device in which the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device do not communicate further with the repeating installation device; and

disconnecting the first communication in response to a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication received from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device transmits the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation transmits the disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a set of instructions executable by a global network terminal device having a first global address, for communication in a peer-to-peer communications system that includes a private network terminal device having only a private address, the global network terminal device, and a repeating installation device having a second global address, wherein the set of instructions when read by a processor cause the processor to execute a method comprising:

generating and transmitting to the repeating installation device a connection request for connection with the private network terminal device;

in response to a replacement request from the private network terminal for replacing a first communication via the repeating installation between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device with a second communication via a direct connection between the private network terminal device and said global network terminal device that bypasses the repeating installation device, transmitting to the private network terminal device a disconnection request for disconnecting the first communication; and

disconnecting the first communication and commencing the second communication, wherein the repeating installation device transmits the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, and wherein the repeating installation transmits the disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device.

9. A method of communication in a peer-to-peer network including a private network terminal device, a global network terminal device, and a repeating installation device, the method comprising:

(a) creating a standby condition for receiving a connection request in the private network terminal device;

(b) in response to the connection request transmitted by an indirect connection from the global network terminal device to the private network terminal device via the repeating installation device wherein the repeating installation device transmits the connection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the connection request from the global network terminal device, establishing a direct connection between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device in which the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device do not communicate further with the repeating installation device;

(c) requesting disconnection of the indirect connection based on a replacement request from the private network terminal device to the global network terminal device via the direct connection, wherein the repeating installation transmits a disconnection request to the private network terminal device when the repeating installation device receives the disconnection request from the global network terminal device;

(d) in response to said (c), disconnecting the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device from the repeating installation device; and

(e) performing direct communication between the private network terminal device and the global network terminal device via said direct connection, wherein the repeating installation device is temporally used only when the private network terminal device connects the global network terminal device;

wherein said (a) includes creating the standby condition in the private network terminal device based on a relay request receipt acknowledgment from the repeating installation device generated in response to a relay request for relay of a connection request from the global network terminal device; and

said (d) includes transmitting a disconnection request receipt acknowledgment from the private network terminal device to the repeating installation device based on the disconnection request and then disconnecting the private network terminal device from the repeating installation device, and forwarding the disconnection request receipt acknowledgment from the repeating installation to the global network terminal device and then disconnecting the global network terminal device from the repeating installation device.