Apparatus, method, and program for executing protocol converting process

• US 7,895,361 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishio, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLeod; Marshall
• Application Number:
  US10/549,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,477 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/227, 709/230, 709/250, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

When a device searches a network, there is a case where the device is recognized as different devices as one searched by a protocol A and the other searched by a protocol B. In a proxy server 9300 for executing a protocol converting process in a network system, whether or not another protocol converting apparatus for executing a predetermined protocol converting process does not exist on the network is searched. When another protocol converting apparatus is searched on the network, whether or not the searched protocol converting apparatus has executed the protocol converting process is discriminated.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for executing a network communication protocol converting process for a predetermined network communication protocol in a network system in which a plurality of kinds of network communication protocols exist, the apparatus comprising:

searching means for searching for one or more network communication protocol converting apparatuses on a network that can execute the network communication protocol converting process, based on a response to a message notified via the network, the message including a status indicating that the control apparatus is activated and information regarding a network communication protocol that the control apparatus can convert;

recognizing means for, if a network communication protocol converting apparatus is found by the searching means, recognizing whether a number of network communication protocol converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found by the search means has reached a maximum number of network communication protocol converting processes that can be executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus, wherein the maximum number is two or more; and

activating means for activating the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus, if the recognizing means recognizes that the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found by the search means has reached the maximum number

wherein the activating means does not activate the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus and the searching means conducts a search again after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, if the recognizing means does not recognize that the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found by the search means has reached the maximum number; and

notifying means for notifying via the network a message including a status indicating that the network communication protocol converting process activated by the activating means is stopped, when the network communication protocol converting process activated by the activating means is stopped, in order to cause a network communication protocol converting apparatus other than the control apparatus to take over the network communication protocol converting process.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the recognizing means does not recognize that the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found by the search means has reached the maximum number, an operating mode is switched to a sleep mode.

3. A control method performed by a control apparatus for executing a network communication protocol converting process for a predetermined network communication protocol in a network system in which a plurality of kinds of network communication protocols exist, the method comprising:

a searching step of searching for one or more network communication protocol converting apparatuses on a network that can execute the network communication protocol converting process, based on a response to a message notified via the network, the message including a status indicating that the control apparatus is activated and information regarding a network communication protocol that the control apparatus can convert;

a recognizing step of, if a network communication protocol converting apparatus is found in the searching step, recognizing whether a number of network communication protocol converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step has reached a maximum number of network communication protocol converting processes that can be executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus, wherein the maximum number is two or more; and

an activating step of activating the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus, if the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step is recognized in the recognizing step as having reached the maximum number,

wherein the activating step is not performed to activate the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus and the searching, in the searching step, is conducted again after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, if the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step is not recognized in the recognizing step as having reached the maximum number; and

a notifying step of notifying via the network a message including a status indicating that the network communication protocol converting process activated in the activating step is stopped, when the network communication protocol converting process activated in the activating step is stopped, in order to cause a network communication protocol converting apparatus other than the control apparatus to take over the network communication protocol converting process.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, if the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step is not recognized in the recognizing step as having reached the maximum number, an operating mode is switched to a sleep mode.

5. A computer-recordable storage medium that stores a control program that performs a control method for a network communication protocol converting process for a predetermined network communication protocol in a network system in which a plurality of kinds of network communication protocols exist, wherein the control program causes a computer to execute:

a searching step of searching for one or more network communication protocol converting apparatuses on a network that can execute the network communication protocol converting process, based on a response to a message notified via the network, the message including a status indicating that the control apparatus is activated and information regarding a network communication protocol that the control apparatus can convert;

a recognizing step of, if a network communication protocol converting apparatus is found in the searching step, recognizing whether a number of network communication protocol converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step has reached a maximum number of network communication protocol converting processes that can be executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus, wherein the maximum number is two or more; and

an activating step of activating the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus, if the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step is recognized in the recognizing step as having reached the maximum number,

wherein the activating step is not performed to activate the network communication protocol converting process in the control apparatus and the searching, in the searching step, is conducted again after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, if the number of network communication converting processes currently being executed by the network communication protocol converting apparatus found in the search step is not recognized in the recognizing step as having reached the maximum number; and

a notifying step of notifying via the network a message including a status indicating that the network communication protocol converting process activated in the activating step is stopped, when the network communication protocol converting process activated in the activating step is stopped, in order to cause a network communication protocol converting apparatus other than the control apparatus to take over the network communication protocol converting process.