Relay server and relay communication system arranged to share resources between networks

• US 8,010,647 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanimoto, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US11/953,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/229, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate with a relay server in a different LAN, includes: an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN; a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information; a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information; a check unit that checks whether the client terminals stored in the account information registering unit can be accessed; a relay group information notifying unit that updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the relevant relay server; and a shared resource information notifying unit that updates the relevant shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the relevant client terminal which is stored in the account information registering unit.

Claims

1. A relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate via a WAN with at least one different relay server connected to a different LAN, the relay server comprising:

an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and at least one different relay server and permits accesses to each other, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

a relay group relay information sharing unit that shares the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, state information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources; and

a shared resource information sharing unit that shares the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

wherein

the relay group information sharing unit includes a relay group information notifying unit;

when checking whether or not client terminals stored in the account information registering unit are in logon status and checking that a client terminal is changed in logon status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit; and

when receiving a change notification of relay group information or updating the relay group information under a state in which client terminals being changed in logon status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals.

2. A relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate via a WAN with a plurality of different relay servers connected to LANs, the relay server comprising:

an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and a plurality of different relay servers and permits accesses to each other, status information indicating statuses of the relay servers, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

a relay group relay information sharing unit that shares the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting access to each other;

a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, status information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

a shared resource information sharing unit that shares the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

wherein

the relay group information sharing unit includes a relay group information notifying unit;

when checking whether the different relay servers stored in the relay group information registering unit can be accessed and checking that a different relay server is changed in access status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit; and

when receiving a change notification of relay group information or updating the relay group information, under a state in which client terminals logging onto different relay servers being changed in access status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals.

3. A relay communication system comprising:

a plurality of LANs; and

a relay server and client terminals connected to each LAN,

wherein the relay server includes;

an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and at least one different relay server and permits accesses to each other, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

a relay group relay information sharing unit that shares the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, state information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources; and

a shared resource information sharing unit that shares the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

wherein

the relay group information sharing unit includes a relay group information notifying unit;

when checking whether or not client terminals stored in the account information registering unit are in logon status and checking that a client terminal is changed in logon status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit;

when receiving a change notification of relay group information or updating the relay group information under a state in which client terminals being changed in logon status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals; and

the relay group information and the shared resource information held in the relay communication system are automatically updated.

4. A relay communication system comprising:

a plurality of LANs; and

a relay server and client terminals connected to each LAN,

wherein the relay server includes;

an account information registering unit that stores information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

a relay group information registering unit that stores relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and a plurality of different relay servers and permits accesses to each other, status information indicating statuses of the relay servers, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

a relay group relay information sharing unit that shares the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting access to each other;

a shared resource information registering unit that stores shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, status information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

a shared resource information sharing unit that shares the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

wherein

the relay group information sharing unit includes a relay group information notifying unit;

when checking whether the different relay servers stored in the relay group information registering unit can be accessed and checking that a different relay server is changed in access status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit; and

when receiving a change notification of relay group information or updating the relay group information, under a state in which client terminals logging onto different relay servers being changed in access status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals; and

the relay group information and the shared resource information held in the relay communication system are automatically updated.

5. A management method using a relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate via a WAN with at least one different relay server connected to a different LAN, the management method comprising:

storing information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

storing relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and at least one different relay server and permits accesses to each other, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

sharing the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other;

storing shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, state information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

sharing the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

checking whether or not client terminals stored in the registering of the account information are in logon status and checking that a client terminal is changed in logon status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other, the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit; and

updating the shared resource information and transmitting a change notification of the shared resource information to the shared resource client terminals when receiving a change notification of relay group information, under a state in which client terminals being changed in logon status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information.

6. A management method using a relay server which is connected to a LAN and which can communicate via a WAN with a plurality of different relay servers connected to LANs, the management method comprising:

storing information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

storing relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and a plurality of different relay servers and permits accesses to each other, status information indicating statuses of the relay servers, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

sharing the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting access to each other;

storing shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, status information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

checking whether or not relay servers stored in the registering of the relay group information can be accessed and checking that a different relay server is changed in access status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other, the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit;

updating the relay group information under a state in which client terminals logging onto different relay servers being changed in access status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals.

7. A management method of a relay communication system which has a plurality of LANs and a relay server and client terminals connected to each LAN, the management method comprising:

storing information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

storing relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and at least one different relay server and permits accesses to each other, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

storing shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, state information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

sharing the shared resource information with the resource sharing client terminals and relay servers in which the resource sharing client terminals are in logon status;

checking whether or not client terminals stored in the registering of the account information are in logon status and checking that a client terminal is changed in logon status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other, the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit;

updating the shared resource information and transmitting a change notification of the shared resource information to the shared resource client terminals when receiving a change notification of relay group information or updating the relay group information under a state in which client terminals being changed in logon status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information;

wherein

the relay group information and the shared resource information held in the relay communication system are automatically updated.

8. A management method of a relay communication system which has a plurality of LANs and a relay server and client terminals connected to each LAN, the management method comprising:

storing information on client terminals connected to the LAN to which the relay server is connected;

storing relay group information including information on a group of relay servers which includes the relay server and a plurality of different relay servers and permits accesses to each other and status information indicating statuses of the relay servers, and logon status information on client terminals connected to the relay servers via a LAN;

sharing the relay group information with the group of relay servers permitting access to each other;

storing shared resource information including the names of files or folders which are resources, information on owner client terminals which are client terminals capable of operating an entity of the resources, status information indicating statuses of the resources, and information on resource sharing client terminals which are client terminals sharing the resources;

checking whether or not relay servers stored in the registering of the relay group information can be accessed and checking that a different relay server is changed in access status, the relay group information notifying unit updates the relay group information and transmits a change notification of the relay group information to the group of relay servers permitting accesses to each other, the shared resource information sharing unit includes a shared resource information notifying unit; and

updating the relay group information under a state in which client terminals logging onto different relay servers being changed in access status are owner client terminals of the shared resource information, the shared resource information notifying unit updates the shared resource information and transmits a change notification of the shared resource information to the resource sharing client terminals;

wherein

the relay group information and the shared resource information held in the relay communication system are automatically updated.