Integrated application management system, apparatus and program, and integrated session management server, system, program and server chassis, and communication system, session management server and integration application server

• US 8,037,170 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoshiuchi, Hideya, Setoyama, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US11/190,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20050267895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,266 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Disclosed here is an integrated application system for enabling a new application to be added and a user to select an optional application easily. The integrated application system includes a plurality of clients for receiving services from a plurality of application servers for supplying a plurality of services and a management apparatus for controlling services supplied by the application servers to the clients according to an integrated service starting request from any of clients. Each of the clients includes a client management unit for controlling participation of a plurality of application clients corresponding to a plurality of services in an integrated service. The client management unit selects each application used in the integrated service and a client that participates in the integrated service respectively and sends an integrated service starting request to the management apparatus while the management apparatus instructs each of the selected application servers to start a service according to the integrated service starting request from the client management unit.

Claims

1. An integrated session management server including a packet operating unit connected to a plurality of application servers through a network, the plurality of application servers being connected to a plurality of terminals through the network;

wherein said integrated session management server further includes;

a memory; and

a CPU;

wherein said packet operation unit receives one integrated session ID, a plurality of terminal IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID, and a plurality of application IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID from one terminal of said plurality of terminals, said plurality of terminal IDs identifying corresponding terminals of said plurality of terminals;

wherein said packet operating unit can send an instruction for starting communication with said terminals corresponding to said plurality of terminals IDs, said integrated session ID, and said plurality of terminal IDs to said plurality of application servers corresponding to said plurality of application IDs, and send said integrated session ID to said terminals corresponding to said plurality of terminal IDs other than said one terminal;

wherein said memory can retain information denoting the start or end of communication between said plurality of application servers and said plurality of terminals;

wherein the packet operating unit can be connected to a new application server in addition to said plurality of application servers; and

wherein said memory can further retain an address of said new application server used on said network and information denoting a start or end of communication between said new application server and each of said plurality of terminals.

2. An integrated session management system, including:

a plurality of application servers, each having a memory, a CPU, and a packet operating unit connected to a plurality of terminals respectively; and

an integrated session management server connected to those application servers;

wherein said packet operation unit of said integrated session management server can receive one session integrated session ID, a plurality of terminal IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID, and a plurality of application IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID from one of said terminals and send said integrated session ID and said plurality of terminal IDs to said plurality of application servers corresponding to said plurality of application IDs, said plurality of terminal IDs identifying corresponding terminals of said plurality of terminals;

wherein said memory of said integrated session management server can retain information denoting the start or end of communication between said plurality of application servers and said plurality of terminals;

wherein said packet operating unit of each of said plurality of application servers corresponding to said plurality of application IDs can receive said integrated session ID and said plurality of terminal IDs from said integrated session management server and send a communication start request to said terminals corresponding to said plurality of terminal IDs other than said one terminal;

wherein the packet operating unit can be connected to a new application server in addition to said plurality of application servers; and

wherein said memory of said integrated session management server can further retain a network address of said new application server used and information denoting a start or end of communication between said new application server and each of said plurality of terminals.

3. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a CPU to implement an integrated session starting method in a terminal that includes a packet operating unit and a CPU connected to a plurality of application servers and an integrated session management server, respectively, said integrated session starting method comprising:

sending one integrated session ID, a plurality of application server IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID, and a plurality of terminal IDs corresponding to said integrated session ID through said packet operation unit, said plurality of terminal IDs identifying corresponding terminals of a plurality of terminals;

enabling said packet operating unit to receive a communication starting request from each of said plurality of application servers corresponding to said plurality of application IDs and to send said integrated session ID to said plurality of terminals corresponding to said plurality of terminal IDs;

enabling the packet operating unit to connect to a new application server in addition to said plurality of application servers; and

retaining a network address of said new application server used on said network and information denoting a start or end of communication between said new application server and each of said plurality of terminals.

4. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 3, wherein said integrated session starting method further comprises:

displaying information denoting a plurality of applications that can be supplied from said plurality of application servers on said display unit;

displaying at least one of a plurality of applications that can be supplied from said plurality of application servers selected according to an input from said input interface; and

sending at least one of a plurality of application server IDs, which supplies said selected application to said integrated session management server together with said terminal ID through said packet operating unit.