Relay server

• US 9,225,856 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Ohara, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes, Ted
• Application Number:
  US13/846,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A relay server may register combination information in an information memory. The combination information may include specific account information for a user who uses a communication device and first account information for the user. The first account information may be registered in the service providing server. The relay server may relay a data communication between the service providing server and the communication device by using the first account information included in the combination information including the specific account information in a case where the specific account information is received from the communication device after the combination information has been registered in the information memory. The data communication may be a communication for the communication device to receive a provision of a service from the service providing server.

Claims

1. A relay server configured to relay a data communication between a plurality of service providing servers and a plurality of communication devices, the relay server comprising:

one or more processors; and

an instruction memory that stores computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causing the relay server to execute;

registering first combination information in an information memory, the first combination information including specific account information for a specific user, first account information for the specific user, first service identifying information for identifying a first service provided by a first service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and first device identifying information for identifying a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the specific account information used when the specific user uses each of the first communication device and a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the first account information being registered in the first service providing server;

registering second combination information in the information memory, the second combination information including the specific account information, second account information for the specific user, second service identifying information for identifying a second service provided by a second service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and the first device identifying information, the second account information being registered in the second service providing server, the second service providing server being different from the first service providing server;

registering third combination information in the information memory, the third combination information including the specific account information, third account information for the specific user, third service identifying information for identifying a third service provided by a third service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and second device identifying information for identifying the second communication device, the third account information being registered in the third service providing server;

receiving first login information including the specific account information and the first device identifying information from the first communication device;

sending a first service list to the first communication device, the first service list including the first service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory and the second service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the first login information is received after the first combination information and the second combination information are registered in the information memory;

receiving from the first communication device the specific account information and the first service identifying information, included in the first service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device;

relaying a first data communication between the first service providing server and the first communication device by using the first account information included in the first combination information in a case where the specific account information and the first service identifying information are received after the first combination information has been registered in the information memory, the first data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the first service from the first service providing server;

receiving from the first communication device the specific account information and the second service identifying information, included in the first service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device;

relaying a second data communication between the second service providing server and the first communication device by using the second account information included in the second combination information in a case where the specific account information and the second service identifying information are received after the second combination information has been registered in the information memory, the second data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the second service from the second service providing server;

receiving second login information including the specific account information and the second device identifying information from the second communication device;

sending a second service list to the second communication device, the second service list including the third service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the second device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the second login information is received after the third combination information are registered in the information memory;

receiving from the second communication device the specific account information and the third service identifying information, included in the second service list, selected by the specific user on the second communication device; and

relaying a third data communication between the third service providing server and the second communication device by using the third account information included in the third combination information in a case where the specific account information and the third service identifying information are received after the third combination information has been registered in the information memory, the third data communication being a communication for the second communication device to receive a provision of the third service from the third service providing server.

2. The relay server according to claim 1, wherein

the above relaying the first data communication includes

not relaying the first data communication in a case where the specific account information and device identifying information different from the first device identifying information are received from a communication device different from the first communication device after the first combination information has been registered in the information memory.

3. The relay server according to claim 1, wherein

the first data communication includes receiving first data from the first service providing server and sending specific data obtained by using the first data to the first communication device so that a first image represented by the first data stored in the first service providing server is outputted in the first communication device.

4. The relay server according to claim 3, wherein

the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the relay server to further execute:

acquiring format information indicating a specific data format that is a data format that the first communication device is able to output, and

the above relaying the first data communication includes sending the specific data with the specific data format to the first communication device by using the format information.

5. The relay server according to claim 1, wherein

the first data communication includes receiving second data from the first communication device and sending the second data to the first service providing server so that the second data generated by the first communication device performing scanning is stored in the first service providing server.

6. The relay server according to claim 1, wherein

the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the relay server to further execute:

receiving registering instruction from the first communication device, the registering instruction including the specific account information, the first account information, the first service identifying information, and the first device identifying information, wherein

the registering first combination information includes registering the first combination information using the specific account information, the first account information, the first service identifying information, and the first device identifying information included in the received registering instruction.

7. A relay server configured to relay a data communication between a plurality of service providing servers and a plurality of communication devices, the relay server comprising:

a registering unit configured to register;

first combination information in an information memory, the first combination information including specific account information for a specific user, first account information for the specific user, first service identifying information for identifying a first service provided by a first service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and first device identifying information for identifying a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the specific account information used when the specific user uses each of the first communication device and a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the first account information being registered in the first service providing server;

second combination information in the information memory, the second combination information including the specific account information, second account information for the specific user, and second service identifying information for identifying a second service provided by a second service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and the first device identifying information, the second account information being registered in the second service providing server, the second service providing server being different from the first service providing server;

third combination information in the information memory, the third combination information including the specific account information, third account information for the specific user, third service identifying information for identifying a third service provided by a third service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and second device identifying information for identifying the second communication device, the third account information being registered in the third service providing server;

a first receiving unit configured to receive first login information including the specific account information and the first device identifying information from the first communication device;

a second unit configured to send a first service list to the first communication device, the first service list including the first service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory and the second service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the first login information is received after the first combination information and the second combination information are registered in the information memory;

a second receiving unit configured to receive from the first communication device the specific account information and one of the first service identifying information and the second service identifying information, included in the first service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device; and

a relaying unit configured to relay;

a first data communication between the first service providing server and the first communication device by using the first account information included in the first combination information including the specific account information and the first service identifying information in a case where the specific account information and the first service identifying information, included in the service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device are received from the first communication device after the first combination information has been registered in the information memory, the first data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the first service from the first service providing server; and

a second data communication by using the second account information included in the second combination information including the specific account information and the second service identifying information in a case where the specific account information and the second service identifying information, included in the service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device are received from the first communication device after the second combination information has been registered in the information memory, the second data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the second service from the second service providing server;

wherein

the first receiving unit is further configured to receive second login information including the specific account information and the second device identifying information from the second communication device;

the sending unit is further configured to send a second service list to the second communication device, the second service list including the third service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the second device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the second login information is received after the third combination information are registered in the information memory;

the second receiving unit is further configured to receive from the second communication device the specific account information and the third service identifying information, included in the second service list, selected by the specific user on the second communication device; and

the relaying unit is further configured to relay a third data communication between the third service providing server and the second communication device by using the third account information included in the third combination information in a case where the specific account information and the third service identifying information are received after the third combination information has been registered in the information memory, the third data communication being a communication for the second communication device to receive a provision of the third service from the third service providing server.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for a relay server configured to relay a data communication between a plurality of service providing servers and a plurality of communication devices, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by one or more processors mounted on the relay server, causing the relay server to execute:

registering first combination information in an information memory, the first combination information including specific account information for a specific user, first account information for the specific user, first service identifying information for identifying a first service provided by a first service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and first device identifying information for identifying a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the specific account information used when the specific user uses each of the first communication device and a second communication device of the plurality of communication devices, the first account information being registered in the first service providing server;

registering second combination information in the information memory, the second combination information including the specific account information, second account information for the specific user, second service identifying information for identifying a second service provided by a second service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and the first device identifying information, the second account information being registered in the second service providing server, the second service providing server being different from the first service providing server;

registering third combination information in the information memory, the third combination information including the specific account information, third account information for the specific user, third service identifying information for identifying a third service provided by a third service providing server of the plurality of service providing servers, and second device identifying information for identifying the second communication device, the third account information being registered in the third service providing server;

receiving first login information including the specific account information and the first device identifying information from the first communication device;

sending a first service list to the first communication device, the first service list including the first service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory and the second service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the first device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the first login information is received after the first combination information and the second combination information are registered in the information memory;

receiving from the first communication device the specific account information and the first service identifying information, included in the first service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device;

relaying a first data communication between the first service providing server and the first communication device by using the first account information included in the first combination information in a case where the specific account information and the first service identifying information are received after the first combination information has been registered in the information memory, the first data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the first service from the first service providing server;

receiving from the first communication device the specific account information and the second service identifying information, included in the first service list, selected by the specific user on the first communication device;

relaying a second data communication between the second service providing server and the first communication device by using the second account information included in the second combination information in a case where the specific account information and the second service identifying information are received after the second combination information has been registered in the information memory, the second data communication being a communication for the first communication device to receive a provision of the second service from the second service providing server;

receiving second login information including the specific account information and the second device identifying information from the second communication device;

sending a second service list to the second communication device, the second service list including the third service identifying information combined with the specific account information and the second device identifying information in the information memory in a case where the second login information is received after the third combination information are registered in the information memory;

receiving from the second communication device the specific account information and the third service identifying information, included in the second service list, selected by the specific user on the second communication device; and

relaying a third data communication between the third service providing server and the second communication device by using the third account information included in the third combination information in a case where the specific account information and the third service identifying information are received after the third combination information has been registered in the information memory, the third data communication being a communication for the second communication device to receive a provision of the third service from the third service providing server.