Communication system, relay device, and information processing device

• US 9,729,724 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US15/220,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 379 9001, 379 9301, 379 9321, 379157, 379158, 37920101, 37920201, 37920701, 370259, 370260, 370261, 370262, 455411, 4554141, 455416, 455566, 709225
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8072 Group, conference or multi-party call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party service or three-way call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/60 related to security aspects in telephonic communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

A communication system includes: a relay device including: a storage unit configured to store terminal specification information for specifying the third terminal associated with the second terminal, and a first communication control unit configured to connect the third terminal to the first network if an authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information; one or more first terminals connected to a first network; a second terminal connectable to the first network and including a second communication control unit configured to transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal through the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device; and a third terminal connectable to a second network and including a third communication control unit configured to transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device through the second network.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a relay device configured to control communication of a first network;

one or more first terminals connected to the first network;

a second terminal, amongst the one or more first terminals, connectable to the first network and connectable to a second network; and

a third terminal connectable to the second terminal through the second network,

the relay device including;

a storage unit configured to store terminal specification information for specifying the third terminal associated with the second terminal;

a transmission unit configured to transmit relay-device specification information for specifying the relay device and terminal authentication information of the third terminal to the second terminal through the first network;

an authentication control unit configured to authenticate the terminal authentication information received from the third terminal through the second network; and

a first communication control unit configured to connect the third terminal to the first network if the authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information,

the second terminal including a second communication control unit configured to transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal through the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device,

the third terminal including a third communication control unit configured to transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device specified by the relay-device specification information through the second network.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first communication control unit is configured to:

periodically transmit an inquiry to check whether the second terminal is within a communication range of the first network; and

disconnect communication between the relay device and the third terminal if not receiving a response to the inquiry from the second terminal within a predetermined period of time.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein,

the first communication control unit is configured to connect the third terminal to the first network through the second terminal if the authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information received from the second terminal through the second network, and

the second communication control unit is configured to:

transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal through the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device; and

transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device if receiving the terminal authentication information from the third terminal.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the second communication control unit is configured to disconnect communication between the relay device and the third terminal through the second terminal if receiving information addressed to the first terminal from the third terminal and being unable to transmit the information addressed to the first terminal to the relay device within a predetermined period of time.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein,

the second communication control unit is configured to:

determine whether the second terminal is simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device,

transmit communication scheme information indicating an indirect scheme of connecting the relay device and the third terminal through the second terminal, along with the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal if the second terminal is simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network, and

transmit communication scheme information indicating a direct scheme of connecting the relay device and the third terminal without using the second terminal, along with the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal if the second terminal is not simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network, and

the third communication control unit is configured to transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device specified by the relay-device specification information through the second network in a communication scheme indicated by the communication scheme information.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the transmission unit is configured to transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the second terminal over wireless communication, and

the second terminal includes a wireless communication control unit configured to receive the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information over wireless communication.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the authentication control unit is configured to display code information including the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information, and

the second terminal further includes an imaging unit configured to image the code information.

8. A relay device configured to control communication of a first network to which each of one or more first terminals and a second terminal amongst the one or more first terminals is connectable, and communication on a second network through which the second terminal is connectable to a third terminal, the relay device comprising:

a storage unit configured to store terminal specification information for specifying the third terminal associated with the second terminal;

a transmission unit configured to transmit relay-device specification information for specifying the relay device and terminal authentication information of the third terminal to the second terminal through the first network;

an authentication control unit configured to authenticate the terminal authentication information if receiving the terminal authentication information transmitted to the third terminal through the second network by the second terminal, from the third terminal through the second network; and

a first communication control unit configured to connect the third terminal to the first network if the authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information.

9. The relay device according to claim 8, wherein the first communication control unit is configured to:

periodically transmit an inquiry to check whether the second terminal is within a communication range of the first network; and

disconnect communication between the relay device and the third terminal if not receiving a response to the inquiry from the second terminal within a predetermined period of time.

10. The relay device according to claim 8, wherein the first communication control unit is configured to connect the third terminal to the first network through the second terminal if the authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information received from the second terminal through the second network.

11. The relay device according to claim 8, wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the second terminal over wireless communication.

12. The relay device according to claim 8, wherein the authentication control unit is configured to display code information including the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information.

13. An information processing device connectable to a relay device configured to control communication of a first network to which each of one or more internal terminals including the information processing device is connected and control, through the first network, communication of a second network to which each of an external terminal and the information processing device is connectable,

the information processing device comprising:

a first transmission unit configured to, if receiving relay-device specification information for specifying the relay device and terminal authentication information of the external terminal from the relay device through the first network, transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the external terminal through the second network;

a second transmission unit configured to transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device through the first network if receiving the terminal authentication information transmitted by the first transmission unit, from the external terminal through the second network; and

a determining unit configured to determine whether the information processing device is simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device,

the first transmission unit being configured to;

transmit communication scheme information indicating an indirect scheme of connecting the relay device and the external terminal through the information processing device, along with the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the external terminal if the determining unit determines that the information processing device is simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network; and

transmit communication scheme information indicating a direct scheme of connecting the relay device and the external terminal without using the information processing device, along with the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the external terminal if the determining unit determines that the information processing device is not simultaneously connectable to the first network and to the second network.

14. The information processing device according to claim 13, further comprising a communication control unit configured to disconnect communication between the relay device and the external terminal through the information processing device if information addressed to the internal terminal is received from the external terminal and the information addressed to the internal terminal cannot be transmitted to the relay device within a predetermined period of time.

15. The information processing device according to claim 13, further comprising a wireless communication control unit configured to receive the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information over wireless communication.

16. The information processing device according to claim 13, further comprising an imaging unit configured to image code information including the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information displayed by the relay device.