Contents sharing system and software program executed by devices of the system

• US 20030018740A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Takuya, Sonoda, Toshihiro, Nishiguchi, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US09/984,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A contents sharing system for general purpose use is provided, in which devices share contents distributed via a network, and contents can be shared even among devices of private addresses. The contents sharing system comprises plural devices connected with each other via a network. Each of the devices includes storage means for storing contents, communication means for connecting to the network and process means for executing a software program. Each of the devices generates a communication packet containing an identifier unique to the device and information indicating whether a connection address of the device is a global address or a private address. When a first device having a private address obtains contents held by a second device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a private address, a third device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a global address works as a proxy for file transmission.

Claims

1. A contents sharing system comprising plural devices connected with each other via a network, each of the devices including storage means for storing contents, communication means for connecting to the network and process means for executing a software program, wherein

each of the devices generates a communication packet containing an identifier unique to the device and information indicating whether a connection address of the device is a global address or a private address, and

when a first device having a private address obtains contents held by a second device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a private address, a third device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a global address works as a proxy for file transmission.

2. A software program executed by process means in a contents sharing system comprising plural devices connected with each other via a network, each of the devices including storage means for storing contents, communication means for connecting to the network and the process means, the software program comprising the steps of:

generating a communication packet containing an identifier unique to the device and information indicating whether a connection address of the device is a global address or a private address; and

arranging a third device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a global address to work as a proxy for file transmission when a first device having a private address obtains contents held by a second device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a private address.

3. The software program according to claim 2, further comprising the step of refusing to work as the proxy for file transmission under a predetermined condition when the device is requested to work as the proxy for file transmission.

4. The software program according to claim 2, further comprising the step of letting another device that belongs to the contents sharing system and has a global address take over the role as the proxy for file transmission when the device working as the proxy for file transmission finishes transmission of a predetermined size of contents.

5. The software program according to claim 2, further comprising the step of performing a search process using an identifier unique to the device as a keyword when searching a specific device that belongs to the contents sharing system.

6. The software program according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of registering an identifier unique to the device as an identifier of an authorized or an unauthorized device for access, and rejecting an access from a specific device in accordance with the registered identifier.

7. The software program according to claim 2, wherein each of the devices has a memory area for registering a group name to which the device belongs within the contents sharing system, and the software program further comprises the step of performing a search of contents held by the device if a group name contained in a search query packet from a device requesting a contents search matches a group name memorized in the memory area of the device.

8. The software program according to claim 2, wherein a search query packet from a device requesting a contents search contains a group name and a password, and the software program further comprises the step of performing a search of contents held by the device after checking the group name and the password.

9. The software program according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of collecting group names within the contents sharing system in accordance with a designated condition, and outputting a list of group names obtained in the collecting step to a display.

10. The software program according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of collecting group names within the contents sharing system in accordance with a designated condition, and outputting a list of group names obtained in the collecting step to a display.