Communication network system, gateway, data communication method and program providing medium

• US 7,349,993 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Motohiko, Kawamoto, Youji, Futagami, Motomasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang; Paul H.
• Application Number:
  US11/195,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/246, 709210-214, 709/225, 709/226, 709/223, 709/238, 709/249, 709/224, 370/400, 370/401, 705/35
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/102 Gateways arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

This invention relates to provide a communication network system, a gateway, and a data communication method, in which the gateway has an advanced functionality. A person who issues an access request can retrieve a desired access destination easily by the following configuration: functions of routing information providing and authentication processing are added to a gateway that performs protocol conversion between two different communication networks; when an access request is issued from a public communication network such as Internet to a terminal in a local (private) communication network connected to the gateway, a request terminal is authenticated to enable prevention of unauthorized data writing and reading; and an access request user who succeeded in the authentication is provided with an active terminal list comprising accessible terminal information, or with a user condition table.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with two communication networks;

data accumulation means for accumulating executable program data configured to be executed at a terminal connected to one of the two communication networks; and

a registration table for registering a user identification value or a device identification value in the data accumulation means,

wherein, upon the communication device receiving an access request for accessing the data accumulation means, the communication device requests transmission of an access request, a user identification value or a device identification value, retrieves the received user identification value or the received device identification value in the registration table, judges whether or not the access request user has an access right, and then allows or rejects the access request according to the judgment.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein said data accumulation means accumulates backup data of data stored in a local storing means of a terminal connected to one of said two communication networks, automatically or in a manner specified by a user.

3. The communication network system according to claim 1, wherein one of the two communication networks communicating according to different protocols is a public communication network that enables an indefinite number of users to communicate, and the other is a private communication network that enables only terminals within a specific communication area to communicate;

said data accumulation means accumulating either program data executed at a terminal connected to the private communication network or data processed by the program data.

4. A communication device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with two communication networks;

data accumulation means for accumulating executable program data configured to be executed at a terminal connected to one of the two communication networks;

a license table, which associates an identification value of a terminal as an accumulation executer and a license identification value with the accumulated data, is kept when accumulating the data; and

if a terminal connected to one of the communication networks performs a request for acquiring data that requires a license and that is stored in the accumulation means, the communication device requests the terminal to transmit license data and a terminal unique value, retrieves the received license data and the received terminal unique value in the license table, judges whether or not the terminal is licensed, and then allows or rejects download of the data according to the judgment.

5. A communication device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with two communication networks;

data accumulation means for accumulating executable program data configured to be executed at a terminal connected to one of the two communication networks;

a license table, which associates an identification value of a terminal as an accumulation executer and a license identification value with the accumulated data, is kept when accumulating the data; and

if a terminal connected to one of the communication networks performs a request for acquiring data that requires a license and that is stored in the accumulation means, the communication device requests the terminal to transmit license data and a terminal unique value, retrieves the received license data and the received terminal unique value in the license table, judges whether or not the terminal is licensed, and then allows or rejects download of the data according to the judgment.

6. A communication device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with two communication networks;

a memory configured to accumulate executable program data configured to be executed at a terminal connected to one of the two communication networks; and

a registration table for registering a user identification value or a device identification value in the memory,

wherein, upon the communication device receiving an access request for accessing the memory, the communication requests transmission of an access request, a user identification value or a device identification value, retrieves the received user identification value or the received device identification value in the registration table, judges whether or not the access request user has an access right, and then allows or rejects the access request according to the judgment.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein said memory accumulates backup data of data stored in a local memory of a terminal connected to one of said two communication networks, automatically or in a manner specified by a user.

8. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein one of the two communication networks is a public communication network that enables an indefinite number of users to communicate, and the other is a private communication network that enables only terminals within a specific communication area to communicate;

said memory has an area configured to accumulate either program data executed at a terminal connected to the private communication network or data processed by the program data.

9. A method of data processing the method comprising:

storing executable program data of a terminal connected to one of two communication networks or data based on the program data in data accumulation means, automatically or in a manner specified by a user;

generating and storing a registration table for registering a user identification value or a device identification value in the data accumulation means;

receiving an access request for accessing the data accumulation means;

requesting transmission of an access request, user identification value or a device identification value;

retrieving the received user identification value or the received device identification value in the registration table; and

judging whether or not the access request user has an access right, and allowing or rejecting the access request according to the judgment.

10. The data processing method according to claim 9, wherein backup data of data stored in local storing means of a terminal connected to one of the communication networks is accumulated in the data accumulation means.

11. The data processing method according to claim 9, wherein one of the two communication networks communicating according to different protocols is a public communication network that enables an indefinite number of users to communicate, and the other is a private communication network that enables only terminals within a specific communication area to communicate;

said data accumulation means accumulates program data executed at a terminal connected to the private communication network.

12. A method of data processing, comprising:

storing executable program data of a terminal connected to one of two communication networks or data based on the program data in data accumulation means automatically or in a manner specified by a user;

generating a license table, which associates an identification value of a terminal as an accumulation executer and a license identification value with the accumulated data, when accumulating the data;

receiving a request of a terminal connected to one of the communication networks for acquiring data that requires a license and that is stored in the accumulation means;

requesting the terminal to transmit license data and a terminal unique value;

retrieving the received license data and the received terminal unique value in the license table;

judging whether or not the terminal is licensed; and

allowing or rejecting download of the data according to the judgment.

13. A computer readable medium including executable code to cause a computer to implement a method of data processing, the method comprising:

storing executable program data of a terminal connected to one of two communication networks or data based on the program data in data accumulation means automatically or in a manner specified by a user;

generating a license table, which associates an identification value of a terminal as an accumulation executer and a license identification value with the accumulated data, when accumulating the data;

receiving a request of a terminal connected to one of the communication networks for acquiring data that requires a license and that is stored in the accumulation means;

requesting the terminal to transmit license data and a terminal unique value;

retrieving the received license data and the received terminal unique value in the license table;

judging whether or not the terminal is licensed; and

allowing or rejecting download of the data according to the judgment.