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

• US 8,255,573 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• 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: Kawamoto, Youji, Futagami, Motomasa, Nagano, Motohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US12/027,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709208-222, 709/200, 709248-249, 725 1- 4, 725/22, 725/25, 725 78- 80, 725/92, 725114-115, 725/133, 725141-142, 725/145, 725/153, 707609-623, 707634-639, 707/650, 707/652, 707655-660, 707/674, 707/686, 707694-695, 705 51- 59, 726/12, 726 26- 33, 717120-122, 717168-178
• 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 home gateway device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with two communication networks;

a storage unit configured to function as a remote storage repository that stores application program data for a terminal communicatively coupled to the home gateway device through one of the two communication networks, the application program data controlling a function of the terminal, said storage unit accumulating backup data of the application program data stored locally at the terminal, automatically or in a manner specified by a user; and

a registration unit configured to register a user identification information or a device identification information in the storage unit,

wherein the home gateway device requests transmission of an access request to receive the application program data, and requests transmission of a user identification information or a device identification information, authenticates the user identification information or the device identification information and determines whether or not the terminal corresponding to the user identification information or the device identification information is allowed to receive the application program data from the storage unit.

5. The home gateway device of claim 1, wherein

the terminal includes a plurality of terminals, and

the plurality of terminals include a personal computer and at least one of an audio device and a video device.

6. The home gateway device of claim 1, wherein said storage unit is further configured to store a license number of the application program data.

2. A home gateway device, comprising:

an interface unit configured to communicate with private network and public network;

a storage unit configured to function as a remote storage repository that stores application program data for a terminal communicatively coupled to the home gateway device, wherein the application program data controls a function of the terminal, and is executable at the terminal in the private network, said storage unit accumulating backup data of the application program data stored locally at the terminal, automatically or in a manner specified by a user; and

a registration unit configured to register a device identification information in the storage unit,

wherein the home gateway device requests transmission of an access request to receive the application program data, and requests transmission of a device identification information, authenticates the device identification information received from the terminal in the private network to determine whether or not the application program data stored in the storage unit is allowed to be used by the terminal from the storage unit.

7. The home gateway device of claim 2, wherein

the terminal includes a plurality of terminals, and

the plurality of terminals include a personal computer and at least one of an audio device and a video device.

8. The home gateway device of claim 2, wherein said storage unit is further configured to store a license number of the application program data.

3. A home gateway device, comprising:

interface means for communicating with first protocol network and second protocol network;

storage means for functioning as a remote storage repository that stores application program data for a terminal communicatively coupled to the home gateway device, wherein the application program data controls a function of the terminal, and is executable at the terminal in the first protocol network, said storage means accumulating backup data of the application program data stored locally at the terminal, automatically or in a manner specified by a user;

registration means for registering a device identification information in the storage means;

receiving means for receiving from the terminal an access request to receive the application program data, and for receiving from the terminal a device identification of the terminal;

authentication means for authenticating the terminal with the device identification received by the receiving means by using the registration means; and

conversion means for converting the application program data for execution at the terminal for transmission to the terminal in response to the authentication means determining that the terminal is authenticated.

9. The home gateway device of claim 3, wherein

the terminal includes a plurality of terminals, and

the plurality of terminals include a personal computer and at least one of an audio device and a video device.

10. The home gateway device of claim 3, wherein said storage means further stores a license number of the application program data.

4. A communication device, comprising:

interface means for communicating with two different protocol networks;

storage means for functioning as a remote storage repository that stores application program data for a terminal communicatively coupled to the communication device through one of the two different protocol networks, the application program data controlling a function of the terminal, said storage means accumulating backup data of the application program data stored locally at the terminal, automatically or in a manner specified by a user;

registration means for registering a device identification information in the storage means;

receiving means for receiving from the terminal an access request to receive the application program data, and for receiving from the terminal a device identification of the terminal;

authentication means for authenticating the terminal with the device identification received by the receiving means by using the registration means; and

conversion means for converting the application program data for execution at the terminal for transmission to the terminal from one of the two different protocol networks to the other of the two different protocol networks in response to the authentication means determining that the terminal is authenticated.

11. The communication device of claim 4, wherein

the terminal includes a plurality of terminals, and

the plurality of terminals include a personal computer and at least one of an audio device and a video device.

12. The communication device of claim 4, wherein said storage means further stores a license number of the application program data.