Relay communication system

• US 9,357,012 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanimoto, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Strange, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US13/985,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/04 Network management architectures or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A center terminal includes a target terminal list storing unit that registers a target terminal and an operator list storing that registers an operator ID and a password. Each of the maintenance terminal and the target terminal includes a center terminal information storing unit that registers a center terminal. The center terminal makes a connection job that associates a predetermined target terminal with the operator ID and registers the connection job to the center terminal. One of maintenance terminals receives the specific operator ID and the password from a connected client terminal and sends the center terminal an indication whether or not the maintenance terminal can log in to the center terminal, and, if the logging-in is granted, the maintenance terminal is configured to receive the connection job assigned to the operator ID from the center terminal and notify the operator. If the maintenance terminal receives a selection of the connection job from the operator, the maintenance terminal sends an inquiry to the center terminal whether or not the maintenance terminal can execute the connection job. If the connection job is allowed to be executed, the maintenance terminal can be connected to the target terminal included in the connection job.

Claims

1. A relay communication system comprising:

client terminals and relay servers connected via a network, each of the client terminals being configured to communicate, via one of the relay servers to which the respective client terminal is connected, with another one of the relay servers or one of the client terminals that is connected to the another one of the relay servers, each of the relay servers being configured to communicate with another one of the relay servers or with one of the client terminals connected to the another one of the relay servers, the relay servers being configured to communicate with each other via a WAN, and each of the client terminals being configured to communicate via a LAN with a respective one of the relay servers where the client terminal is connected;

wherein

one of the relay servers is configured to function as a center terminal;

at least one of the relay servers is configured to function as at least one target terminal;

at least one of the relay servers is configured to function as at least one maintenance terminal;

at least one of the client terminals is configured to function as a target system connected to any of the at least one target terminal via a first LAN;

at least one of the client terminals is configured to function as a maintenance operating terminal connected to any of the at least one maintenance terminal via a second LAN;

the target system is operated by the maintenance operating terminal via the first LAN, the WAN, and the second LAN;

the center terminal includes;

a target terminal registering unit configured to register the at least one target terminal; and

an operator registering unit configured to register an operator ID and a password;

wherein

each of the at least one maintenance terminal and the at least one target terminal includes a center terminal ID registering unit configured to register a center terminal ID;

the center terminal is configured to make a connection job that associates a predetermined target terminal ID with the operator ID and is configured to register the connection job to the center terminal;

any of the least one maintenance terminal is configured to receive the operator ID and the password from the connected maintenance operating terminal and send an inquiry to the center terminal whether or not the at least one maintenance terminal can log in to the center terminal, and, if logging-in is granted, the at least one maintenance terminal is configured to receive the connection job assigned to the operator ID from the center terminal and notify an operator of the connection job;

the at least one maintenance terminal is configured to send an inquiry to the center terminal about whether or not the at least one maintenance terminal can execute the connection job when the at least one maintenance terminal receives a selection of the connection job from the operator; and

if the connection job is allowed to be executed, the at least one maintenance terminal establishes a routing session to the target terminal based on the target terminal ID included in the connection job, and exchanges network address of the first LAN and the second LAN with the target terminal such that the maintenance operating terminal communicates with the target system via the established routing session.

2. relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein,

when the center terminal receives the inquiry whether or not the at least one maintenance terminal can execute the connection job, the center terminal is configured to notify the at least one maintenance terminal of a permission to execute the connection job if the connection job is not being executed by another operator registered in the connection job;

and

the center terminal is configured to notify the at least one maintenance terminal that the connection job selected is being executed and notify the at least one maintenance terminal of operator information in execution if the connection job is being executed by another operator registered in the connection job.

3. The relay communication system according to claim 2, wherein

if the center terminal receives from the at least one maintenance terminal the inquiry whether or not the at least one maintenance terminal can execute the connection job and notifies the at least one maintenance terminal of the permission to execute the connection job, the center terminal is configured to register the connection job in operation to the connection job and notify another operator, who is included in the connection job and can log in via any one of the at least one maintenance terminal, that the connection job is updated.

4. The relay communication system according to claim 2, wherein

if the center terminal receives from the at least one maintenance terminal a notification of finishing the connection job and determines based on the notification that the connection job is finished, the center terminal is configured to delete the connection job;

if the center terminal determines a condition other than that the connection job is finished, the center terminal is configured to delete status information showing that the connection job is in operation from the connection job, and the center terminal is configured to notify another operator, who is included in the connection job and can log in via any one of the at least one maintenance terminal, that the connection job is updated.

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

the center terminal includes a maintenance terminal registering unit configured to register one of the relay servers that becomes the at least one maintenance terminal;

if the center terminal receives via the at least one maintenance terminal a log-in request with the ID and the password of the operator, the center terminal is configured to determine whether or not the at least one maintenance terminal which the operator uses is a registered terminal; and

if the at least one maintenance terminal which the operator uses is registered, the center terminal is configured to check the operator ID and the password, and otherwise, the center terminal is configured to return an error.

6. A relay communication system comprising:

an administering relay server;

a plurality of first relay servers;

at least one second relay server;

a target system connected to one of the first relay servers via a first LAN; and

a maintenance operating terminal is connected to the at least one second relay sever via a second LAN;

the administering relay server is configured to memorize first relay server IDs of the plurality of the first relay servers and at least one operator ID;

the administering relay server is configured to receive registration of a connection job that associates one of the first relay server IDs with the at least one operator ID and memorize the connection job;

the at least one second relay server is configured to receive the at least one operator ID from the maintenance operating terminal and notify the administering relay server of the operator ID;

the administering relay server is configured to receive the at least one operator ID from the at least one second relay server and authenticate the at least one operator ID;

the administering relay server is configured to select the connection job that includes the operator ID from the connection job and send the connection job that is selected to the at least one second relay server;

the at least one second relay server is configured to receive the connection job from the administering relay server and notify the maintenance operating terminal of the connection job;

the at least one second relay server is configured to request the administering relay server to execute the connection job that is selected by the maintenance operating terminal;

the administering relay server is configured to send possible-to-connect information in response to a request to execute the connection job from the at least one second relay server;

the at least one second relay server is configured to receive the possible-to-connect information from the administering relay server; and

if the connection is possible, the at least one second relay server establishes a routing session to the first relay server based on a first server ID included in the connection job and exchanges network addresses of the first LAN and the second LAN with the first relay server, such that the maintenance operating terminal communicates with the target system via the established routing session.