US6253248B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information processing apparatus and method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1998-06-10
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Granted: 2001-06-26
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Expires: 2018-06-10
Abstract
Abstract A proxy server is present in the path between the client and server, and intervenes in communication therebetween. Upon receiving a request from the client according to the HTTP protocol, the proxy server specifies a server based on the request, and determines the communication protocol to be used in the communication with the specified server. If the CM protocol is determined, the proxy server generates request data suitable for the CM protocol by adding necessary information, so as to implement the request contents included in the request, and communicates with the server. The proxy server sends back the processing result based on the request to the client according to the HTTP protocol.
Inventors
- 👤 Akiya Nakai
- 👤 Takeshi Baba
- 👤 Masahiko Shirai
- 👤 Shuji Yamoto
- 👤 Tokuko Kanda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/66; H04L69/00; H04L69/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
An information processing apparatus having a proxy server function in a client/server system, comprising: specifying means for receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; determination means for determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified by said specifying means in accordance with that server and the first request; detection means for detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; acquiring means for acquiring the detected information from the client; generation means for generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and communication means for communicating with the server specified by said specifying means by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
An information processing apparatus having a proxy server function in a client/server system, comprising: specifying means for receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; determination means for determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified by said specifying means in accordance with that server and the first request; detection means for detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; acquiring means for acquiring the detected information from the client; generation means for generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and communication means for communicating with the server specified by said specifying means by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a correspondence table for storing communication protocols supported by individual servers in correspondence with the servers, and wherein said determination means determines, as the second communication protocol, a communication protocol, which corresponds to the server designated by the first request in the correspondence table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the server designated by the first request is not registered in said correspondence table, said determination means determines, as the second communication protocol, the first communication protocol used by the first request.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising presentation means for presenting a user interface which requests a user of the client to input at least the insufficient information detected by said detection means, and wherein said acquiring means acquires the information input via said user interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said presentation means makes a client apparatus, as a source of the request, present the user interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising providing means for providing a result obtained by said communication means to the client.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising acquisition means for, when a resource requested by the first request is not present on the specified server, acquiring the requested resource from a local disk that the client is in possession of.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when said providing means provides the resource acquired from the local disk by said acquisition means to the client, said providing means adds information indicating that the resource has been acquired from the local disk.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising acquisition means for, when a resource requested by the first request is checked out from the specified server, acquiring the requested resource from a local disk that the client is in possession of.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein when said providing means provides the resource acquired from the local disk by said acquisition means to the client, said providing means adds information indicating that the resource has been checked out.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a directory table for making a directory on the server correspond to a directory on the local disk, and wherein said acquisition means obtains a directory where the resource is present on the local disk from a directory name of the requested resource with reference to said directory table, and acquires the resource form the obtained directory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the communication means receives a reply to the second request from a server.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: holding means for holding individual information for a plurality of clients; and specifying means for specifying a client as a source of the request on the basis of identification information included in the first request.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising providing means for providing a result obtained by said communication means to the client specified by said specifying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising acquisition means for, when a resource requested by the request is not present on the server designated by the first request, acquiring the corresponding resource from a local disk of the client specified by said specifying means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein when said providing means provides the resource acquired by said acquisition means to the specified client, said providing means adds information indicating that the resource has been acquired from the local disk.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising acquisition means for, when a resource requested by the request is checked out from the server designated by the first request, acquiring the requested resource from a local disk that the client is in possession of.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein when said providing means provides the resource acquired by said acquisition means to the specified client, said providing means adds information indicating that the resource has been checked out.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
170 words
An information processing method for implementing a proxy server function in a client/server system, comprising: a specifying step, of receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; a determination step, of determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified in the specifying step in accordance with the server; a detection step, of detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; an acquiring step, of acquiring the detected information from the client; a generation step, of generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and a communication step, of communicating with the server specified in the specifying step by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
170 words
An information processing method for implementing a proxy server function in a client/server system, comprising: a specifying step, of receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; a determination step, of determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified in the specifying step in accordance with the server; a detection step, of detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; an acquiring step, of acquiring the detected information from the client; a generation step, of generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and a communication step, of communicating with the server specified in the specifying step by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: a correspondence table for storing communication protocols supported by individual servers in correspondence with the servers, and wherein the determination step includes the step of determining, as the second communication protocol, a communication protocol, which corresponds to the server designated by the first request in the correspondence table.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 20 , wherein the determination step includes the step of determining, as the second communication protocol, the first communication protocol used by the first request, when the server designated by the first request is not registered in said correspondence table.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method according to claim 19 , further comprising a presentation step, of presenting a user interface which requests a user of the client to input at least the insufficient information detected in the detection step, wherein the acquiring step includes acquiring the information input via said user interface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 22 , wherein the presentation step includes the step of making a client apparatus, as a source of the request, present the user interface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 19 , further comprising the providing step of providing a result obtained in the communication step to the client.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 24 , further comprising acquisition means for acquiring a resource requested by the first request from a local disk possessed by the client, when the requested resource is not present on the specified server.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method according to claim 25 , wherein the providing step includes the step of adding information indicating that the resource has been acquired from the local disk when the resource acquired from the local disk in the acquisition step is provided to the client in the providing step.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 24 , further comprising acquisition means for acquiring a resource requested by the first request from a local disk possessed by the client, when the requested resource is checked out from the specified server.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 27 , wherein the providing step includes the step of adding information indicating that the resource is checked out when the resource acquired from the local disk in the acquisition step is provided to the client in the providing step.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method according to claim 28 , further comprising a directory table for making a directory on the server correspond to a directory on the local disk, and wherein the acquisition step includes the step of obtaining a directory where the resource is present on the local disk from a directory name of the requested resource with reference to said directory table, and acquiring the resource form the obtained directory.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 19 , wherein the communication step includes receiving a reply to the second request from a server.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: a holding step, of holding individual information for a plurality of clients; and a specifying step, of specifying a client as a source of the request on the basis of identification information included in the first request.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 31 , further comprising the providing step of providing a result obtained in the communication step to the client specified in the specifying step.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 32 , further comprising the acquisition step of acquiring a resource requested by the request from a local disk of the client specified in the specifying step when the corresponding resource is not present on the server designated by the first request.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method according to claim 33 , wherein the providing step includes the step of adding information indicating that the resource has been acquired from the local disk when the resource acquired in the acquisition step is provided to the specified client in the providing step.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 32 , further comprising the acquisition means step of acquiring a resource requested by the request from a local disk possessed by the specified client when the requested resource is checked out from the server designated by the first request.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 35 , wherein the providing step includes the step of adding information indicating that the resource is checked out when the resource acquired in the acquisition step is provided to the specified client in the providing step.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
196 words
A storage medium storing a control program which controls a computer to implement a proxy server function in a client/server system, said control program comprising: code for a specifying step, of receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; code for a determination step, of determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified in the specifying step in accordance with the server and the first request; code for a detection step, of detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; code for an acquiring step, of acquiring the detected information from the client; code for a generation step, of generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and code for a communication step, of communicating with the server specified in the specifying step by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
196 words
A storage medium storing a control program which controls a computer to implement a proxy server function in a client/server system, said control program comprising: code for a specifying step, of receiving a first request that uses a first communication protocol from a client, and specifying a server on the basis of the first request; code for a determination step, of determining a second communication protocol to be used in a communication with the server specified in the specifying step in accordance with the server and the first request; code for a detection step, of detecting information which is insufficient to generate a second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request; code for an acquiring step, of acquiring the detected information from the client; code for a generation step, of generating the second request suitable for the second communication protocol to implement request contents included in the first request, by adding the acquired information to the request contents; and code for a communication step, of communicating with the server specified in the specifying step by means of the generated second request that uses the second communication protocol.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a memory for storing the sufficient information, wherein said generation means generates the second request by adding the information stored in the memory when the memory stores the insufficient information detected by said detection means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the generation step, the second request is generated by adding the information obtained from a memory which stores the insufficient information when the memory stores the insufficient information detected in the detection step.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-06-25 | 2004-12-25 | 2005-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-06-25 | 2008-12-25 | 2009-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-06-25 | 2012-12-25 | 2013-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |