JP6520195B2 - INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, PROGRAM, AND METHOD - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, program, and method.

  On the Internet, there is a service (server) which provides processing to a client terminal using a device (Web camera) installed in the real world, such as a remote monitoring service using a Web camera. This type of service is often provided, for example, in the form of a cloud service using cloud computing technology.

  In the case of a service of processing using an apparatus, it may be necessary to control the apparatus from the client terminal side. For example, when the device used by the service is a Web (WWW: World Wide Web) camera, there are cases where it is desirable to control the camera orientation and zoom. When the device to be used is a printer, there are cases in which printing parameters (such as the number of sheets and duplex printing / single-sided printing) are designated or printing start is designated.

  Conventionally, when controlling a device from a client terminal in such a service, the client terminal issues an instruction to a service on the Internet, and the service transmits the instruction to the device.

  In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, traffic compression is performed between the client and the server, using a dedicated protocol for reducing traffic volume and latency, in particular, for optimal selection of content and transmission route. Provide dedicated C-nodes and S-nodes for efficient transmission, and use standard protocols between clients and C-nodes, servers and S-nodes to measure traffic volume and latency. Reduce.

  In the method disclosed in Patent Document 2, when connecting a device to a client and accessing the connected device from a server, the device is connected from the server side to the client without any other operation only by connecting the device. A filter that exclusively controls transmission and reception of data between the device connected to the client and the application of the client, and transmission and reception of data between the device and the server, in order to make it available. A means is provided, and the server side is provided with pseudo bus driver means that virtually functions as a device driver between the communication means with the client and the application.

  In the remote desktop system disclosed in Patent Document 3, the client collects, as resource information, information related to units or programs that configure the client, and transmits the collected resource information to a server via a network. . The server manages resource information acquired from the client and creates screen information to be displayed on the client. In creating screen information, client screen information (first screen) including server resource information in the client screen information, or server screen information (second screen) including client resource information in the server screen information And display the first or second screen on the client.

  The apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 4 includes means for the user to specify the printing purpose, means for selecting an optimum printer by the server, and means for installing when a device driver of the selected printer does not exist in the client computer, The printer comprises means for selecting a setting that enables the most effective printing process for the printing purpose, and means for changing the setting of the client computer.

JP, 2009-217836, A JP 2008-004110 A Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2007-219790 Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2006-163990

  When transmitting information such as commands from the client terminal to the device via an information processing device (for example, server or cloud computing service) on the Internet, the information is not immediately transmitted to the device due to the network delay of the Internet, and the control is delayed. It will This delay in control may result in a significant degradation of the quality of service provided by the information device, such as, for example, the shutter chance being missed due to a shutter command delay. The same applies to the case where information is transmitted from the device to the client terminal.

  The present invention makes it possible to exchange specific information between a client terminal and a device with less delay for specific information for which delay is a problem than through information processing devices on the Internet. To aim.

The invention according to claim 1 relates to an agent that relays information received from one of a client terminal and a device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet. The client terminal and the device regarding the information belonging to the division requiring the promptness among the information of the target to be dealt with by the agent for at least one of the processing means for performing the process, the client terminal and the device Information instructing to transmit to the other using the local communication method possessed by both, and instructing to transmit to the other via the agent means for information not belonging to the quick response required category It is a processing device.

  In the invention according to claim 2, when there are a plurality of local communication methods that the client terminal and the device share in common, the instruction unit sets the client terminal and the device for each of the plurality of local communication methods. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the test communication is executed between the two, and the local communication scheme to be instructed to the client terminal is determined based on the result of the test communication.

  In the invention according to claim 3, in the instruction means, a delay in communication between the client terminal and the device is caused by the test communication among the plurality of local communication means shared by the client terminal and the device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the client terminal and the device is instructed to use one which is found to be the smallest.

The invention according to claim 4 relates to an agent for relaying information received from one of a client terminal and a device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet. The local communication scheme possessed by both the client terminal and the device for at least specific information of the information to be transferred by the agent means for at least one of the processing means for performing processing, the client terminal and the device And instructing means for instructing to transmit to the other, wherein the instructing means is configured to select the specific one when near field communication is included in the local communication system that the client terminal and the device have in common. Information or short distance for certain pieces of said particular information Instructs to use the line communication, it is information processing apparatus it said.

The invention according to claim 5 is the information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and the information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet. With respect to at least one of the processing means for performing processing, the client terminal, and the device, the client terminal and the information regarding the information that belongs to the division requiring the promptness among the information of the target to be handled by the agent. It is instructed to transmit to the other using the local communication method possessed by both of the devices, and functions as an instruction means to instruct to transmit to the other through the agent means for information which does not belong to the quick response required category . Is a program for

In the invention according to claim 6, the agent processing means transfers information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and the processing means is from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet Processing the information received in the step and the instruction means, for at least one of the client terminal and the device, among the pieces of information to be transferred by the agent means, a division requiring predetermined responsiveness. For the belonging information, it instructs to transmit to the other using the local communication method possessed by both the client terminal and the device, and transmits to the other via the agent means for the information not belonging to the category requiring the quick response. And instructing .
The invention according to claim 7 is the information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and the information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet. Local communication method possessed by both the client terminal and the device for at least specific information of information to be transferred by the agent for at least one of the processing means, the client terminal and the device for performing processing A program for functioning as an instruction means for instructing to transmit to the other using the above, and the instruction means is a local communication method commonly used by the client terminal and the device in common in the local communication system. When included, the specific information or the specific It instructs to use a short-range wireless communication for a particular piece of information in the broadcast, a program, characterized in that.
In the invention according to claim 8, the agency means is a step of transferring information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet, and the processing means is from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet Processing the information received in the step (c), the instruction means for at least one of the client terminal and the device, the client terminal for at least specific information in the information to be transferred by the agent means; Instructing to transmit to the other using a local communication scheme possessed by both of the devices, wherein the instruction means includes a near field wireless connection in the local communication scheme possessed by the client terminal and the device in common If communication is involved, the specific information or the specific information For some of the information is specific to instruct the use of short-range wireless communication, it is a method characterized by.

According to the invention as set forth in claim 1, 5 or 6, the exchange of the information belonging to the division requiring the predetermined responsiveness between the client terminal and the device is more than the case of the information processing apparatus on the Internet It can be done with less delay.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain, by test communication, one of the local communication methods that the client terminal and the device have in common that can actually be used for communication.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the delay of transmission of specific information between the client device and the device can be made smaller than in the case of selecting another local communication system.

According to the invention as set forth in claim 4 , 7 or 8 , the specific information or the specific part of the specific information is specified by the client terminal and the device in an intuitively understandable operation of bringing the client terminal close to the device. It can be transmitted between.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the information processing system to which the method of embodiment is applied. It is a figure which shows the example of a function structure of the application for utilizing cloud service among client terminals. It is a figure which shows the example of the structure for the process via a cloud service among apparatuses. It is a figure showing an example of functional composition of cloud service. It is a figure which shows the example of the flow of the process in the system of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing procedure of a cloud service. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing procedure of the application of a client terminal. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing procedure of an apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of the process procedure of the cloud service in a modification.

  An exemplary configuration of an information processing system to which the present embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIG. The client terminal 10 and the device 20 exist in the local area 1 such as an office.

  The client terminal 10 is an information processing apparatus used by a user. The type of the client terminal 10 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, any of a desktop type or laptop type personal computer, a workstation, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and the like.

  The device 20 is a device that can be operated from the client terminal 10. There is no limitation in particular in the function which apparatus 20 has. For example, the device 20 may input and output an image. In this specification, "input / output" refers to at least one of input and output. Therefore, in the case of an apparatus 20 that inputs and outputs an image, it means an apparatus that performs at least one of input and output of an image. The device 20 may also input and output information in a form other than an image such as voice. Also, the device 20 may be one that inputs / outputs two or more of various forms such as an image, a voice, etc. (so-called multimedia device). Specific examples of the device 20 include a printer, a scanner, a digital multi-functional peripheral (an apparatus having the functions of a printer, a scanner, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.), a digital camera, a web camera, a video camera, a projector (projecting an image), There is a display, a microphone, a speaker, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and the like.

  In this example, the client terminal 10 and the device 20 are connected to the same LAN (local area network) 30, and can communicate with each other via the LAN 30. The LAN 30 may be wired or wireless. The LAN 30 is connected to the Internet 40 via a firewall 35.

  Further, in this example, the client terminal 10 and the device 20 correspond to the close proximity wireless communication method of Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark), and can communicate with each other by both of them.

  On the Internet 40, there is a cloud service 50 for providing processing services using the device 20 to the client terminal 10. The cloud service 50 is a single computer (server) that provides the client terminal 10 with its processing service using cloud computing technology, or a group of multiple computers.

  The processing service provided by the cloud service 50 to the client terminal 10 processes the data received by the cloud service 50 from the device 20 or the client terminal 10.

  The concept of processing service provided by the cloud service 50 includes a service that simply stores received data, a service that transfers that data (to a designated transfer destination), a service that processes that data, and a plurality of received data. The services to be synchronized, or one or more combinations thereof, are included. Examples of combination processing include processing for processing and storing data, processing for processing and transmitting data, processing for storing and transferring data (without processing), processing and storage of data, and transmission Processing etc. Also, processing may include various aspects such as data conversion, editing, combining of multiple data, and data division.

  A specific example of the processing service provided by the cloud service 50 is a service that applies image processing such as filter processing to the image data read by the scanner as the device 20 and stores the data or transfers it to the client terminal 10 . This is an example of a processing service for data received from the device 20. Conversely, as a specific example of the processing service provided by the cloud service 50 to the data received from the client terminal 10, the document data received from the client terminal 10 is converted into a page description language format that can be handled by the printer as the device 20. There is a service for transferring the print data obtained by the conversion to the device 20. Note that these are merely examples.

  As described above, in the system for providing the processing service using the device 20 from the cloud service 50 to the client terminal 10, conventionally, all the instructions for controlling the device 20 from the client terminal 10 are the devices 20 via the cloud service 50. Was sent to However, in this method, the timing at which the device 20 receives the command is at least the delay in the network delay from the client terminal 10 to the cloud service 50 and the cloud service 50 to the device 20 than the timing at which the client terminal 10 issues the command. I'm late for a minute. This command may be used if it is an instruction that does not cause a slight delay, but in the case where the responsiveness of the device 20 to the control operation is required as in the case of pressing the camera shutter as the device 20 There is a delay in control that can not be ignored in the transmission of instructions via.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the command group to be sent from the client terminal 10 to the device 20 for the processing service provided by the cloud service 50 is classified into those requiring quick response and those not requiring it, and rapid response is required. The cloud service 50 is not used for the group of instructions to be transmitted, and the instruction is transmitted using a local communication method with less network delay. The local communication method is a communication method in which the communicable distance is limited, and the network delay is less than that in the case of passing through the Internet 40 having no restriction on the communicable distance by the limited amount. It is expected. Examples of the local communication method include, for example, the illustrated LAN 30 (Ethernet (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi Direct. Also, a method with an extremely short communicable distance, such as NFC (Near Field Communication), is an example of a local communication method.

  Here, as a local communication method used for transmitting such a specific command group (command group requiring quick response), it is necessary to use one that both the client terminal 10 and the device 20 correspond to. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cloud service 50 selects the one common to both of the local communication methods supported by the client terminal 10 and the device 20, and uses the selected local communication method for the client terminal 10 To direct.

  In addition, when there are a plurality of local communication methods shared by the client terminal 10 and the device 20, the cloud service 50 may select what to use among the plurality of methods. In the selection, the cloud service 50 may execute test communication between the client terminal 10 and the device 20 for each of the local communication methods, and determine the method to be used based on the result of the test communication. Even if the client terminal 10 and the device 20 have a common local communication method, it is not guaranteed that they can actually communicate in the common method even if the client terminal 10 and the device 20 carry the common communication method. This is because even if communication can be performed, it is conceivable that the delay of communication may become very long. For example, when the client terminal 10 is a smartphone for personal use of the user and the device 20 is a printer with Wi-Fi connection to the LAN of the office, both of them are equipped with Wi-Fi. Fi may not be an access point in the office, but may be connected to an external access point provided by a service contracted by the user. In such a case, it is generally impossible to communicate with the device 20 from a smartphone via Wi-Fi. In addition, by performing test communication, it is also possible to obtain a delay time of communication between the client terminal 10 and the device 20 when using the local communication method.

  In the test communication, for example, it is determined whether or not the two can communicate with each other in the local communication method, and if the communication is possible, a delay time in the communication is determined. For example, a round trip time (RTT) may be used as the delay time. The method to be adopted may be determined in accordance with a predetermined rule which is adopted such as a method in which the obtained test result is the most excellent or a method in which the test result first meets the standard is adopted.

  The outline of the system of this embodiment has been described above. The individual devices that make up the system of this embodiment will now be described in more detail.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an application 100 for using the cloud service 50 is installed in the client terminal 10. Alternatively, this application 100 may be provided from the cloud service 50 in the form of a web application service or the like. The processor in the client terminal 10 executes the application 100, whereby the capability information notification unit 102, the device specification reception unit 104, the test processing unit 106, the communication method instruction reception unit 108, the command classification information holding unit 110, and the command issuance control A functional module group called unit 112 is realized.

  The capability information notification unit 102 associates the information of the communication capability of the client terminal 10 with the identification information of the client terminal 10 and notifies the cloud service 50 of the information. Information such as an address for specifying a notification destination of the notification is incorporated in the application 100 in advance. The communication capability information to be notified includes identification information such as a device name for identifying the client terminal 10, and information for identifying each local communication scheme supported by the client terminal 10. The information specifying each local communication system includes, for example, the standard name (or protocol name), the version, and other necessary parameters of the respective local communication system. The necessary parameters include, for example, a radio frequency band to be used, identification information of the client terminal 10 (or a communication device attached thereto), a communication address, and the like. The necessary parameters are determined for each local communication system. Further, as identification information of the client terminal 10, for example, information of a predetermined type that can identify the client terminal 10 may be used, such as a MAC address of a LAN card in the client terminal 10.

  The device specification receiving unit 104 receives a specification of a device to be used this time from the user. This designation reception is performed, for example, by selecting the desired one from the list of available devices 20 provided from the cloud service 50. The device specification receiving unit 104 notifies the cloud service 50 of information specifying the device 20 specified by the user.

  The test processing unit 106 executes processing for test communication with the designated device 20 in accordance with the instruction from the cloud service 50. The test communication is performed for each local communication method (a “candidate method” described later) instructed from the cloud service 50. Specific examples of the test communication will be described later. The test processing unit 106 transmits information (“test result”) obtained as a result of the test communication to the cloud service 50. The test results include information as to whether or not communication was possible in each candidate system. Also, the test result may include information on delay time (for example, RTT) of communication in each candidate scheme.

  The communication method instruction accepting unit 108 accepts, from the cloud service 50, an instruction indicating which local communication method is to be used for communication of a specific instruction group requiring quick response.

  The instruction classification information holding unit 110 holds instruction classification information indicating which of the instructions to the device 20 issued by the application 100 in the processing service provided by the cloud service 50 require quick response and which do not. .

  The instruction issuance control unit 112 follows the instruction classification information held in the instruction classification information holding unit 110, and among the instructions for the device 20, those requiring at least promptness are determined by the local communication method accepted by the communication method instruction accepting unit 108. Control to be transmitted to the device 20. Note that among the commands to the device 20, those that do not require promptness may be transmitted via the cloud service 50, or may be transmitted by the local communication method accepted by the communication method instruction accepting unit 108.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the device 20 has functional modules of a capability information notification unit 202 and a test processing unit 204. These functional modules are realized, for example, by installing a program for realizing each function described below in a computer in the device 20 and executing the program by a processor of the computer.

  The capability information notification unit 202 notifies the cloud service 50 of the information on the communication capability of the device 20. The items included in the information of the communication capability to be notified are the same as the items included in the information notified by the capability information notification unit 102 of the client terminal 10. Information (for example, the communication address of the cloud service 50) for specifying the notification destination of the communication capability information is preset in the capability information notification unit 202.

  The test processing unit 204 executes processing for test communication with the client terminal 10 in accordance with an instruction from the cloud service 50. In the procedure of FIG. 8 described later, as processing for this test communication, it is determined whether test communication data (such as a packet) coming from the client terminal 10 is valid, and the data is determined according to the determination. It determines whether to respond (details will be described later). When the client terminal 10 executes control of test communication and the device 20 only needs to respond to test communication data from the client terminal 10 as usual according to the communication method, the special test processing unit 204 is unnecessary. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cloud service 50 includes a service processing unit 500 and a communication scheme selection unit 510.

  The service processing unit 500 is a functional module that executes processing for a service provided to the client terminal 10, and is a part that bears the main function of the cloud service 50, so to speak. For the service, the service processing unit 500 performs some processing on the data acquired from the device 20, the data acquired from the client terminal 10, or both. This processing includes processing of generating another data from the acquired data, processing of transferring data acquired from one of the client terminal 10 and the device 20 to the other, and the like.

  The service provided by the service processing unit 500 to the client terminal 10 is a service using the device 20 and is not particularly limited. As an example, when the cloud service 50 corresponds to a digital camera as the device 20, a service that performs advanced image processing on an image captured by the device 20, and an image obtained as a result of the image processing as a client terminal 10, a service to be transferred, and a service to save a photographed image or an image obtained by adding the image processing to the photographed image for publication. When the cloud service 50 supports a scanner as the device 20, a service that performs image processing such as tilt correction on an image read by the device 20, a service that performs optical character recognition (OCR), and a read image There is a service or the like for storing data obtained as a result of image processing or OCR. When the printer 20 is targeted as the device 20, a service for converting document data instructed as a print target from the client terminal 10 into a print data format, and a service for adding image processing for printing such as color correction to the print data , And a service for sending the print data generated by these processes to the device 20 for printing.

  The command processing unit 502 of the service processing unit 500 receives a command transmitted by the client terminal 10 to control the device 20 among services provided to the client terminal 10, and transfers the received command to the device 20. Execute the agency process of When the communication method selection unit 510 described later can not find an appropriate local communication method for transmission of a specific command requiring responsiveness, all commands from the client terminal 10 to the device 20 including those specific commands. Are transmitted to the device 20 via the command delivery unit 502. Also, when the communication scheme selection unit 510 instructs such an appropriate local communication scheme to the client terminal 10 and the like, the command distribution unit 502 transfers to the device 20 a command that does not require promptness that has arrived from the client terminal 10.

  The communication scheme selection unit 510 obtains a local communication scheme to be used for transmitting from the client terminal 10 an instruction for controlling the device 20 that belongs to the category requiring promptness, and uses the determined scheme. Instruct (and, if necessary, the instrument 20).

  The communication method selection unit 510 is further divided into functional modules of a capability information acquisition unit 512, a capability information holding unit 514, a device specification reception unit 516, a candidate determination unit 518, a test instruction unit 520, and a communication method instruction unit 522. I can catch it.

  The capability information acquisition unit 512 acquires the information of the communication capability transmitted from the client terminal 10 and the device 20. The information acquired by the capability information acquisition unit 512 is stored in the capability information storage unit 514. That is, the capability information holding unit 514 holds information on the communication capabilities of the client terminals 10 and the devices 20. When it is determined that the device 20 has stopped (for example, the power is turned off), the capability information holding unit 514 may discard the information about the device 20. The stop of the device 20 can be determined by a known method such as, for example, periodically receiving survival confirmation information from the device 20 in operation.

  The device specification accepting unit 516 provides the client terminal 10 with information of the device specification screen including the list of the devices 20, for example, in the form of a Web page, and identifies the designated device from the client terminal 10 for this. Receive information

  In the list of the devices 20 provided to the client terminal 10, in one example, the device 20 holding communication capability information may be placed on the capability information holding unit 514. For example, the capability information holding unit 514 holds information that can identify the device 20 in operation (the device 20 in operation periodically sends survival confirmation information to the cloud service 50, etc.) It is possible to include only the device 20 in operation in the list by determining whether it is medium. Further, the capability information holding unit 514 has information on the installation position of each device 20, acquires information on the current position from the client terminal 10, and lists only the devices 20 located near the current position of the client terminal 10 May be included in The position information of the device 20 and the client terminal 10 may be, for example, position information obtained by a GPS (Global Positioning System) device built in the device 20 or the like, or obtained from an IP address of the device 20 or the like. It may be rough position information.

  The candidate determination unit 518 determines a candidate of the local communication method that may be usable between the client terminal 10 that has specified the device 20 to the device specification accepting unit 516 and the specified device 20. In this determination, a common local communication method supported by the client terminal 10 and a local communication method supported by the device 20 is the candidate local communication method (hereinafter referred to as “candidate method”. It is determined that For example, if the client terminal 10 supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the device 20 supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct, the candidate determination unit 518 may use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as a candidate method. It is determined that Here, although it is conceivable that the client terminal 10 and the device 20 correspond to the local communication method of the same standard but the version of the standard is different between the client terminal 10 and the device 20, in this case If communication is possible, the system is determined to be a candidate system. This determination is possible because it is known whether communication can be performed with the version difference of the same standard specified in the standard.

  The test instruction unit 520 instructs the client terminal 10 to execute test communication for the candidate system determined by the candidate determination unit 518, and receives information on a test result obtained as a result of the test communication from the client terminal 10.

  When there are a plurality of candidate systems, one system may be instructed to execute the test to the client terminal 10 to receive the test results, or all candidate systems may be instructed to execute the test collectively and the test results of each candidate system May be received at once.

  The test communication may be performed a plurality of times (predetermined number of times) for one candidate method. In this case, the client terminal 10 may notify the cloud service 50 of the test result of each time (for example, success / failure of communication and delay time of communication at the time of success, etc.) The cloud service 50 may be notified of information obtained by analyzing the result, for example, the number of communication failures (of the plurality of times), average delay time, worst value of delay time, and the like.

  The execution instruction of the test communication sent to the client terminal 10 may be accompanied by information necessary for the test communication. For example, if the address of the device 20 is required for the client terminal 10 to access the device 20 in the candidate system, the information of the address is attached to the execution instruction.

  In the above example, the test instruction unit 520 instructs the client terminal 10 only to execute the test communication because the client terminal 10 executes the test communication, and the device 20 simply responds to the test communication according to the normal protocol. It is an example of the case. When the device 20 is leading to execute the test communication, the device 20 is instructed to execute the test communication. In this case, the test results are received from the device 20. When information is required for each of the client terminal 10 and the device 20 for test communication, an instruction for test communication including the necessary information is transmitted to both of them.

  Based on the test results of each candidate system received by the test instruction unit 520, the communication system instruction unit 522 determines a local communication system to be adopted by the client terminal 10 to send an instruction to the device 20 among the candidate systems, The client terminal 10 is instructed to communicate in the determined method. The determination of the candidate system to be adopted is performed based on predetermined criteria. For example, a criterion may be considered to adopt a candidate system that was first found to be able to actually communicate between the client terminal 10 and the device 20. Another standard is to adopt a candidate system that has the shortest communication delay time. As the delay time in this case, the worst value or the average value of a plurality of test communications may be used. In addition, it is possible to consider a criterion not to adopt a candidate method in which there was a failure in communication even once in a plurality of tests. Since it takes a certain amount of time to determine that the communication has failed, if it is determined that the command has been sent again using that method after the failure, it may take longer than sending the command via the Internet (via the cloud service 50) It is because there is sex. The criteria exemplified above are merely examples, and other criteria may be used. Alternatively, the determination may be performed by combining two or more of the plurality of criteria.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5, an overview of the flow of processing in the present embodiment is shown.

  (1) When each device 20 is powered on and activated, it connects to the cloud service 50 and sends information on its own communication capability. The sent information is stored in the cloud service 50.

  (2) When the user wants to use the cloud service 50, the client terminal 10 connects to the cloud service 50. At the time of this connection, the client terminal 10 notifies the cloud service 50 of information on its own communication capability. The cloud service 50 that has received the notification creates a list of usable devices 20 with reference to the capability information holding unit 514, and provides a device selection screen including the list to the client terminal in the form of, for example, a Web page.

  (3) The user selects the device 20 to be used this time from the device selection screen displayed on the client terminal 10. The client terminal 10 sends a device use declaration including the identification information of the selected device 20 to the cloud service 50.

  (4) The cloud service 50 that has received the device use declaration sends test information to the device 20 indicated in the declaration. The test information includes a test ID (identifier) used to identify whether the test communication is valid. In addition, the address of the apparatus 20 used when sending test information is received by said (1) as a part of communication capability information.

  (5) Also, the cloud service 50 sends a test execution instruction to the client terminal 10. The test execution instruction includes the same (or corresponding) test ID as that sent to the device 20, information indicating the local communication method to be tested (the above candidate method), and the device 20 of the other party in the local communication method. It contains other information (such as an address, which may not be necessary) necessary to communicate with. The order of (4) and (5) may be reversed, or may be substantially simultaneous.

  (6) The client terminal 10 that has received the test execution instruction executes test communication on the device 20 for each of the instructed candidate methods, and records the test result. At the time of this test communication, the client terminal 10 sends the test ID received from the cloud service 50 to the device 20. When receiving the test ID from the client terminal 10, the device 20 determines whether this ID matches (or corresponds to) the test ID received from the cloud service 50 in (4), and matches (or corresponds to) And sends a response to the client terminal 10.

  (7) The client terminal 10 notifies the cloud service 50 of the test result of each candidate method.

  (8) The cloud service 50 determines the local communication scheme to be used for the client terminal 10 to transmit the specific command group having responsiveness, based on the received test result, and instructs the client terminal 10 to use the determined local communication scheme. To direct. The client terminal 10 is set to use the local communication method instructed by the cloud service 50 for the specific instruction group, and starts using the device 20 via the cloud service 50.

  Next, an example of the processing procedure of the cloud service 50 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The procedure of FIG. 6 starts when the client terminal 10 receives a connection. In this procedure, the cloud service 50 first acquires communication capability information from the client terminal 10 (S102). Next, a device selection screen including a list of the devices 20 is generated and provided to the client terminal 10 (S104), and the device use declaration including information specifying the selected device 20 using the device selection screen is used as a client It receives from the terminal 10 (S106). Next, matching of the selected local communication system corresponding to each of the selected device 20 and its client terminal 10 is performed, and a local communication system common to both is extracted as a candidate system (S108). Then, a test ID is generated, and the test ID is notified to the selected device 20 (S110), and a test execution including information necessary for test communication such as candidate system information to the client terminal 10 is performed. Send an instruction (S112). Thereafter, the information of the test result notified from the client terminal 10 is received (S114), and it is determined which of the candidate methods is to be adopted from the test result according to the criteria exemplified above (S116). For example, the local communication scheme to be adopted is determined according to the criterion that the one with the shortest delay time is selected among the candidate schemes in which there is no communication failure in the test communication. Then, the client terminal 10 is instructed to use the determined local communication method (S118). Also, if there is information of the client terminal 10 to be transmitted to the device 20 for communication in the determined local communication method, the cloud service 50 transmits the information to the device 20 in parallel with S118.

  Also, immediately before or after instructing the client terminal 10 to use the local communication method in S118, the cloud service 50 provides the client terminal 10 with an input screen for inputting an instruction to the device 20 and setting information. When the user performs an input on the input screen and performs an operation of instructing transmission of the input content, the client terminal 10 receives a cloud service for the input content corresponding to a specific command requiring responsiveness. It transmits to the device 20 along with the command in the local communication method instructed by the F. 50, and transmits the other contents of the input content to the device 20 via the cloud service 50.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 7, an example of the processing procedure of the client terminal 10 will be described.

  For example, when the user instructs activation of the application 100 for using the cloud service 50 on the user interface screen of the client terminal 10, the application 100 accesses the cloud service 50, and the communication capability information of the client terminal 10 is updated to the cloud service 50. (S202). Next, the client terminal 10 displays the device selection screen sent from the cloud service 50 (S204), accepts the selection of the device 20 to be used from the user via the screen (S205), and the selected device 20 The device use declaration including the identification information of is sent to the cloud service 50 (S206). Next, an instruction to execute test communication is received from the cloud service 50 (S208), and test communication is performed for each candidate method indicated in the instruction. In the test communication, while referring to the communication information of the counterpart device 20 included in the instruction, the test ID included in the instruction is transmitted to the device 20 in the candidate system (S210), and the transmission is performed If there is a response from the device 20 (i.e., the communication is successful), and if there is a response, the time from transmission to obtaining the response (i.e., delay time as RTT) is recorded as a test result (S212) ). For test communication, for example, ping may be used. When a plurality of test communications are performed for one candidate method, the same processing is repeated for the number of times. When the test communication is completed for all instructed candidate systems, the test result of each candidate system is transmitted to the cloud service 50 (S214). Then, an instruction of the local communication method is received from the cloud service 50, and transmission is performed using the method for a specific command group (S216).

  Next, an example of the processing procedure of the device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. At the start of this procedure, it is assumed that the device 20 has been started up, and has already notified the cloud service 50 of information on its own communication capability.

  When the device 20 receives a test ID (named as "ID-A" for convenience) from the cloud service 50, it stores it (S302). Thereafter, after a while, data of test communication arrives from the client terminal 10. The device 20 receives the data (S304), extracts the test ID (named as "ID-B" for convenience) from the data, and determines whether the ID-B matches the previously received ID-A. (S306). In addition, it is a case where the cloud service 50 provides the test ID of the same value to the apparatus 20 and the client terminal 10 to determine whether or not they match. In the case where the cloud service 50 provides the device 20 and the client terminal 10 with mutually corresponding test IDs in accordance with the predetermined rule, in S306, the ID-B corresponds to the ID-A and the correspondence along the rule. Check if there is. If the determination result in S306 is Yes, the device 20 sends a response to the client terminal 10, and if not, the process ends without sending a response.

  As a use scene of the system of the present embodiment, for example, a camera (device 20) installed in a laboratory shoots an experiment target according to an instruction of a user who is outside the room, and sends an image obtained by this shooting to the cloud service 50 Processing (for example, image processing and storage processing) may be considered. In this case, an instruction requiring quick responsiveness such as a photographing instruction (shutter pressing operation) is transmitted from the smartphone (client terminal 10) possessed by the user to the camera by the local communication method such as Bluetooth, with almost no delay. And data can be transmitted with high reliability via the cloud service 50.

  In the above example, as a result of the test communication, the local communication method with the shortest delay time is adopted, but this is merely an example. Instead of this, for example, as test communication is sequentially performed for each candidate method, the candidate method for which test communication first succeeded or the first candidate method for which the delay time has become equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value is adopted. It is also good.

  Furthermore, although the client terminal 10 and the device 20 are connected to the same LAN 30 in the above, this is not essential.

<Modification>
Next, a modification is described. In this modified example, special processing is performed when both the client terminal 10 and the device 20 support NFC.

  By bringing the antenna portions of NFC compatible devices into close proximity to each other (for example, bringing them into close contact), a small amount of data (or command) can be transmitted between the devices via NFC. In the case of NFC, the delay of communication is extremely short, the delay is known at most, and there is almost no possibility that communication can not be made when brought close, so there is no need to conduct test communication. However, in the case of NFC, since the amount of data that can be transmitted is very limited, it can not be used to transmit an instruction with relatively large data. Therefore, in this modification, among the command groups requiring quick response, the command group smaller than the amount of data that can be transmitted by NFC is a command group to be transmitted by NFC (named as “α” for convenience), and the other (that is, data A group of commands (which may exceed the upper limit that can be transmitted by NFC) (referred to as “β” for convenience) are assigned to other local communication methods other than NFC. For example, the instruction group “α” includes, for example, an instruction with a small amount of data, such as shutter pressing, scan start, and print start.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of the processing procedure of the cloud service 50 in this modification. The same steps as the steps of the procedure shown in FIG. 6 in the procedure of FIG.

  The test instruction unit 520 of the cloud service 50 determines whether NFC is included in the candidate system determined by the candidate determination unit 518 in S108 (S120), and if it is included, the specific method requiring quick response It is determined that NFC is used for transmission of a part of the instruction group “α” (S122). When the determination result of S120 is No, it progresses to S110, without performing S122. After that, in S112A, the client terminal 10 is instructed to perform test communication for each candidate method other than NFC. When the test result for this instruction is received, it is determined that the local communication system obtained from the test result is used for the command group belonging to the part “β” of the specific command group requiring quick response (S116A). Then, the client terminal 10 is instructed to use the local communication method determined in S122 and S116A for "α" and "β" (S118A).

  The instruction classification information holding unit 110 of the client terminal 10 holds information indicating whether each instruction belongs to any classification of “α”, “β”, and “does not require quick response”, and this information To control whether each command is to be transmitted via NFC, the local communication scheme instructed from the cloud service 50 other than NFC, or via the cloud service 50.

  Thereafter, the user inputs data on an operation screen received from, for example, the cloud service 50, and performs an operation (so-called touch) to cause the client terminal 10 (for example, a smartphone) to approach the antenna portion of the device 20. In response to this operation, the client terminal 10 sends the input data and an instruction corresponding to the proximity operation to the device 20 by NFC.

  The embodiment of the present invention and the modification thereof have been described above. In the above embodiment and modification, the case where an instruction is sent from the client terminal 10 to the device 20 is taken as an example, but the method of the embodiment and modification is also applied to the case where data of a small size without an instruction is sent. It may be used. Further, also in the case where an instruction or data is sent from the device 20 to the client terminal 10, the methods of the above embodiment and modification may be used.

  Also, when using the device 20 from the client terminal 10 via an information processing apparatus on the Internet other than the cloud service 50, the methods of the above-described embodiment and modification may be used.

  In the above embodiment and modification, the cloud service 50 determines the local communication method used in the communication between the client terminal 10 and the device 20. However, the client terminal 10 has the same function as the communication method selection unit 510 of the cloud service 50. Alternatively, by having the device 20, the determination may be performed by the client terminal 10 or the device 20. In addition, the determination may be performed by a server on the Internet other than the cloud service 50.

  The client terminal 10, the part executing the information processing of the device 20, and the cloud service 50 exemplified above may be realized, for example, by causing a general-purpose computer to execute a program representing processing of each functional module of the device. . The computer referred to here is, for example, hardware such as a microprocessor such as CPU, memory (primary storage) such as random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), HDD (hard disk drive) or SSD (solid state drive) A secondary storage controller for controlling secondary storage such as flash memory, various I / O (input / output) interfaces, a network interface for controlling connection with a wireless or wired network, etc. via, for example, a bus Have a circuit configuration connected to each other. Also, for that bus, for example, a portable type of various standards such as a disk drive for reading and / or writing to a portable disc recording medium such as a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-ray disc via an I / O interface, A memory reader / writer for reading and / or writing to the non-volatile recording medium may be connected. A program in which the processing content of each functional module illustrated above is described is stored in a secondary storage device such as a flash memory via a recording medium such as a CD or DVD or via a communication means such as a network. Will be installed on The program stored in the secondary storage device is read out to the RAM and executed by a microprocessor such as a CPU, whereby the functional module group exemplified above is realized. Also, the computer hosting the cloud service 50 may be a virtual machine.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Client terminal, 20 apparatus, 35 firewall, 40 Internet, 50 cloud service, 100 application, 102 capability information notification part, 104 apparatus specification reception part, 106 test process part, 108 communication system instruction reception part, 110 instruction division information holding part , 112 command issuing control unit, 202 capability information notification unit, 204 test processing unit, 500 service processing unit, 502 instruction handling unit, 510 communication scheme selection unit, 512 capability information acquisition unit, 514 capability information holding unit, 516 device specification acceptance 518 candidate determination unit 520 test instruction unit 522 communication method instruction unit.

Claims (8)

An agent that transfers information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet,
Processing means for processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet;
A local communication method possessed by both the client terminal and the device with respect to information belonging to a division requiring a predetermined responsiveness among the information targeted by the agent for at least one of the client terminal and the device. Instructing means for instructing the other side to transmit the information, and instructing information to be transmitted to the other side via the agent means for the information which does not belong to the quick response required category ;
An information processing apparatus including:   When there are a plurality of local communication methods that the client terminal and the device have in common, the instruction unit causes the client terminal and the device to execute test communication for each of the plurality of local communication methods. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a local communication scheme to be instructed to the client terminal is determined based on a result of test communication.   Among the plurality of local communication means that the client terminal and the device have in common, the instruction means uses one that is found by the test communication to have the least communication delay between the client terminal and the device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the client terminal and the device is instructed. An agent that transfers information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet,
Processing means for processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet;
With respect to at least one of the client terminal and the device, at least specific information of the information to be transferred by the agent is transmitted to the other using the local communication scheme possessed by both the client terminal and the device. Instruction means for instructing
Including
When the near field wireless communication is included in the local communication method commonly shared by the client terminal and the device, the instruction unit is configured to use the specific information or a specific part of the specific information. information processing apparatus you characterized instructs it to use short-range wireless communication. Computer,
An agent that transfers information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet,
Processing means for processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet,
A local communication method possessed by both the client terminal and the device with respect to information belonging to a division requiring a predetermined responsiveness among the information targeted by the agent for at least one of the client terminal and the device. Instructing means for transmitting information to the other using the request information, and instructing information to be transmitted to the other through the agent means for information that does not belong to the quick response required category ;
Program to function as. A step of the agent means for transferring information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet;
The processing means processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet;
Of the information to be directed by the agent for at least one of the client terminal and the device, the instruction means includes information pertaining to a predetermined prompt response category among the information for which the agent means is relayed by both the client terminal and the device. Instructing to transmit to the other using the local communication method, and instructing to transmit to the other through the agent means for information that does not belong to the quick response required category ;
Method including.   Computer,
  An agent that transfers information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet,
  Processing means for processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet,
  With respect to at least one of the client terminal and the device, at least specific information of the information to be transferred by the agent is transmitted to the other using the local communication scheme possessed by both the client terminal and the device. Instruction means to instruct,
  A program to function as
  When the near field wireless communication is included in the local communication method commonly shared by the client terminal and the device, the instruction unit is configured to use the specific information or a specific part of the specific information. Is a program that instructs to use near field communication.   A step of the agent means for transferring information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet to the other via the Internet;
  The processing means processing information received from one of the client terminal and the device via the Internet;
  An instruction unit for at least one of the client terminal and the device, at least specific information of information to be transferred by the agent using the local communication scheme possessed by both the client terminal and the device; Instructing to send to
  Including
  When the near field wireless communication is included in the local communication method commonly shared by the client terminal and the device, the instruction unit is configured to use the specific information or a specific part of the specific information. Instructing to use near field communication.

Images