Connection device and connection method using priority level information for a plurality of processes

A connection device, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores type priority level information that specifies a priority level assigned in advance for each type of a process, usable communication system information that specifies a usable communication system for each process, and sharing propriety information that specifies whether or not the communication system is sharable among a plurality of processes during a same period of time;
• and
• a processor programmed to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the instructions causing the processor to:
• communicate to and from another device with use of communication systems that are different from one another;
• use the usable communication system information to identify the communication system usable by a process to be started to be executed;
• determine whether the identified communication system is not sharable and a process in execution that is different from the process to be started to be executed already uses the identified communication system;
• determine, as a first determination, whether a type of the process in execution is a predetermined type and the priority level of the process in execution is equal to or lower than the priority level of the process to be started to be executed;
• in response to determining that the first determination is positive, output a request for a response from a user of the connection device indicating whether a communication path of the process in execution can be disconnected, and determine, as a second determination, whether to activate the process to be started to be executed based on the response from the user;
• and
• in response to determining that the second determination is positive, activate the process to be started to be executed and release the communication path to be used by the process to be started to be executed;
• wherein, when there is a change in a configuration in the another device, the processor acquires information to specify the communication system, which is compatible with the another device after the change of the communication system, from a predetermined server device and updates the usable communication system information.

A connection method for assisting connection for communication to and from another device with use of a computer that includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores type priority level information for specifying a priority level assigned in advance for each type of a process, usable communication system information for specifying a usable communication system for each process, and sharing propriety information for specifying whether or not the communication system is sharable among a plurality of processes during a same period of time;

• and a processor programmed to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the instructions causing the processor to:
• communicate to and from the another device with use of a plurality of communication systems different from one another;
• and allocate the communication system to be used by the process, the processor executing the connection method comprising:
• identifying the communication system usable by the process to be started to be executed based on the usable communication system information;
• determining whether the identified communication system is not sharable and a process in execution that is different from the process to be started to be executed already uses the identified communication system;
• determining, as a first determination, whether the type of the process in execution is a predetermined type and the priority level of the process in execution is equal to or lower than the priority level of the process to be started to be executed;
• in response to determining that the first determination is positive, outputting a request for a response from a user of the connection device indicating whether a communication path of the process in execution can be disconnected, and determining, as a second determination, whether to activate the process to be started to be executed based on the response from the user;
• and
• in response to determining that the second determination is positive, activating the process to be started to be executed and releasing the communication path to be used by the process to be started to be executed;
• wherein, when there is a change in a configuration in the another device, the processor acquires information to specify the communication system, which is compatible with the another device after the change of the communication system, from a predetermined server device and updates the usable communication system information.