Device-sharing system, device administration terminal, gateway terminal, device, terminal program and device program, and method for providing a device-sharing service

A device-sharing system for enabling communication between any of a plurality of devices, each being able to perform or receive one or more of a plurality of services available on the system, the system being configured such that, in response to a provide-service request received by a device administration terminal, a communication link between at least one device designated to perform the service requested in the provide-service request and at least one device designated to receive the requested service is established, the device-sharing system comprising:

• a service information storage medium configured to store, for each service, service information relating to that service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for that service;
• wherein, when the device administration terminal receives the provide-service request, the device administration terminal
• identifies as service-related devices (i) a device from which the provide-service request originated and (ii) at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on service information read from the service information storage medium, and
• reads service information for the service-related devices from the service information storage medium, and sends the read service information to the request-originating device;
• and
• wherein, the device from which the provide-service request originated, upon receiving service information from the device administration terminal in response to the request, displays a service list based on the received service information, and, when a service is selected from the displayed service list, communicates with the at least one device linked thereto to obtain performance of the requested service, based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information for the selected service.

A device administration terminal in communication with a plurality of gateway terminals, each having at least one device associated therewith, the device administration terminal comprising:

• a service information storage medium configured to store, for each service, information relating to that service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for that service;
• wherein, when a provide-service request is received by the device administration terminal, the device administration terminal
• identifies as service-related devices (i) a device of the gateway terminal from which the provide-service request originated and (ii) at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on service information from the service information storage medium, and
• reads service information for the service-related devices including device-to-device communication information from the service information storage medium, and sends the read service information to the request-originating gateway terminal.

A device administration terminal capable of communicating with a plurality of devices, the device administration terminal comprising:

• a service information storage medium configured to store, for each service, information relating to that service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for that service;
• wherein, when a provide-service request is received by the device administration terminal, the device administration terminal
• identifies as service-related devices (i) the device from which the provide-service request originated and (ii) at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on service information from the service information storage medium, and
• reads service information for the service-related devices including device-to-device communication information from the service information storage medium, and sends the read service information to the request-originating device.

A gateway terminal for establishing communication between a device associated therewith and other devices, each of which is able to perform or receive one or more services, the gateway terminal comprising:

• a service information storage medium configured to store, for each service, information relating to the service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for the service;
• and
• wherein the gateway terminal is configured to
• send a provide-service request to an external device,
• receive service information in response to the sent request,
• display a service list based on the received service information, and
• in response to a service being selected from the displayed service list, relay communication between the gateway terminal device and a service-related device based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information relating to the selected service.

A device capable of communicating with a device administration terminal in a device-sharing system that facilitates communication between the device and any of a plurality of devices in the system, wherein the device is configured to

• send a provide-service request to the device administration terminal,
• receive service information in response to the sent request,
• display a service list based on the received service information, and
• in response to a service being selected from the displayed service list, communicate with at least one service-related device based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information for the selected service.

A device-readable medium embodying a program to be run by a gateway terminal configured to establish communication between a device associated therewith and other devices, each of which is able to perform or receive one or more services, the program comprising instructions for:

• sending a provide-service request to an external device,
• receiving service information in response to the sent request,
• displaying a service list based on the received service information, and
• in response to a service being selected from the displayed service list, relaying communication between the gateway terminal device and a service-related device based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information relating to the selected service.

A device-readable medium embodying a program to be run by a device that is capable of communicating with a device administration terminal in a device-sharing system that facilitates communication between the device and any of a plurality of devices in the system, the program comprising instructions for:

• sending a provide-service request to the device administration terminal;
• receiving service information in response to the sent request;
• displaying a service list based on the received service information, and
• in response to a service being selected from the displayed service list, communicating with at least one service-related device based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information for the selected service.

A method for providing a device-sharing service by enabling communication between a device administration terminal and a plurality of gateway terminals, each associated with at least one device and configured to establish communication between the at least one associated device and other devices through their respective gateway terminals, each device in the system being able to perform or receive one or more of a plurality of services available on the system, the method comprising:

• storing, for each service, service information relating to that service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for that service;
• enabling a gateway terminal to send a provide-service request to the device administration terminal;
• when a provide-service request is received by the device administration terminal
• enabling the device administration terminal to identify as service-related devices (i) a device of the gateway terminal from which the provide-service request originated and (ii) at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on stored service information, and
• enabling the device administration terminal to read service information for the service-related devices, and send the read service information to the request-originating gateway terminal;
• and
• when the service information is received by the gateway terminal from which the provide-service originated in response to the request
• enabling that gateway terminal to display a service list based on received service information, and
• when a service is selected from the displayed service list, enabling that gateway terminal to relay communication between itself and the at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information for the selected service.

A method for providing a device-sharing service by enabling communication between any of a plurality of devices, each device being able to perform or receive one or more of a plurality of services available on the system, the system being configured such that, in response to a provide-service request received by a device administration terminal, a communication link between at least one device designated to perform the service requested in the provide-service request and at least one device designated to receive the requested service is established, the method comprising:

• storing, for each service, service information relating to that service including device-to-device communication information enabling communication between devices used for that service;
• when the provide-service request is received by the device administration terminal
• enabling the device administration terminal to identify as service-related devices (i) a device from which the provide-service request originated and (ii) at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on stored service information, and
• enabling the device administration terminal to read service information for the service-related devices, and send the read service information to the request-originating device;
• and
• when the service information is received by the device from which the provide-service originated in response to the request
• enabling that device to display a service list based on received service information, and
• when a service is selected from the displayed service list, enabling that device to relay communication between itself and the at least one device linked thereto to perform the requested service, based on device-to-device communication information contained in the received service information for the selected service.