# US 2016/0366292 A1 · Communication system, communication relay apparatus, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0366292 A1 - Document ID: US20160366292A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/182,180 - Filed: 2016-06-14 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-15 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Kazuya Anezaki; Hirokazu Kubota; Kenji Matsuhara; Satoshi Masuda; Daisuke Sakiyama; Yuki Asai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160366292A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/00244: {with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324)} - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 12/6418: {Hybrid transport} - H04N 1/00347: {with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus (circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32)} - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 40/22: using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point - H04N 2201/0039: Connection via a network - H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception - H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user - H04W 88/16: Gateway arrangements - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication system includes a plurality of communication relay apparatuses relaying communication between the plurality of devices provided inside a LAN and an external server provided outside the LAN. A first communication relay apparatus performs a device search process of searching the LAN for a device, acquires information on a first management target device which is a device whose communication relay process is managed by a second communication relay apparatus, and determines a second management target device which is a device whose communication relay process is managed by the first communication relay apparatus. The first communication relay apparatus determines the second management target device after removing at least partial duplication of the second management target device and the first management target device, by excluding at least some of the first management target device from two or more devices which are retrieved in the device search process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system comprising: a plurality of devices provided inside a LAN; and a plurality of communication relay apparatuses provided inside the LAN and that relay communication between the plurality of devices and an external server provided outside the LAN, wherein the plurality of communication relay apparatuses comprises a first communication relay apparatus and a second communication relay apparatus, the first communication relay apparatus comprises: a search processor that performs a device search process of searching the LAN for a device; an acquisition processor that acquires information on at least one first management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by the second communication relay apparatus; and a determination processor that determines at least one second management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by the first communication relay apparatus, and wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device after removing at least partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, by excluding at least some of the at least one first management target device from two or more devices which are retrieved in the device search process, on the basis of the two or more devices and management device information which is the information on the at least one first management target device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding all of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices, allowing partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, on the condition that a number of the at least one second management target device is not larger than a predetermined upper limit number. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the determination processor notifies the second communication relay apparatus that a device which is included in the management device information and is not retrieved in the device search process should be excluded from at least one management target device of the second communication relay apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising: a management server provided outside the LAN, receiving an access request for a specific device among the plurality of devices from the external server, wherein the first communication relay apparatus sends information on the at least one second management target device to the management server, the management server comprises: a storage that stores therein registration information of at least one management target device of each of the plurality of communication relay apparatuses, the registration information including information on at least one management target device of the first communication relay apparatus; a relay apparatus determination processor that determines a communication relay apparatus which is capable of relaying communication with the specific device on the basis of the registration information when the access request for the specific device is received from the external server; and a communication processor that sends a tunnel connection request to the communication relay apparatus that is determined by the relay apparatus determination part, the tunnel connection request indicating that a tunnel connection with the external server should be established, and wherein the communication relay apparatus determined by the relay apparatus determination processor establishes the tunnel connection with the external server in response to the tunnel connection request, and relays communication between the external server and the specific device by using the tunnel connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the communication processor of the management server establishes a communication session with the first communication relay apparatus in advance, and sends the tunnel connection request to the first communication relay apparatus by using the communication session when the first communication relay apparatus is determined as a communication relay apparatus for the specific device by the relay apparatus determination processor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the first communication relay apparatus performs communication between the first communication relay apparatus and the external server with a first communication protocol, the first communication relay apparatus performs communication between the first communication relay apparatus and the specific device with a second communication protocol, and when the first communication relay apparatus receives first data for the specific device from the external server, the first communication relay apparatus converts the first data into second data with conversion of the first communication protocol into the second communication protocol, and sends the second data to the specific device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the acquisition processor acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to the management server and receiving information sent from the management server in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the external server and the management server are provided inside the same apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition processor acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to the second communication relay apparatus and receiving information sent from the second communication relay apparatus in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 12 A communication relay apparatus which is one communication relay apparatus among a plurality of communication relay apparatuses which relay communication between an external server provided outside a LAN and a plurality of devices provided inside the LAN, comprising: a search processor that performs a device search process of searching the LAN for a device; an acquisition processor that acquires information on at least one first management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by a second communication relay apparatus which is a communication relay apparatus other than the one communication relay apparatus among the plurality of communication relay apparatuses provided inside the LAN; and a determination processor that determines at least one second management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by a first communication relay apparatus which is the one communication relay apparatus among the plurality of communication relay apparatuses, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device after removing at least partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, by excluding at least some of the at least one first management target device from two or more devices which are retrieved in the device search process, on the basis of the two or more devices and management device information which is the information on the at least one first management target device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding all of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determination processor determines the at least one second management target device by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices, allowing partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, on the condition that a number of the at least one second management target device is not larger than a predetermined upper limit number. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determination processor notifies the second communication relay apparatus that a device which is included in the management device information and is not retrieved in the device search process should be excluded from at least one management target device of the second communication relay apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the acquisition processor acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to the second communication relay apparatus and receiving information sent from the second communication relay apparatus in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the acquisition processor acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to a management server provided outside the LAN and receiving information sent from the management server in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The communication relay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first communication relay apparatus is an image forming apparatus. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for recording therein a program to be executed by a computer embedded in one communication relay apparatus among a plurality of communication relay apparatuses which relay communication between an external server provided outside a LAN and a plurality of devices provided inside the LAN, to cause the computer to perform: a) performing a device search process of searching the LAN for a device; b) acquiring information on at least one first management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by a second communication relay apparatus which is a communication relay apparatus other than the one communication relay apparatus among the plurality of communication relay apparatuses provided inside the LAN; and c) determining at least one second management target device which is a device whose communication relay process with the external server is managed by a first communication relay apparatus which is the one communication relay apparatus among the plurality of communication relay apparatuses, wherein the at least one second management target device is determined in the step c) after removing at least partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, by excluding at least some of the at least one first management target device from two or more devices which are retrieved in the device search process in the step a), on the basis of the two or more devices and management device information which is the information acquired in the step b). ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the at least one second management target device is determined by at least excluding all of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices in the step c). ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the at least one second management target device is determined by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices in the step c). ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 22, wherein the at least one second management target device is determined by at least excluding some of the at least one first management target device from the two or more devices, allowing partial duplication of the at least one second management target device and the at least one first management target device, on the condition that a number of the at least one second management target device is not larger than a predetermined upper limit number, in the step c). ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the second communication relay apparatus is notified that a device which is included in the management device information and is not retrieved in the device search process should be excluded from at least one management target device of the second communication relay apparatus in the step c). ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the step b) further acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to the second communication relay apparatus and receiving information sent from the second communication relay apparatus in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the step b) further acquires the management device information by sending a transmission request of the management device information to a management server provided outside the LAN and receiving information sent from the management server in response to the transmission request. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the first communication relay apparatus is an image forming apparatus.