Image data transmission system, process and program, image data output device and image display device

An image data transmission method of connecting a server and a plurality of clients via a network capable of intercommunication and outputting image data from the server to the clients for display,

• wherein the server executes:
• outputting a retrieval command, via a client retrieval unit to request a response including connectability to any of the clients on the network and for retrieving connectable clients based on a response to the retrieval command;
• outputting, via a client connection establishment unit a connection command request to at least one intended connectable client to respond with a connection command, and establishing a connection with the specific client based on information needed for connection and included in the response,
• wherein the client connection establishment unit uses a client-definable connection command keyword to be displayed to the client and establishes the connection with the client when the client returns the connection command keyword;
• and
• outputting image data, via an image data output unit to the connected client, and
• wherein each of the clients executes:
• outputting, via a retrieval response output unit a response from the client retrieval unit when the connection is available,
• outputting a response, via a server connection establishment unit, when a connection command output from the client connection establishment unit is input, and establishing connection with the server corresponding to the information,
• wherein the server connection establishment unit has a keyword determination unit for determining a match between the connection command keyword and a keyword specified by the client and, when the keyword determination unit determines a match between the keywords, outputs a response to the client connection establishment unit to establish the connection with the server;
• an image data input step of inputting image data output from the connected server;
• and
• an image display step of displaying an image based on image data input at the image data input step.

An image data transmission program to enable a computer to implement a function of connecting a server and a plurality of clients via a network capable of intercommunication and outputting image data from the server to the clients for display,

• wherein the server implements:
• a client retrieval function of outputting a retrieval command to request a response including connectability to any of the clients on the network and for retrieving connectable clients based on a response to the retrieval command;
• a client connection establishment function that outputs a connection command request to at least one intended connectable client to respond with a connection command and establishes a connection with the connectable client based on the response,
• wherein the client connection establishment function uses a client-definable connection command keyword to be displayed to the client and establishes the connection with the client when the client returns the connection command keyword;
• and
• an image data output function that outputs image data to the connected client, and
• wherein each of the clients implements:
• a retrieval response output function that, when the connection is available, outputs a response including connectability to a retrieval command output by the client retrieval function;
• a server connection establishment function that, when a connection command output by the client connection establishment function is input, outputs a response including information needed for connection to the connection command and establishing connection with the server corresponding to the information,
• wherein the server connection establishment function has a keyword determination unit for determining a match between the connection command keyword and a keyword specified by the client and, when the keyword determination unit determines a match between the keywords, outputs a response to the client connection establishment unit to establish the connection with the server;
• an image data input function that inputs image data from the connected server;
• and
• an image display function that displays an image based on image data input by the image data input function.

An image data output device that is connectable with a plurality of clients via a network capable of intercommunication and to output displayable image data to the clients, the device comprising:

• a client retrieval unit that outputs a retrieval command to request a response including connectability to any of the clients on the network and for retrieving connectable clients based on a response to the retrieval command;
• a client connection establishment unit that outputs a connection command request to at least one intended connectable client to respond with a connection command and establishes a connection with the client based on the response, wherein
• the client connection establishment unit uses a client-definable connection command keyword to be displayed to the client and establishes the connection with the client when the client returns the connection command keyword;
• and
• an image data output unit that outputs image data to the connected client.

An image display device connectable with a server via a network capable of intercommunication and provides display based on image data output from the server, the device comprising:

• a retrieval response output unit that, when the connection is available, outputs a response from the server to unspecified clients and requests a response including connectability;
• a server connection establishment unit that, when a connection command output from the server is input, outputs a response and establishes a connection with the server corresponding to the information,
• wherein the server connection establishment unit has a keyword determination unit for determining a match between the connection command keyword and a keyword specified by the client and, when the keyword determination unit determines a match between the keywords, outputs a response to the client connection establishment unit to establish the connection with the server;
• an image data input unit that inputs image data output from the connected server;
• and
• an image display unit that displays an image based on image data input from the image data input unit.