Apparatus, method and computer software products for controlling a home terminal

A communication system comprising:

• a server apparatus connected to an external network;
• a home terminal apparatus connected to a home network;
• and
• a router which connects the external network and the home network, wherein:
• said home terminal apparatus includes:
• a packet generation unit operable to generate packet data to be sent to said server apparatus via said router;
• a protocol determination unit operable to determine a communication protocol used between said home terminal apparatus and said server apparatus;
• and
• a communication unit operable to send/receive the packet data to and from said server apparatus via said router;
• said server apparatus includes:
• a second communication unit operable to send/receive packet data;
• and
• a second packet generation unit operable to generate the packet data to be sent to said home terminal apparatus;
• and
• said protocol determination unit is operable to determine that said home terminal apparatus is to communicate with said server apparatus using (i) a first communication protocol, being a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), when said communication unit sends address notification packet data generated by said packet generation unit to said server apparatus periodically and repeatedly at a predetermined sending interval via said router, and (ii) a second communication protocol, being a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), when said communication unit sends/receives control information to and from said server apparatus,
• wherein:
• said second packet generation unit of said server apparatus is operable to generate a notification packet indicating an occurrence of a control request to control said home terminal apparatus, when the control request occurs in said server apparatus;
• said second communication unit is operable to send the notification packet to said home terminal apparatus via said router;
• when said communication unit of said home terminal apparatus receives the notification packet from said server apparatus while said communication unit is repeating the sending, using the UDP, of the address notification packet data on a periodical basis, said packet generation unit is operable to generate a connection request packet for making a connection request, which is a request to establish a TCP connection to said server apparatus, and said protocol determination unit is operable to determine that the connection request packet is to be communicated using the second communication protocol which is the TCP;
• and
• said communication unit is operable to send the connection request packet to the server apparatus using the TCP, and operable to receive, from said server apparatus, control packet data, which is data including the control request in the TCP after the connection is established between said server apparatus and said home terminal apparatus using the second communication protocol which is the TCP.

A communication method in which an external network to which a server apparatus is connected and a home network to which a home terminal apparatus is connected are connected via a router, said communication method comprising home terminal apparatus steps executed by the home terminal apparatus and server apparatus steps executed by the server apparatus,

• wherein the home terminal apparatus steps include:
• generating packet data to be sent to the server apparatus via the router;
• determining a communication protocol used between the home terminal apparatus and the server apparatus;
• and
• sending/receiving the packet data to and from the server apparatus via the router, wherein the server apparatus steps include:
• sending/receiving packet data to and from the home terminal apparatus via the router;
• and
• generating the packet data to be sent to the home terminal apparatus,
• wherein, said determining of the communication protocol includes determining that the home terminal apparatus is to communicate with the server apparatus using (i) a first communication protocol, being a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), when address notification packet data, which is packet data generated in said generating of the packet data executed by the home terminal apparatus, is sent to the server apparatus periodically and repeatedly at a predetermined sending interval via the router in said sending/receiving of the packet data executed by the home terminal apparatus, and (ii) a second communication protocol, being a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), when control information is sent/received to and from the server apparatus in said sending/receiving of the packet data executed by the home terminal apparatus, and
• wherein the home terminal apparatus steps further include, when the home terminal apparatus receives, from the server apparatus, a notification packet indicating an occurrence of a control request to control the home terminal apparatus while the home terminal apparatus is repeating the sending, using the UDP, of the address notification packet data on a periodical basis:
• generating a connection request packet, which is a packet for making a connection request to establish a TCP connection to the server apparatus;
• determining that the connection request packet is to be communicated using the second communication protocol which is the TCP;
• sending the connection request packet to the server apparatus using the TCP;
• and
• receiving, from the server apparatus, control packet data, which is data including the control request in the TCP after the connection is established between the server apparatus and the home terminal apparatus using the second communication protocol which is the TCP.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium for causing a home terminal apparatus connected to a router via a home network to send/receive packet data to and from the router connected to an external network to which a server apparatus is connected, said program causing an execution of home terminal apparatus steps by the home terminal apparatus and an execution of server apparatus steps by the server apparatus, wherein:

• the home terminal apparatus steps include:
• generating packet data to be sent to the server apparatus via the router;
• determining a communication protocol used between the home terminal apparatus and the server apparatus;
• and
• sending/receiving the packet data to and from the server apparatus via the router;
• and
• said determining of the communication protocol includes determining that the home terminal apparatus is to communicate with the server apparatus using (i) a first communication protocol, being a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), when address notification packet data, which is packet data generated in said generating of the packet data, is sent to the server apparatus periodically and repeatedly at a predetermined sending interval via the router in said sending/receiving of the packet data, and (ii) a second communication protocol, being a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), when control information is sent/received to and from the server apparatus in said sending/receiving of the packet data, and
• wherein the home terminal apparatus steps further include, when the home terminal apparatus receives, from the server apparatus, a notification packet indicating an occurrence of a control request to control the home terminal apparatus while the home terminal apparatus is repeating the sending, using the UDP, of the address notification packet data on a periodical basis:
• generating a connection request packet, which is a packet for making a connection request to establish a TCP connection to the server apparatus;
• determining that the connection request packet is to be communicated using the second communication protocol which is the TCP;
• sending the connection request packet to the server apparatus using the TCP;
• and
• receiving, from the server apparatus, control packet data, which is data including the control request in the TCP after the connection is established between the server apparatus and the home terminal apparatus using the second communication protocol which is the TCP.