Information processing apparatus, network system and network system control method

A control method for controlling a network system comprising 1) a first information processing apparatus compatible with a universal-plug-and-play (UPnP) discovery and control method, the method being known as one for controlling a first device operable under the UPnP discovery and control method;

• 2) a second information processing apparatus compatible with a Web based discovery and control method, the method being known as one for controlling a second device operable under the Web based discovery and control method using a Web browser function or a Web server function, the first and second information processing apparatuses being connected to each other through a network, the first information processing apparatus being not able to directly communicate with the second device, and the second information processing apparatus being not able to directly communicate with the first device;
• and 3) a third information processing apparatus connected to the first and second information processing apparatuses through the network, the control method comprising the steps of:
• at a browser support unit of the third information processing apparatus, performing a conversion between the UPnP discovery and control method and the Web based discovery and control method so as to utilize the first device from the second information processing apparatus;
• and
• at a server support unit of the third information processing apparatus, performing a conversion between the Web based discovery and control method and the UPnP discovery and control method so as to utilize the second device from the first information processing apparatus,
• wherein the step at the browser support unit comprises:
• at a UPnP control unit of the browser support unit, acquiring information on whether the first device has a Web server function in accordance with device information of the first device and URL information of the Web server function of the first device;
• at a device function link unit of the browser support unit, generating an html (hyper text markup language) file when the first device has the Web server function, so that the URL information acquired by the UPnP control unit can be used to access information provided by the Web server function of the first device from the second information processing apparatus through the html file;
• and
• at a device function presentation unit of the browser support unit, generating an html file when the first device does not have the Web server function, to allow the second information processing apparatus to select a function to control the first device through the html file, the selected function to the first device corresponding to a request for a UPnP protocol, and
• wherein the step at the server support unit includes:
• at a device unit of the server support unit, acquiring device unique information of the second device, converting the information into a format based on the UPnP protocol for the first information processing apparatus, and receiving an instruction request from the first information processing apparatus;
• and
• at a server function presentation unit of the server support unit, receiving the instruction request from the device unit, converting the request into an html operation, and selecting an html file of the second device so that the second device can be controlled by the first information processing apparatus.

An information processing device included in a network system comprising 1) a first information processing apparatus compatible with a universal-plug-and-play (UPnP) discovery and control method, the method being known as one for controlling a first device operable under the UPnP discovery and control method;

• and 2) a second information processing apparatus compatible with a Web based discovery and control method, the method being known as one for controlling a second device operable under the Web based discovery and control method using a Web browser function or a Web server function, the first and second information processing apparatuses being connected to each other through a network, the first information processing apparatus being not able to directly communicate with the second device, the second information processing apparatus being not able to directly communicate with the first device, and the information processing device being connected to the first and second information processing apparatuses, the information processing device comprising:
• a browser support unit for performing a conversion between the UPnP discovery and control method and the Web based discovery and control method so as to utilize the first device from the second information processing apparatus;
• and
• a server support unit for performing a conversion between the Web based discovery and control method and the UPnP discovery and control method so as to utilize the second device from the first information processing apparatus,
• wherein the browser support unit comprises:
• a UPnP control unit for acquiring information on whether the first device has a Web server function in accordance with device information of the first device and URL information of the Web server function of the first device;
• a device function link unit for generating an html (hyper text markup language) file when the first device has the Web server function, so that the URL information acquired by the UPnP control unit can be used to access information provided by the Web server function of the first device from the second information processing apparatus through the html file;
• and
• a device function presentation unit for generating an html file when the first device does not have the Web server function, to allow the second information processing apparatus to select a function to control the first device through the html file, the selected function to the first device corresponding to a request for a UPnP protocol, and
• wherein the server support unit comprises:
• a device unit for acquiring device unique information of the second device, converting the information into a format based on the UPnP protocol for the first information processing apparatus, and receiving an instruction request from the first information processing apparatus;
• and
• a server function presentation unit for receiving the instruction request from the device unit, converting the request into an html operation, and selecting an html file of the second device so that the second device can be controlled by the first information processing apparatus.