Communication method and apparatus, server and client on network, and program codes realizing communication thereof

A control method for a server controlling a camera which performs information service in accordance with a request from a remote client and transmitting an image obtained by the camera to the remote client, comprising:

• acquiring information indicating a service allowable range of a control parameter of a zoom ratio of the camera;
• receiving a control parameter of the zoom ratio from said client;
• storing the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with an alternative control parameter within the service allowable range as an image file, if the received control parameter of the zoom ratio is not within the service allowable range of the camera, and storing the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the received control parameter of the zoom ratio as an image file, if the received control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera;
• generating, if the received control parameter is not within the service allowable range of the camera, an HTML document including link information of the image file of the image acquired by controlling the camera within the service allowable range in accordance with the alternative control parameter of the zoom ratio and stored by said storing step, where the HTML document further includes a predetermined text data, and generating, if the received control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera, an HTML document including link information of the image file of the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the received control parameter of the zoom ratio and stored by said stored step, where the HTML document excludes the predetermined text data;
• transferring the HTML document generated by said generation step to said client;
• and
• transferring the stored image file, in response to a request from the client, corresponding to the link information included in the transferred HTML document so that, if the control parameter is not within the service allowable range of the camera, said client can display the image acquired by controlling the camera within the service allowable range in accordance with the control parameter of the zoom ratio and the predetermined text data or, if the control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera, said client can display the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the control parameter of the zoom ratio as a response of the control parameter.

A non-transitory storage medium containing program codes to be executed so as to function as a server controlling a camera which performs information service in accordance with a request from a remote client, transmitting an image obtained by the camera to the remote client comprising:

• acquisition process procedure codes for acquiring information indicating a service allowable range of a control parameter of a zoom ratio of the camera;
• reception process procedure codes for receiving a control parameter of the zoom ratio from said client;
• storing process procedure for storing the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with an alternative control parameter within the service allowable range as an image file, if the received control parameter of the zoom ratio is not within the service allowable range of the camera, and for storing the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the received control parameter of the zoom ratio as an image file, if the received control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera;
• generation process procedure codes for generating, if the received control parameter is not within the service allowable range of the camera, an HTML document including link information of the image file of the image acquired by controlling the camera within the service allowable range in accordance with the alternative control parameter of the zoom ratio and stored by said storing process procedure, where the HTML document further includes a predetermined text data, and generating, if the received control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera, an HTML document including link information of the image file of the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the received control parameter of the zoom ratio and stored by said storing process procedure, where the HTML document excludes the predetermined text data;
• first transfer process procedure codes for transferring the HTML document generated by said generation process procedure codes to said client;
• and
• second transfer process procedure codes for transferring the stored image file, in response to a request from the client, corresponding to the link information included in the transferred HTML document so that, if the control parameter is not within the service allowable range of the camera, said client can display the image acquired by controlling the camera within the service allowable range in accordance with the control parameter of the zoom ratio and the predetermined text data or, if the control parameter is within the service allowable range of the camera, said client can display the image acquired by controlling the camera in accordance with the control parameter of the zoom ratio as a response of the control parameter.