Communication across an overlay network

An information communicating apparatus provided in information communication system in which an overlay network is configured by a plurality of information processing apparatuses capable of communicating with each other through a network, content being distributed and stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and apparatus identification information that identifies the information processing apparatuses is allotted to each of the information processing apparatuses, the plurality of information processing apparatuses including:

• (i) a first information processing apparatus configured to request the content;
• and (ii) a second information processing apparatus including:
• (a) a storage unit configured to associate and store the apparatus identification information of the information communicating apparatus and content identification information for identifying the content, which is stored in the information communicating apparatus, in the overlay network;
• (b) a first reception unit configured to receive a retrieval message from the first information processing apparatus, the retrieval message including the content identification information and location information indicating a location of the first information processing apparatus on the overlay network;
• and (c) a transmission unit configured to transmit, to one of the first information processing apparatus and the information communicating apparatus, the apparatus identification information of the apparatus identification information stored in the storage unit, which corresponds to the content identification information included in the retrieval message received by the first reception unit, the information communicating apparatus comprising:
• a controller configured to:
• receive the apparatus identification information from the second information processing apparatus;
• determine whether the apparatus identification information received by the second reception unit matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus;
• and
• allow the first information processing apparatus to acquire the content stored in the second information processing apparatus in response to the controller determining that the apparatus identification information received by the controller matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program for an information processing system in which an overlay network is configured by a plurality of information processing apparatuses capable of communicating with each other through a network, each information processing apparatus including a controller configured to control the respective information processing apparatus, content being distributed and stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses, apparatus identification information that identifies the information processing apparatuses is allotted to each of the information processing apparatuses, the plurality of information processing apparatuses including:

• (i) a first information processing apparatus that requests the content, (ii) a second information processing apparatus that stores the content, and (iii) a third information processing apparatus, the controller of the third information processing apparatus being configured to:
• (a) associate and store, in a storage unit, the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus and content identification information for identifying the content, which is stored in the second information processing apparatus, in the overlay network;
• (b) receive a retrieval message from the first information processing apparatus, the retrieval message including the content identification information and location information indicating a location of the first information processing apparatus on the overlay network;
• (c) and transmit the apparatus identification information of the apparatus identification information stored in the storage unit, which corresponds to the content identification information included in the retrieval message received by a first reception unit, to the first information processing apparatus or second information processing apparatus, the program causing a computer of the second information processing apparatus to execute steps comprising:
• receiving the apparatus identification information from the third information processing apparatus;
• determining whether the received apparatus identification information matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus, and
• allowing the first information processing apparatus to acquire the content stored in the second information processing apparatus in response to the determination that the received apparatus identification information matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus.

An information communication method executed by an information processing system in which an overlay network is composed of a plurality of information processing apparatuses capable of communicating with each other through a network, content being distributed and stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses, apparatus identification information identifying the information processing apparatuses being allotted to each of the information processing apparatuses, the plurality of information processing apparatuses including:

• (i) a first information processing apparatus that requests the content, (ii) a second information processing apparatus that stores the content, and (iii) a third information processing apparatus having a storage unit configured to associate and store the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus and the content identification information of the content stored in the second information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
• receiving, by the third information processing apparatus, a retrieval message that is transmitted from the first information processing apparatus and includes content identification information for identifying the content in the overlay network and location information indicating a location of the first information processing apparatus on the overlay network;
• transmitting, by the third information processing apparatus, the apparatus identification information, which is stored in the storage unit in association with the content identification information included in the received retrieval message, to the first information processing apparatus or second information processing apparatus;
• receiving, by the second information processing apparatus, the apparatus identification information from the third information processing apparatus;
• determining, by the second information processing apparatus, whether the received apparatus identification information matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus;
• and
• allowing the first information processing apparatus to acquire the content stored in the second information processing apparatus, the control process being executed in the second information processing apparatus in response to the determination that the received apparatus identification information matches the apparatus identification information of the second information processing apparatus.