Information processing apparatus, data provision method, and storage medium

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a first computer included in each of a plurality of apparatuses that are coupled via a network to each other, and a second computer included in an information providing apparatus for controlling a provision of data among the plurality of apparatuses, to execute a process comprising:

• causing the second computer of the information providing apparatus to:
• upon receiving, from a first apparatus, a first data request for acquiring data, determine a second apparatus that is to provide the requested data to the first apparatus,
• transmit, to the second apparatus, a provision request for requesting the second apparatus to provide the first apparatus with the requested data stored in the first memory of the second apparatus, the provision request including security information that includes a password and identifier identifying the requested data, and
• transmit the security information to the first apparatus;
• causing the first apparatus to:
• transmit the first data request to the information providing apparatus, and
• upon receiving the security information from the information providing apparatus, transmit a second data request including the security information to the second apparatus, so as to receive the requested data from the second apparatus;
• causing the second apparatus to:
• upon receiving the provision request including the security information via the network from the information providing apparatus, set the security information to the second apparatus,
• upon receiving the second data request from the first apparatus, determine whether the security information included in the second data request is consistent with the security information set to the second apparatus, and start the provision of the data stored in the second apparatus to the first apparatus when the security information included in the second data request is consistent with the security information set to the second apparatus, and
• upon detecting an input operation performed by a user of the second apparatus, determine whether a predefined condition is satisfied, and stop the provision of the data to other apparatuses when it is determined that the predefined condition is satisfied, wherein the predefined condition is a determination that the second apparatus has started moving, the moving of the second apparatus including at least one of a change in a connection relationship of the second apparatus and a change in physical location of the second apparatus;
• causing the second computer of the information providing apparatus to:
• determine, for each of the plurality of apparatuses, a monitoring time for monitoring reception of the second data request, depending on a processing load of the each apparatus, and
• provide the second apparatus with the determined monitoring time by including the monitoring time in the provision request;
• and
• causing the second apparatus to close a port for receiving the second data request when the monitoring time has elapsed from a time of receiving the provision request from the information providing apparatus.

A method executed in a network system including a plurality of apparatuses and an information providing apparatus configured to provide data among the plurality of apparatuses via a network, the method comprising:

• causing the information providing apparatus to:
• upon receiving, from a first apparatus, a first data request for acquiring data, determine a second apparatus that is to provide the requested data to the first apparatus,
• transmit, to the second apparatus, a provision request for requesting the second apparatus to provide the first apparatus with the requested data stored in the first memory of the second apparatus, the provision request including security information that includes a password and identification information identifying the requested data, and
• transmit the security information to the first apparatus;
• causing the first apparatus to:
• transmit the first data request to the information providing apparatus, and
• upon receiving the security information from the information providing apparatus, transmit a second data request including the security information to the second apparatus, so as to receive the requested data from the second apparatus;
• causing the second apparatus to:
• upon receiving the provision request including the security information via the network from the information providing apparatus, set the security information to the second apparatus,
• upon receiving the second data request from the first apparatus, determine whether the security information included in the second data request is consistent with the security information set to the second apparatus, and start the provision of the data stored in the second apparatus to the first apparatus when the security information included in the second data request is consistent with the security information set to the second apparatus, and
• upon detecting an input operation performed by a user of the second apparatus, determine whether a predefined condition is satisfied, and stop the provision of the data to other apparatuses when it is determined that the predefined condition is satisfied, wherein the predefined condition is a determination that the second apparatus has started moving, the moving of the second apparatus including at least one of a change in a connection relationship of the second apparatus and a change in physical location of the second apparatus;
• causing the information providing apparatus to determine, for each of the plurality of apparatuses, a monitoring time for monitoring reception of the second data request, depending on a processing load of the each apparatus;
• and
• causing the second apparatus to close a port for receiving the second data request when the monitoring time determined therefore has elapsed from a time of receiving the provision request from the information providing apparatus.