Relay apparatus, image processing apparatus and communication system

A relay apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with an image processing apparatus and a server apparatus through a network, the relay apparatus configured to be connected to a second network, to which a first network is connected through a communication control apparatus;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving, via the network interface, server request information transmitted from the server apparatus not connected to the first network, the server request information representing a request to the image processing apparatus;
• receiving, via the network interface, establishment request information transmitted from the image processing apparatus connected to the first network, the establishment request information requesting establishment of a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push for transmitting the server request information to the image processing apparatus;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, the server request information to the image processing apparatus by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus connected to the first network, in a case that the session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus is established when the server request information is received,
• wherein the communication control apparatus is configured not to transmit request information to an apparatus connected to the first network, the request information having been transmitted from an apparatus connected to a network other than the first network to the apparatus connected to the first network without using the session.

A relay apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with an image processing apparatus and a server apparatus through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving, via the network interface, server request information transmitted from the server apparatus, the server request information representing a request to the image processing apparatus;
• receiving, via the network interface, establishment request information transmitted from the image processing apparatus, the establishment request information requesting establishment of a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push for transmitting the server request information to the image processing apparatus;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, the server request information to the image processing apparatus by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, in a case that the session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus is established when the server request information is received,
• wherein the relay apparatus receives the server request information from the server apparatus according to a second protocol that is different from the first protocol, and
• wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving the server request information transmitted from the server apparatus by using a session-less type connection according to the second protocol that is a session-less type protocol.

A relay apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with an image processing apparatus and a server apparatus through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving, via the network interface, server request information transmitted from the server apparatus, the server request information representing a request to the image processing apparatus;
• receiving, via the network interface, establishment request information transmitted from the image processing apparatus, the establishment request information requesting establishment of a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push for transmitting the server request information to the image processing apparatus;
• transmitting, via the network interface, the server request information to the image processing apparatus by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, in a case that the session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus is established when the server request information is received;
• receiving, via the network interface, response information transmitted from a communication destination image processing apparatus of the server request information in response to a request represented by the server request information;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, the response information to the server apparatus,
• wherein the instructions of receiving response information further cause the relay apparatus to perform receiving information, which is included in data transmitted by a communication destination image processing apparatus of the server request information to the relay apparatus and in compliance with a third protocol that is different from the first protocol, as the response information,
• wherein the instructions of transmitting response information further cause the relay apparatus to perform transmitting, via the network interface, the response information to the server apparatus,
• wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving, via the network interface, third establishment request information transmitted from a communication destination image processing apparatus of the server request information,
• wherein the instructions of receiving response information further cause the relay apparatus to perform receiving information, which is included in request data compliant with a session-less type connection according to the third protocol which is a session-less type protocol, as the response information,
• wherein the instructions of transmitting response information further cause the relay apparatus to perform transmitting, via the network interface, the response information to the server apparatus,
• wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the relay apparatus to perform:
• receiving, via the network interface, second establishment request information transmitted from the server apparatus, the second establishment request information requesting establishment of a session-less type connection according to a second protocol that is also a session-less protocol between the relay apparatus and the server apparatus,
• wherein the instructions of receiving server request information further cause the relay apparatus to perform receiving the server request information transmitted from the server apparatus by using the session-less type connection established between the relay apparatus and the server apparatus,
• wherein the instructions of transmitting server request information further cause the relay apparatus to perform, transmitting, via the network interface, the server request information to the image processing apparatus by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, in a case that the session-less type connection between the relay apparatus and the server apparatus is established, and
• wherein the instructions of transmitting response information further cause the relay apparatus to perform:
• including the response information in response data compliant with the second protocol that is the session-less type protocol;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, the response data to the server apparatus by using the connection established between the relay apparatus and the server apparatus.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with a relay apparatus, which is configured to perform communication with a server apparatus, through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform:
• transmitting, to the relay apparatus, establishment request information and establishing a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push to transmit information from the server apparatus;
• and
• while the session according to the session establishment type first protocol for enabling the server-push is established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, and in response to the relay apparatus receiving server request information from the server apparatus, the server request information representing a request relative to the image processing apparatus, receiving, without requiring any further request from the image processing apparatus other than the establishment request information for establishing the session enabling server-push, the server request information, which the relay apparatus has received from the server apparatus, from the relay apparatus through a server-push process via the network interface by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with a relay apparatus, which is configured to perform communication with a server apparatus, through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform:
• transmitting establishment request information to the relay apparatus, the establishment request information requesting establishment of a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push to transmit information from the server apparatus;
• and
• after establishment of the session, receiving server request information from the relay apparatus via the network interface by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, the server request information representing a request corresponding to the image processing apparatus which the relay apparatus has received from the server apparatus and having been transmitted by the relay apparatus for performing the server-push,
• wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing apparatus to perform:
• a state maintenance process for maintaining a state in which the server-push is possible, on a condition that a predetermined time elapses while the server request information, which has been transmitted from the relay apparatus for performing the server-push, has not been received after transmitting the establishment request information for enabling the server-push from the relay apparatus,
• wherein the instructions of performing a state maintenance process further cause the image processing apparatus to perform:
• transmitting, via the network interface, recognition request information to the relay apparatus, the recognition request information being for requesting the relay apparatus to reply with recognition information representing that the relay apparatus has recognized that a session for enabling the server-push has been established, on the condition that the predetermined time has elapsed while the server request information, which has been transmitted from the relay apparatus for performing the server-push, has not been received after transmitting the establishment request information for enabling the server-push from the relay apparatus;
• and
• receiving, via the network interface, the recognition information, with which the relay apparatus has replied to the image processing apparatus, and
• wherein in a case that the recognition information cannot be received, the instructions of performing a state maintenance process further cause the image processing apparatus to perform transmitting the establishment request information for maintaining the state in which the server-push is possible.

A communication system comprising:

• a plurality of image processing apparatuses;
• a server apparatus;
• a relay apparatus, wherein the relay apparatus is configured to couple to the plurality of image processing apparatuses and the server apparatus through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to perform:
• in response to requests for session establishment from the plurality of image processing apparatuses to the relay apparatus, establishing a plurality of sessions for enabling server-push for transmitting information from the server apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol between the relay apparatus and the plurality of image processing apparatuses;
• while the plurality of sessions according to the session establishment type first protocol for enabling the server-push are established between the relay apparatus and the plurality of image processing apparatuses:
• in response to the relay apparatus receiving specific server request information from the server apparatus and without requiring any further request from the plurality of image processing apparatuses other than the requests for session establishment for establishing the plurality of sessions enabling server-push, transmitting, in a server-push process, the specific server request information being corresponding to a communication destination image processing apparatus selected as a communication destination from the plurality of image processing apparatus by the server apparatus, the specific server request information from the relay apparatus to the communication destination image processing apparatus through the corresponding session;
• and
• in response to the relay apparatus receiving response information corresponding to the specific server request information from the communication destination image processing apparatus, transmitting the response information to the server apparatus from the relay apparatus.

A relay apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with:
• a plurality of image processing apparatuses, which are respectively connected to a plurality of first networks, through a second network and communication control apparatuses respectively provided to the plurality of first networks;
• and
• a plurality of server apparatuses through the second network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the relay apparatus to perform:
• in response to receiving, via the network interface, establishment request information transmitted from a target image processing apparatus among the plurality of image processing apparatuses, establishing a session between the relay apparatus and the target image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push for transmitting the server request information to the target image processing apparatus;
• while the session according to the session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push is established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus in response to receiving the establishment request information, receiving, via the network interface, connection request information from the target image processing apparatus, the connection request information being for establishing a session establishment type connection, which is a connection using the session for enabling the server-push, between the target image processing apparatus and the relay apparatus, wherein the session establishment type connection, when disconnected, is to be established again in response to receiving the connection request information again;
• receiving server request information transmitted from a target server apparatus among the plurality of server apparatuses by using a session-less type connection according to a second protocol that is a session-less type protocol, the server request information including image-processing-apparatus identification information for identifying a communication destination image processing apparatus selected as a communication destination from the plurality of image processing apparatus, the server request information representing a request to the communication destination image processing apparatus;
• in response to receiving the server request information, determining whether the session establishment type connection between the communication destination image processing apparatus and the relay apparatus is maintained;
• in response to receiving specific server request information from the target server apparatus, the specific server request information being server request information corresponding to the communication destination image processing apparatus, storing first identification information for identifying the received specific server request information in a storage unit so as to distinguish the specific server request information from other server request information;
• in response to determining that the session establishment type connection is maintained and in response to receiving the server request information from the server apparatus, transmitting, via the network interface as part of a server-push process and without requiring any further request from the image processing apparatus other than the establishment request information, the server request information and the first identification information, received from the target server apparatus, to the communication destination image processing apparatus by using the session established between the relay apparatus and the communication destination image processing apparatus according to the session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push;
• receiving, via the network interface, response information and second identification information by using a third protocol that is the session-less type protocol, the response information being transmitted from the communication destination image processing apparatus and being in response to the request represented by the server request information, the second identification information being for identifying specific server request information that is an origin of the response information;
• in response to receiving the response information and the second identification information, specifying a connection used for transmission of specific server request information, which corresponds to the received response information, from the server apparatus side, on the basis of the second identification information and the first identification information;
• including the received response information in response data compliant with the second protocol;
• and
• transmitting the response data to the target server apparatus by using the specified connection.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to perform communication with a relay apparatus, which is configured to perform communication with a plurality of server apparatus, through a network;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform:
• transmitting, to the relay apparatus, establishment request information for establishing a session between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus according to a session establishment type first protocol for enabling server-push to transmit information from the server apparatus;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, connection request information to the relay apparatus, in a case that the establishment request information has been transmitted and a session for enabling the server-push from the relay apparatus has been established, the connection request information being for establishing a session establishment type connection, which is a connection using the session for enabling the server-push from the relay apparatus, between the image processing apparatus and the relay apparatus, wherein the session establishment type connection, when disconnected, is to be established again by transmitting the connection request information again;
• receiving, via the network interface as part of a server-push process and without requiring any further request from the image processing apparatus other than the establishment request information, specific server request information and first identification information from the relay apparatus by using the connection established between the relay apparatus and the image processing apparatus, the specific server request information representing a request to the image processing apparatus which the relay apparatus has received from the server apparatus and having been transmitted from the relay apparatus for performing the server-push, the relay apparatus receiving the specific server request information, which includes image-processing-apparatus identification information for identifying a communication destination image processing apparatus selected as a communication destination, from a target server apparatus among the plurality of server apparatuses by using a session-less type connection according to a second protocol that is a session-less type protocol, the relay apparatus storing the first identification information for identifying the received specific server request information in a storage unit so as to distinguish the specific server request information from other server request information, the specific server request information and the first identification information being received from the relay apparatus in response to the session establishment type connection being maintained;
• generating response information corresponding to a request represented by the server request information;
• and
• transmitting, via the network interface, the generated response information and second identification information to the relay apparatus by using a third protocol that is the session-less type protocol, the second identification information being for identifying specific server request information that is an origin of the response information, the relay apparatus including the response information in response data compliant with the second protocol and transmitting the response data to the target server apparatus by using a connection, which is specified based on the second identification information and the first identification information and is used for transmission of specific server request information, which corresponds to the transmitted response information, from the target server apparatus side, on the basis of the second identification information and the first identification information.