JP2003256363A - Thin client type p2p system providing p2p service, method for providing p2p service, p2p server, processing method thereof, program described with processing method, and recording medium with program recorded thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide P2P services to Thin Client type terminals by solving the point that Thin Client type terminals cannot enjoy P2P services and P2P functions are obstructed when multiple terminals access P2P services, respective ly. <P>SOLUTION: There are provided a P2P peer where a system provides P2P application services, a Thin terminal having functions equal to or less than web browser functions, and a P2P server for distributing the P2P application services to the Thin Client type terminals by establishing a session to the P2P peer by representing a Thin Client type terminal group. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a peer-to-peer system (abbreviated as P2P), and more particularly to a P2P service for providing a P2P service to thin (lightweight) client terminals. The present invention relates to a provided thin client P2P system, a method of providing a P2P service, a P2P server, a processing method of the server, a program describing the processing method, and a recording medium recording the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a P2P service requires a large CPU.
Or network bandwidth requirements,
Intended for peers that are always connected (always connected) to each other.

Generally, the P2P service is composed of two phases of discovery (discovery) and transfer (delivery). Whether it is a pure type in which both peers perform this or a hybrid type in which delivery is centrally managed by a server, peers and peers directly exchange information and content.

As the P2P service progresses toward the development stage,
The demand for P2P services for mobile phones and PDAs will also increase.

[0005]

In the conventional client / server system (C / S), the service user, who is a client, has the feature of receiving the service only through the service provided by the server. This also applies to communication between clients and service provision. For example, in the case of sending information by mail or Web, a mail server provided by an Internet service provider,
Without a web server as an intermediary, clients cannot directly connect to each other.

On the other hand, the P2P system is a system in which peers (meaning peers having no hierarchical relationship) cooperate with each other without going through a third party such as an Internet service provider. In the P2P system, the master-slave relationship such as a client and a server is not fixed, and at some time, services are provided to other peers, and at other times, the services of other peers are used. A decentralized system characterized by such a mechanism is called a P2P system.

However, in the present invention, as a background (base) of the P2P system, a system that provides an environment for each peer to operate as the P2P system is a Thin client P2P system.

As described above, the P2P service generally requires a large CPU and network bandwidth, and it is difficult for a Thin terminal having a limited capability to enjoy the service.

[0009] Generally, the P2P service is intended for peers that are always connected to each other, and in the case where a connection (emergency connection) to the network by dial-up, which is often exhibited by a thin client terminal, is performed, the service is provided. Was difficult to use.

Further, when the client terminals individually operate the P2P communication software and the P2P application software, the host is forced to perform the processing and its performance is hindered.
There is a fear that it may be an adverse effect of the large-scale P2P system.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks such as (i) the thin client terminal cannot enjoy the P2P service, and (ii) the P2P function is hindered when many terminals individually access the P2P service. , Thin client terminals can also be provided with P2P services.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The P2P system uses Naps
Although it was in the limelight in music file exchange by ter and gnutella, its application fields such as distributed computing and collaboration tools are very wide, and various developments and researches have been conducted.

However, in the current P2P system, the functions below the online terminal are targeted for peers, and it is often the case that a constant connection is assumed. However, many dial-up users have previously made the contents owned by the user open even when offline. Is impossible.

On the other hand, the existing P2P service requires a dedicated application in the user terminal, and the end user needs to learn the trouble of installation and the usage method. In addition, due to restrictions on the performance and capacity of the CPU, memory, and secondary storage medium, P2 for mobile terminals such as PDAs
There are difficult situations in which a P system can be easily realized. The present invention solves these problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a P2P service to a thin client terminal, the system including a P2P peer providing a P2P application service and a web browser function and the following functions. T to own Thin terminal and P2P peer
A Thin client type P2P service system is obtained which comprises a P2P server that establishes a session on behalf of a group of thin client type terminals and delivers a P2P application service to the thin client type terminals.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the P2P that constitutes the Thin client type P2P service system
A thin server characterized in that the P2P server comprises a representative agent (RA) representing a group of thin client terminals and a user agent (UA) installed for each thin client terminal.
A client type P2P service system is obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a representative agent (RA) constituting a P2P server of a Thin client type P2P service system, the representative agent (RA) being a P2P client terminal for a P2P peer. On the basis of the above, the P2P service has a function of establishing a normal connection session, searching information based on a request from a client terminal, and distributing the acquired information to a user agent (UA). A Thin client type P2P service system is obtained.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user agent (UA) constituting a P2P server of a Thin client type P2P service system, wherein the user agent (UA) dials P2 or the like.
An emergency connection session is established with the Thin client type terminal that accesses the P service, the terminal condition and the bandwidth condition of the available network are recognized, and the P2P client terminal is accessed through RA, and the RA to P
A Thin client type P2P service system is obtained which is characterized by accumulating and processing information transmitted as a 2P application service and delivering it in response to a request from a terminal.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a T according to the invention.
It is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a thin client type P2P service system, in which 1 is a P2P peer and 2 is a P
2P servers, 3-1, 3-2, and 3-n indicate Thin client type terminals, respectively.

In FIG. 1, when the thin client terminal 3-i accesses (logs in) the P2P service system by dialing up (emergency connection) or the like, the P2P server 2 detects the access from the terminal, and the P2P server 2 detects the access from the terminal. On the P2P side, the emergency access is switched to the normal access method, which is a normal access method, and the P2P server 2 and the P2P peer 1 are constantly connected P
It becomes possible to establish a 2P session (session management) and use a P2P application service (event transmission / reception control) such as searching for an event desired by the terminal.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a Thin client type P2P service system according to the present invention, in which 21 is a P2P peer, 22 is a P2P server, 23 is a representative agent (RA), 24-1, 24-2. , ...
-24-n is a user agent (UA), 25-
25-n are thin client terminals.

In FIG. 2, when the thin client terminal 25-i accesses (logs in) the P2P service system by emergency connection such as dial-up,
The user agent (UA) 24-i corresponding to the accessed terminal 25-i establishes an emergency connection session with the terminal 25-i, and the CPU capacity of the terminal 25-i and the available bandwidth of the access network. To recognize.

The UA 24-i sends a service request (search event or the like) of the terminal 25-i to the representative agent (RA) 2
3 to the P2P peer 21. The representative agent (RA) 23 establishes and manages (session management) a constant connection session, which is a normal access method, with the P2P peer 21 and performs P2P based on a request from the terminal 25-i.
The peer 21 is searched for an event, and the event generation management (event type management) is performed.
Information such as music and video is received from the peer 21 as an application service (P2P application service).

The representative agent (RA) 23 receives the information received from the P2P peer 21 from the requested terminal 25-i.
To the user agent (UA) 24-i corresponding to. The user agent (UA) 24-i accumulates the received P2P application information and stores the information in the terminal 2
In response to the request of 5-i, it is converted into a format (bandwidth, QoS, etc.) suitable for the terminal 25-i, processed, and distributed (event transmission / reception control).

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the Thin client type P2P service system according to the present invention, in which 31, 33 and 34 are the operations (login, search condition, search request) of the service search peer (Thin client type terminal). ), 32 is a user agent (UA) corresponding to a thin client terminal, 35 is a P2P network, 36 is an operation of a service public peer (login, service public condition, public request), 37 is an operation of collating a public service with a search request. , 38 is the presentation (downloading) of the search results to the Thin client type terminal.

In FIG. 3, when a Thin client type terminal logs in (31) to the P2P network 35 in order to search for music or video, a user agent 32 corresponding to the terminal establishes a session between the terminal and the P2P network 35. Establish.

After that, the user agent 32 recognizes the service search condition (33) and the search request (34) in the communication with the terminal, and sends a search event to the P2P network 35.

The P2P network 35 that has received the search request
Then, among the service disclosure requests (36) issued to the P2P network 35 through the same process as the Thin client type terminal, a search (37) for a service that matches the request (34) of the Thin client type terminal is performed between the peers. .

When a service that meets the request of the thin client terminal is found (matching is obtained), the content is distributed to the user agent 32 corresponding to the thin client terminal that issued the search request, and the user agent 32 distributes the content. It is presented (downloaded) (38) to the thin client terminal by a method suitable for the search condition 33.

Having described the P2P service system of the present invention, a more specific configuration of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows the concept of the present invention in which the client terminal can use the P2P system.

The upper part of FIG. 4 shows a pure P2P model, in which a general P2P client and a P2P application server are linked to a P2P connection network to create a P2P model.
It constitutes the P system. Then, the Thin client type terminal (user client terminal in the figure) shown in the lower part of FIG. 4 can communicate with the P2P client in the upper P2P system via html, Java (registered trademark) or http. And form a server / client model.

The above-mentioned P2P peer 1 and P2P server 2 shown in FIG. 1 correspond to the general P2P client in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation in FIG. The real user in the figure corresponds to the Thin client type terminal, and the UA in the figure is shown as representative of the P2P peer 1 and the P2P server 2.

It is assumed that one of the real users publishes the resource, accumulates it in the visual storage in the corresponding UA, and another real user gets the resource information through the corresponding UA and also gets the resource itself.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a content publication process. The content publishing user in the figure is the general P2 shown in FIG.
It is compatible with P clients.

The real user (Thin client type terminal) in the figure corresponds to the content publishing user in the figure, "session management start", "condition transmission", "request transmission", "session end or session TO. , The content disclosure user generates a user agent (UA in FIG. 2) corresponding to the real user, and sets P2P disclosure and disclosure conditions in the P2P system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a process when the search UA requesting the content receives the content. The present invention corresponds to the "model B" in FIG.

The "representative agent" in FIG. 7 is shown in FIG.
2 corresponds to RA, “UA” corresponds to UA in FIG. 2, and “real user” corresponds to Thin client type terminal in FIG.

When the search UA "Model B" issues a "content request" to the representative agent (RA) having the public content, the representative agent checks which user the user corresponds to and performs "user allocation". In accordance with this result, the user agent (UA) performs "user agent (UA) generation" and "content return in visual storage (VA)" (that is, "content transmission" is performed).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a content search process. The content search user in the figure shows the general P2 shown in FIG.
It is compatible with P clients.

A real user (Thin client type terminal) desiring a search performs "session management start", "condition transmission", and "request transmission". On the general P2P client side, "UA generation", "P2P search event shaping",
"Send event for P2P search" is performed. With this result, P
The "search result" is notified from the 2P system side, and when the real user makes an acquisition request, "request transmission" is performed.

FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the P2P server shown in FIG. The P2P server is divided into three stages: a platform part, a middleware part, and an application part. The platform part shown in the figure is the P2P platform (protocol) and Servlet / JSP execution environment / Web.
(APL) Composed of server. The P2P platform controls the basic functions of peer information disclosure and peer discovery, and the Servlet / JSP execution environment / Web (APL) server provides the GUI environment to the actual user to interact with the agent function control of the middleware part. . The middleware section provides an agent function that acts as a peer on behalf of a real user. The agent function control in the middleware unit uses the user account management to confirm that the person accessing the system is a real user (user authentication), and then publishes the content in cooperation with the DB cooperation control. The application unit realizes information transmission (chat etc.) and cooperative work (file sharing etc.) between UAs by providing a behavior means of each user agent (UA) generated by the agent function control of the middleware unit.

The P2P server has the following functions and is controlled. a) Protocol or platform control function for realizing content search / discovery and content delivery b) Management of users to be accommodated and access authentication control function c) P2P acting as a proxy for Web client users and offline users Function for realizing interaction with space d) Function for index management and content entity management for content discovery in P2P space

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overall configuration including a public side and a search side. P2A-AS in the figure is a P2P server.

The real user (Thin client type terminal) on the search side sends the password and the "search condition & search request". The user agent UA on the search side
Perform "UA generation" and communicate with P2P system.

The representative agent RA on the public side, knowing that the conditions are met, sorts the users, determines the corresponding user agent UA, and the user agent performs "content return".

FIG. 11 is an example of realizing an instant message by using the system of the present invention, in which a real user discloses a "name (peer)" through the UA. A real user who wants to send a message also searches the other party (peer) through the UA using the “name” as a key, and if the conditions are met, the message is transmitted through socket communication on the Internet or the like. In FIG. 11, prior to the transmission of the above message, the message transmitting side user sends an electronic mail (SMTP mail) to the receiving side user inviting him / her to participate in the P2P system.

According to the present invention, the P2P server takes over the functions shown below which the user terminal (real user) has conventionally had to process, and the functions within the real user are light. become.

I) Session management: a management function of a session for connecting P2P-AS and distributing a search event, ii) Event transmission / reception control: generation / transmission of a search event,
And a function for receiving a notification when the reception search event and the disclosure condition are matched, iii) Public information management: a function for shaping and publishing public information of the content in the P2P space, iv) P2P delivery control: P2P delivery Transmission / reception control function for routes.

In the above, the Thin client type P2P system for providing the P2P service and the P for the Thin client type P2P system are provided.
The configuration and the processing method of the 2P server have been described. However, the processing method can be described in the form of a program and recorded in the medium. Therefore, the present invention also covers the program and the medium.

[0052]

According to the present invention, the Thin client type P2P service system has the structure described above,
Since the operation is performed, the above-mentioned problems can be solved, a P2P service can be enjoyed even by a terminal having only a weak CPU power, a P2P service can be enjoyed even by an emergency connection from the terminal, and a representative agent (RA) By performing P2P communication with the P2P application, the processing capability (CPU
(Capacity / memory) can be preserved, system can be scaled up, and telecommunications carriers and ASPs can create an opportunity to provide networked P2P services for a fee.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a Thin client type P2P service system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a Thin client type P2P service system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a Thin client type P2P service system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the concept of the present invention that enables a client terminal to utilize a P2P system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a content publication process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing processing when a search UA requesting content receives content.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a content search process.

9 shows an exemplary configuration of the P2P server shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overall configuration diagram including a public side and a search side.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for realizing an instant message using the system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21 P2P peer 2, 22 P2P server 3-1, 3-2, ..., 3-n, 25-1, 25-
2, ..., 25-n Thin client type terminal 23 Representative agent (RA) 24-1, 24-2, ... 24-n, 32 User agent (UA) 31 Thin Client type terminal login 33 Thin Client-type terminal search condition 34 Thin client-type terminal search request 35 P2P network 36 P2P client service disclosure request 37 P2P network service search request and disclosure request collation 38 Downloading service content to thin client-type terminal

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Akira Kurokawa             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F term (reference) 5B045 BB28 BB42 GG01                 5B085 AA01 BA06 BG02 BG07    (54) [Title of Invention] Thin client type P2P system providing P2P service and P2P service are provided.                     Method, P2P server, processing method of the server, program describing the processing method, and                     Recording medium recording program

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A system for providing a peer-to-peer (P2P) service to a thin client terminal, wherein the system is a P2P peer providing a P2P application service, a thin terminal having a web browser function and below functions, and a P2P A P2P that establishes a session on behalf of a thin client type terminal group to a peer and distributes a P2P application service to the thin client type terminal
A thin client P2P service system for providing a P2P service characterized by comprising a server. 2. A P2P server constituting a Thin client type P2P service system, wherein the P2P server is a representative agent (RA) representing a group of Thin client type terminals and a user agent installed for each Thin client type terminal ( U
A P2P according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of A).
Thin client type P2P service system that provides services. 3. A representative agent (R which constitutes a P2P server of a thin client type P2P service system).
In A), the representative agent (RA) establishes an always-on session, which is normally used by P2P service, on behalf of the P2P client terminal to the P2P peer, and retrieves information based on the request from the client terminal. The Thin client type P2P service system for providing the P2P service according to claim 2, having a function of performing the above and distributing the acquired information to a user agent (UA). 4. A user agent (UA) constituting a P2P server of a Thin client type P2P service system, wherein the user agent (UA) makes an emergency connection with a Thin client type terminal that accesses the P2P service. Establish a session to recognize terminal conditions and available network bandwidth conditions, and use the representative agent (R
The P2P client terminal is accessed via A), information transmitted from the representative agent (RA) as a P2P application service is accumulated, processed, and distributed according to the request of the terminal. Thin client type P that provides the described P2P service
2P service system. 5. A method for providing a peer-to-peer (P2P) service to a thin client type terminal, comprising: a P2P peer providing a P2P application service; a thin terminal having a function below a web browser function; and a P2P application service. P2 to deliver
Under a system having a P server, a P2P server is characterized in that the P2P server establishes a session for a P2P peer on behalf of a thin client type terminal group and distributes a P2P application service to the thin client type terminal. How to provide. 6. A method of providing a Thin client type P2P service, wherein the P2P server is a representative agent (RA) representing a group of Thin client type terminals and a user agent (U installed for each Thin client type terminal).
Under the system having A), the representative agent (RA) establishes an always-on session, which is normally used by the P2P service, on behalf of the P2P client terminal to the P2P peer, and based on the request from the client terminal, The method for providing a P2P service according to claim 5, wherein the information is searched and the obtained information is distributed to the user agent (UA). 7. A method for providing a Thin client type P2P service, wherein the P2P server is a representative agent (RA) representing a group of Thin client type terminals and a user agent (U installed for each Thin client type terminal).
Under the system having A), the user agent (UA) establishes an emergency connection session with a thin client terminal that accesses the P2P service, and recognizes the terminal condition and available network bandwidth condition. Then, the P2P client terminal is accessed via the representative agent (RA), information transmitted from the representative agent (RA) as a P2P application service is accumulated, processed, and distributed according to a request from the terminal. A method of providing a P2P service according to claim 5. 8. A P2P peer that provides a P2P application service, a Thin terminal that has a web browser function and below functions, and a session is established for the P2P peer on behalf of the Thin client type terminal group and Thin.
A P2P server that operates under a system consisting of a P2P server that delivers a P2P application service to a client-type terminal, where each P2P server is a representative agent (RA) representing a Thin client-type terminal group and each Thin client-type terminal A P2P server comprising a user agent (UA) installed in the server. 9. The representative agent (RA) establishes an always-on session normally used by P2P services on behalf of a P2P client terminal to a P2P peer, and retrieves information based on a request from the client terminal. 9. The P2P server according to claim 8, which has a function of distributing the acquired information to the user agent (UA). 10. The user agent (UA) establishes an emergency connection session with a thin client type terminal that accesses a P2P service, recognizes terminal conditions and available network bandwidth conditions, and represents the representative agent. 9. The P2P client terminal is accessed via (RA), information transmitted from the representative agent (RA) as a P2P application service is accumulated, processed, and distributed according to a request from the terminal. The P2P server described. 11. A P2P peer that provides a P2P application service, a Thin terminal having a web browser function and below functions, and a session is established on behalf of a Thin client type terminal group for the P2P peer to establish a Thi.
A processing method in a P2P server operating under a system consisting of a P2P server that distributes a P2P application service to an n-client type terminal, wherein the P2P server is a representative agent (RA) and Thin representing a Thin client type terminal group. User agent installed in each client terminal (U
Under the system having A), the representative agent (RA) establishes an always-on session, which is normally used by the P2P service, on behalf of the P2P client terminal to the P2P peer, and based on the request from the client terminal, A processing method in a P2P server, characterized in that information is searched and the acquired information is distributed to a user agent (UA). 12. A P2P peer that provides a P2P application service, a Thin terminal having a web browser function and below functions, and a session is established for the P2P peer on behalf of a Thin client type terminal group and Thi.
A processing method in a P2P server operating under a system consisting of a P2P server that distributes a P2P application service to an n-client type terminal, wherein the P2P server is a representative agent (RA) and Thin representing a Thin client type terminal group. User agent installed in each client terminal (U
Under the system having A), the user agent (UA) establishes an emergency connection session with a thin client terminal that accesses the P2P service, and recognizes the terminal condition and available network bandwidth condition. Then, the P2P client terminal is accessed through the representative agent (RA), information transmitted from the representative agent (RA) as a P2P application service is accumulated, processed, and distributed according to a request from the terminal. P2P server processing method. 13. A program which describes the processing method according to claim 11. 14. A program describing the processing method according to claim 12. 15. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 13 is recorded. 16. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 14 is recorded.