JP2005202461A - Communication system using peer-to-peer system, program, computer, management program, management server and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system capable of improving quickness of exchange of information with simple work, in communication of a peer-to-peer system. <P>SOLUTION: In this communication system, a plurality of computers connected via a network perform the peer-to-peer communication with each other, and the network is connected with a management server. The computer has: sharing object information to be shared with the other computers; a sharing information specification function selecting the other computer sharing the sharing object information; and a sharing instruction information transmission function transmitting sharing instruction information including information for specifying the sharing object information and the selected other computer to the management server. The management server has a sharing setting function performing setting for sharing the sharing object information with the other computer on the basis of the sharing instruction information received from the computer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system for performing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network, a computer constituting the communication system, a management server, a program installed in the computer, and The present invention relates to a management program installed on a management server.

  There is a communication system that performs peer-to-peer communication that enables real-time information exchange between a plurality of computers connected via a network without using a data relay device such as a mail server (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-249977

  By the way, in such a communication system, there has been a demand to share predetermined information only between limited users. Therefore, it has been proposed that the same code information for authenticating sharing is distributed to users who want to share predetermined information, and the predetermined information can be exchanged between users having this code information.

  When a user wants to share certain information with other users, first set the same code information for each of the users and other users, and set up a group that can share the information to be shared. There was a need to form. At this time, in order to form a group, it is necessary to set a management server management program and a computer program used by each user, which is not only complicated, but also immediately shares information with other users. There was room for improvement in that it was not possible to exchange information promptly.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to improve the speed of information exchange with simple operations in a peer-to-peer communication, and a user-friendly communication system. And providing a computer constituting the communication system, a management server, a program installed in the computer, and a management program installed in the management server.

  The above object of the present invention is a communication system for performing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network, and the network manages peer-to-peer communication. Connected to the management server, and the computer shares information to be shared with other computers, a shared information specifying function for selecting other computers that share the information to be shared, and the selected other computers to share A share instruction information transmission function for transmitting share instruction information including information for specifying target information to the management server. The management server is configured to share the information specified by the share instruction information based on the share instruction information received from the computer. Has a sharing setting function for setting the target information to be shared with other computers specified by the sharing instruction information It is achieved by the communication system.

  In the communication system of the present invention, the computer has a shared information specifying function and a shared instruction information transmitting function, and the management server is to share based on the shared instruction information transmitted by the shared instruction information transmitting function. It has a sharing setting function for setting information sharing. Therefore, when a user shares information with another user, even if a group for sharing with the other user is not formed, the information to be shared and the other user By selecting, settings necessary for sharing information to be shared, such as setting a new group to share information to be shared with other users and identification codes for joining the group, are automatically performed. In addition, other users can immediately share information to be shared. Accordingly, in peer-to-peer communication, it is possible to speed up the exchange of information without requiring the user to perform complicated operations related to settings on the network.

  In the communication system, the computer has a GUI, and the shared information specifying function and the sharing instruction information transmission function perform a drag-and-drop operation using display information representing the sharing target information and display information representing another computer. It is preferably carried out by doing.

  In the communication system, the sharing setting function of the management server preferably includes a sharing confirmation function for confirming sharing of the sharing target information with another computer.

  In addition, the above object is a program for causing a computer to perform peer-to-peer communication, and is to be shared with other computers and with other computers that share the shared target information. And a sharing instruction information transmitting step for transmitting sharing instruction information including information for specifying information to be shared with other selected computers to the management server.

  In the above program, the shared information specifying step and the sharing instruction information transmitting step are preferably executed by a drag-and-drop operation using display information representing the sharing target information and display information representing another computer.

  The above object can be achieved by a computer in which this program is installed and capable of peer-to-peer communication.

  An object of the present invention is a management program for causing a management server to perform peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network. Receiving the sharing instruction information including information for specifying the sharing target information to be shared with the selected other computer, and the other computer identified by the sharing instruction information based on the sharing instruction information This is achieved by a management program having a sharing setting step for setting for sharing.

  Further, the above object is achieved by a management server in which the above management program is installed and allows peer-to-peer communication.

  Furthermore, the above object is a communication method for performing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network, and the network manages peer-to-peer communication. The management server is connected, and the computer selects information to be shared with other computers and other computers that share the information to be shared, and specifies information to be shared with the selected other computers To the management server, and the management server sets the sharing target information specified by the sharing instruction information based on the sharing instruction information received from the computer to other computers specified by the sharing instruction information. This is achieved by a communication method for setting for sharing.

  In the communication method, selecting the sharing target information and another computer that shares the sharing target information, and transmitting the sharing instruction information to the management server includes display information representing the sharing target information, It is preferably performed by a drag and drop operation using display information representing a computer.

  According to the present invention, in peer-to-peer communication, it is possible to improve the speed of information exchange with simple work, and provide a user-friendly communication system, and a computer constituting this communication system A management server, a program installed in the computer, and a management program installed in the management server.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a communication system according to the present invention. The communication system 1 includes a plurality of (three in FIG. 1) computers 11, 12, and 13 connected via a network, with each computer 11, 12, 13 being a peer, and a peer-to-peer system. It communicates. Hereinafter, the computer is also referred to as a peer.
In the present embodiment, the Internet is used as a network.

  A server 10 that functions as a management server is connected to the network. The server 10 includes a management program P0 and a recording unit 14. The server 10 can accumulate information in the recording unit 14 and extract necessary information from the recording unit 14 when executing the management program P0.

  Each of the computers 11, 12, and 13 has a shared program P1 that is a program executed when performing peer-to-peer communication. Each computer can exchange information by connecting to another computer via a network by executing the shared program P1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of a computer that realizes a peer and a server. As shown in FIG. 2, a computer 20 that realizes a peer and a server includes a CPU 21, a random access memory (RAM) 22, a hard disk drive (HDD) 23, a network interface 24, and the CPU 21 via a bus 27. A display device 25 such as a display and an operation unit 26 for operating a mouse, a keyboard and the like are connected.

  The HDD 23 is preinstalled with a peer program P1 or a server management program P0. The peer or server reads the program P1 or the management program P0 in the HDD 23 at the time of startup, expands it in the RAM 22, and executes it by the CPU 21.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the recording unit 14 of the server 10 manages a predetermined data table necessary for managing peer-to-peer communication between peers 11, 12, and 13. In the present embodiment, the recording unit 14 includes an IP address management table 15, a file storage destination management table 16, a group key management table 17, and a participation group management table 18.

Each of the peers 11, 12, and 13 is set with an IP (Internet Protocol) address that becomes an address when connected to the Internet.
The server 10 manages the IP addresses of the peers 11, 12 and 13 in order to manage the peer-to-peer communication between the peers 11, 12 and 13 in the IP address management table 15 of the recording unit 14. .

  In each group (hereinafter simply referred to as a group) that shares predetermined information between peers by communication using a peer-to-peer method, the same identification code (group key) is assigned to all peers that constitute each group. Is set. In a peer-to-peer communication system, information that each peer has can be shared by other peers belonging to the same group via the network.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the storage unit 14 of the server 10 stores information stored in each peer (in FIG. 4, an image file) and a peer storing the information (storage destination). Peers) and groups set for the information are managed by the server as a file storage destination management table so as to correspond to each other.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the group key set for each group is managed in the storage unit 14 of the server 10 as a group key management table.

  Information shared by the group (hereinafter also referred to as sharing target information) is not limited to an image file, and may be a text file, a sound / music file, a movie file, or the like.

  A communication system according to the present invention includes a shared information specifying function for selecting information to be shared by a computer with other computers, another computer that shares the information to be shared, and sharing with the selected other computers. And a sharing instruction information transmission function for transmitting sharing instruction information including information for specifying target information to the server. Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is an example of a program displayed on the display device of the computer with a GUI. Hereinafter, the operation of the communication system according to the present embodiment will be described using an image as the sharing target information.

  As shown in FIG. 6, one or a plurality of (three in this embodiment) display frames 61, 62, and 63 are provided in a display area 60 developed on a display device such as a display by a program. In the display frame 61, folders containing images are displayed hierarchically. In the display frame 62, other peers in a group that has already joined, or peers registered by a computer user are displayed as members M1 to M3. In the display frame 63, the “new folder A” selected in the display frame 61 is expanded (see the folder 64 in FIG. 6), and the stored images A1, A2, and A3 are image icons 65a, 65b, and 65c, respectively. Is displayed.

  Here, it is assumed that the images A1 to A3 of the folder 64 are not shared, that is, a state in which a group is not set with other peers and cannot be shared by other peers.

  Next, a case where the image A1 is shared by setting a group with another peer will be described. In the program, the user can select or move an image folder or the image itself on the GUI with the cursor 66 using an operation device such as a mouse (not shown).

  In the present embodiment, by moving an image icon to be shared (that is, function as shared target information in the present embodiment) to display information for displaying other peers, the shared target information is changed on the program. Instructions for setting up to share with the other peers can be completed.

  As a specific example, when a new group is set for the image A1 and shared with the peer 3 with reference to FIG. 7, the cursor 66 is moved onto the image icon 65a by an operation of a mouse (not shown), and the image icon 65a Select. Then, the drag operation is performed to move to the member M3 corresponding to the peer 3 displayed in the display frame 62, and then the image icon 65a is dropped. Thus, the program has a shared information specifying function for selecting the sharing target information (image A1) and another computer (peer 3) sharing the sharing target information by a drag-and-drop operation.

  The program also has a sharing instruction information transmission function for transmitting sharing instruction information, which is specified by the sharing information specifying function and includes information for specifying other computers and information to be shared, to the server 10 connected to the network. doing.

  In the communication system 1 according to the present invention, the sharing target information (image A1) specified by the sharing instruction information is specified by the sharing instruction information based on the sharing instruction information received by the server 10 from the computers 11, 12, and 13. And a sharing setting function for performing settings for sharing with other computers.

  As a specific example, the setting on the participation group management table 18 managed by the recording unit 14 of the server 10 is performed. In the participation group management table 18, as shown in FIG. 8, the state of participation or non-participation is managed for the peer, the group key owned by each peer, and the group corresponding to the group key. In the present embodiment, the participation or non-participation for each peer group on the participation group management table 18 is set to “True” representing participation or “False” representing non-participation by a Boolean function. However, the method of expressing participation or non-participation for each peer group is not limited to the Boolean function, and other functions and calculation formulas may be used.

  In accordance with the sharing instruction information received from the computer, the server 10 forms a group including the computers of the peer 1 and the peer 3 in the participation group management table as shown in FIG. jkl "and set the boolean function indicating participation or non-participation to" False ".

  Information indicating that a new group has been formed for the peer 1 and the image A1 is transmitted from the server 10 via the network to the peer 3 by the management program P0. When the peer 3 receives the information from the server 10 and transmits information that approves the sharing of the image A1 with the peer 1, the management program P0 of the server 10 sets a boolean function indicating participation or non-participation in the participation group management table. Functions to set to "True".

  In accordance with the sharing instruction information received from the computer, the group key “jkl” is set in the participation group management table, the function of confirming with the peer 3 is omitted, and the Boolean function indicating participation or non-participation is set to “True”. It may be set to complete sharing of the image A1.

9 and 10 are flowcharts of the communication system according to the present invention. With reference to FIG.9 and FIG.10, the flow of the communication system of this embodiment is demonstrated. Here, as an example, a procedure when the peer 1 shares the image A1 that is not shared with other peers with the peer 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the program is started, and the image A1 that is the sharing target information is moved onto the icon indicating the peer 3 by performing a drag-and-drop operation, whereby an instruction to share the image A1 with the peer 3 is executed in the program ( Step 101).

  Then, the program of peer 1 shares image A1 with peer 3 and creates sharing instruction information including image A1, and transmits this sharing instruction information to the server (step 102). At this time, as shown in FIG. 11, it may have a function of displaying a dialog 401 for transmitting the image A1 to the peer 3 and determining the name of a new group sharing the image A1. The dialog 401 includes, for example, a text box 402 for entering a new group name, a process progress button 403 in which “OK” is displayed, and a process stop button 404 in which “cancel” for canceling the image transmission process is displayed. Is provided.

  Next, the management program functions in the server, receives the sharing instruction information from the peer 1 (step 201), creates new groups for the peers 1 and 3 in the participating group management table, and sets group keys. (Step 202). Then, the management program sets “False” to each Boolean function indicating participation or non-participation of a new group (step 203), and notifies the peer 3 of information that the image A1 has been provided from the peer 1 ( Step 204).

  In peer 3, the program confirms that image A1 has been provided from peer 1 by the server (step 301). At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the program on the peer 3 may have a function of displaying a dialog 410 indicating that an image has arrived from the peer 1 by text or the like. In the dialog 410, for example, the setting of a new group with the peer 1 is authenticated by opening and viewing and saving the image file on the desktop, and a process progress button 411 for joining the new group is displayed, and the image file is not opened. A process stop button 412 for canceling the setting of a new group with the peer 1 and not joining the new group is provided.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the peer 3 can confirm the setting of a new group shared by the image from the peer 1, and at this time, the user of the peer 3 arbitrarily selects participation or non-participation of the group. (Step 302).

  In step 302, if the peer 3 confirms the image A1 and joins the new group, the program notifies the server that the peer 3 has joined the new group (step 303).

  When the server receives a notification of group participation from the peer 3, the management program sets a participation or non-participation boolean function to “True” in the participation group management table as shown in FIG. 8 (step 205). Then, the information that the image A1 is received by the peer 3 and a new group is created is notified to the peer 1 (step 206).

  Peer 1 receives information that image A1 is received by peer 3 and a new group is created from the server. At this time, as shown in FIG. 13, the program may have a function of displaying a dialog 420 indicating that a group sharing the image A1 with the peer 3 has been established (step 103). The dialog 420 is provided with a confirmation button 421 for ending display of the dialog after confirmation.

  In step 302, if the peer 3 confirms the image A1 and does not join the new group, the program notifies the server that the peer 3 has not joined the new group (step 304).

  When the server receives a notice of non-participation in the group from the peer 3, the management program deletes information on the new group shown in FIG. 8 in the participation group management table (step 207). Then, information indicating that the peer 3 has not joined the new group and the image has not been shared is notified to the peer 1 (step 208).

  Peer 1 receives information that a new group has not been created from the server. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the program may have a function of displaying a dialog 430 indicating that the establishment of the group sharing the image A1 with the peer 3 has been canceled (step 104). The dialog 430 is provided with a confirmation button 431 for terminating the dialog display after confirmation.

  As described above, the program used in the communication system according to the present invention is for causing a computer to perform peer-to-peer communication, and includes information to be shared with other computers, A sharing information specifying step of selecting another computer that shares the sharing target information, and a sharing instruction information transmitting step of transmitting sharing instruction information including information specifying the sharing target information to the selected other computer to the server. Have.

  Further, the program may be executed by a drag-and-drop operation using display information such as an image icon representing the sharing target information and display information representing another computer in the sharing information specifying step and the sharing instruction information step. preferable. In this way, the user can simultaneously create a new group with the specified peer and provide an image to be shared by the group by a simple operation such as dragging and dropping the display information on a screen such as a display. Can be done in time. Here, the display information representing the sharing target information is created by a GUI using a program.

  A management program used in a communication system according to the present invention is a management program for causing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected to a management server via a network. Receiving the sharing instruction information including information for identifying the selected other computer and the sharing target information to be shared with the selected other computer, and sharing the sharing target information to the other computer based on the sharing instruction information And a sharing setting step for setting for sharing.

  In the above embodiment, the case where an image that is not shared with any other peer is formed as a new group and shared with the other peer has been described. Next, consider a case where an image already shared by a group is shared with other peers not belonging to this group. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an image already shared by a group is provided to another peer. The grouped image folder 151 contains images g1, g2, and g3 shared by the group G1.

  Referring to FIG. 15, when some of images g1, g2, and g3 shared by group G1 are shared with other peers (herein referred to as peer 4), two processes can be roughly classified. . One process is a case where some of the images g1, g2, and g3 shared by the group G1 are shared with the peer 4. At this time, by dropping and dragging only the image to be shared to the display information indicating the peer 4, processing is performed in the same manner as the flow shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.

  The other process is a case where the peer 4 participates in the group G1 sharing the images g1, g2, and g3. At this time, by providing display information such as icons symbolizing the entire group G1 (for example, the icon 151 of the grouped image folder F in FIG. 15) to the display information of the peer 4 by drag and drop operation, Processing is performed so that peer 4 participates in G1. Hereinafter, a process when the peer 4 participates in the group G1 sharing the images g1, g2, and g3 will be described.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a process when the peer 4 is allowed to participate in the group G1 sharing the images g1, g2, and g3.
First, when the icon 151 of the folder F is dragged and dropped on the GUI to the peer 4 (step 111), information for inviting the peer 4 to the group G1 is transmitted from the peer 1 to the server (step 112).

  The server receives information for inviting the peer 4 to the group G1 from the peer 1 via the network (step 211), and based on this information, as shown in FIG. Is created (step 212). At this time, the management program sets the group key (“abc” in FIG. 18) of the group G1 in the table of the group G1 in the peer 4, and sets the boolean function indicating participation or non-participation to “False” (step 213). ). Then, information indicating that peer 1 has been invited to group G1 is transmitted to peer 4 (step 214).

  The program P0 of the peer 3 receives information invited from the peer 1 to the group G1 via the network (step 311). At this time, the program P0 may have a function of displaying a dialog as shown in FIG. 12 in order to select whether or not the user participates in the group G1 (step 312).

  In step 312, if the peer 4 joins the group G1, the program notifies the server that the peer 3 has joined the group G1 (step 313).

  When the server receives a notification of participation in the group G1 from the peer 4, the management program P0 sets a participation or non-participation boolean function to “True” in the participation group management table as shown in FIG. 215). Then, the management program P0 notifies the peer 1 of information that the peer 4 has joined the group G1 (step 216).

  Peer 1 receives and confirms that peer 4 has joined group G1 from the server (step 113). At this time, the program P1 may have a function of displaying a dialog for displaying that the peer 4 has joined the group G1 in FIG.

  If the peer 4 does not join the group G1 in step 312, the program notifies the server that the peer 4 has not joined the group G1 (step 314).

  When the server receives a notice of non-participation in the group G1 from the peer 4, the management program P0 deletes the participating or non-participating Boolean function in the participation group management table (step 217), and the peer 4 does not participate in the group G1. The information is notified to the peer 1 (step 218).

  The peer 1 receives information from the server that the peer 4 did not participate in the group G1 and confirms it (step 114). At this time, the program P1 may have a function of displaying a dialog indicating that the peer 4 has not joined the group G1 (see, for example, FIG. 14).

  As described above, the computer has the shared information specifying function and the sharing instruction information transmission function, and the management server shares the sharing target information based on the sharing instruction information transmitted by the sharing instruction information transmission function. Has a sharing setting function. Therefore, when a user shares information with another user, even if a group for sharing with the other user is not formed, the information to be shared and the other user By selecting, the settings required for sharing the information to be shared, such as setting a new group for sharing the information to be shared with other users and the identification code (group key) for joining the group, are set. This is automatically performed, and the other users can immediately share the information to be shared. Accordingly, in peer-to-peer communication, it is possible to speed up the exchange of information without requiring the user to perform complicated operations related to settings on the network.

  Further, in the communication system according to the present invention, the shared information specifying function is used in any state in which the sharing target information to be shared with other computers is not shared with the group or shared with the group. By selecting another computer to be newly shared, the group can be appropriately set for the sharing target information.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A suitable deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the communication system which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram of the hardware constitutions of the computer which implement | achieves a peer and a server. It is explanatory drawing which shows the IP address management table which a server manages. It is explanatory drawing which shows the file storage destination management table which a server manages. It is explanatory drawing which shows the group key management table which a server manages. It is a program displayed on the display device of the computer with a GUI. It is a program displayed on the display device of the computer with a GUI. It is explanatory drawing which shows the participating group management table which a server manages. It is a flowchart of the communication system concerning this invention. It is a flowchart of the communication system concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the dialog displayed by the program which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the dialog displayed by the program which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the dialog displayed by the program which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the dialog displayed by the program which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the state which provides the image already shared by the group to another peer. It is a flowchart of the communication system concerning this invention. It is a flowchart of the communication system concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the participating group management table which a server manages.

Explanation of symbols

1 Communication System 10 Management Server (Server)
11, 12, 13 Computer (peer)
P0 management program P1 shared program (program)

Claims (10)

A communication system for performing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network,
A management server for managing peer-to-peer communication is connected to the network,
The computer specifies sharing target information to be shared with another computer, a shared information specifying function for selecting another computer that shares the sharing target information, and specifying the sharing target information with the selected other computer A share instruction information transmission function for transmitting share instruction information including information to the management server;
The management server is configured to share the sharing target information specified by the sharing instruction information with the other computer specified by the sharing instruction information based on the sharing instruction information received from the computer. A communication system having a sharing setting function for setting. The communication system according to claim 1,
The computer has a GUI;
The shared information specifying function and the sharing instruction information transmitting function are executed by performing a drag-and-drop operation using display information representing the sharing target information and display information representing the other computer. . The communication system according to claim 1 or 2,
The sharing setting function of the management server includes a sharing confirmation function for confirming sharing of the sharing target information with the other computer. A program for causing a computer to perform peer-to-peer communication,
A shared information identifying step of selecting shared target information to be shared with other computers and another computer sharing the shared target information;
A program comprising: a sharing instruction information transmitting step of transmitting sharing instruction information including information for specifying information to be shared with the selected other computer to the management server. The program according to claim 4,
The shared information specifying step and the sharing instruction information transmitting step are executed by a drag-and-drop operation using display information representing the sharing target information and display information representing the other computer.   A computer in which the program according to claim 4 or 5 is installed and capable of peer-to-peer communication. A management program for causing a management server to perform peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network,
From the computer, receiving the sharing instruction information including information specifying the selected other computer and the sharing target information to be shared with the selected other computer, and based on the sharing instruction information, the sharing target information A management program comprising a sharing setting step for performing a setting for sharing with other computers specified by the sharing instruction information.   8. A management server on which the management program according to claim 7 is installed, and which performs peer-to-peer communication. A communication method for performing peer-to-peer communication between a plurality of computers connected via a network,
A management server for managing peer-to-peer communication is connected to the network,
The computer selects sharing target information to be shared with another computer and another computer that shares the sharing target information, and includes a sharing instruction including information for specifying the sharing target information with the selected other computer Sending information to the management server;
The management server is configured to share the sharing target information specified by the sharing instruction information with the other computer specified by the sharing instruction information based on the sharing instruction information received from the computer. Communication method for setting. The communication method according to claim 9, comprising:
Selecting the sharing target information and another computer that shares the sharing target information, and transmitting the sharing instruction information to the management server include display information representing the sharing target information, the other information A communication method performed by a drag-and-drop operation using display information representing a computer.

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