JP2008271041A - Communication apparatus performing network selection, connection and service execution by service identifier, method thereof and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine a service satisfying instructed service contents, to connect a required network and to automatically determine an appropriate service utilization means when an optional service is requested from an application to a communication apparatus when there are a plurality of connection means for connecting a target network. <P>SOLUTION: The communication apparatus includes a plurality of service control protocols such as UPnP, SLP, DLNA and UDDI. When an optional network is connected in the past, the communication apparatus gathers and records various information (such as network connection information and service control information) for utilizing the service present on the network. The communication apparatus automatically selects and connects the network where there is the service by utilizing the appropriate service control protocol in order to utilize a target service on the basis of the gathered and recorded information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to automatically selecting and connecting a network in which a target service exists when using a service, and more particularly, to automatically select a service control protocol necessary for using a service to distribute to different networks. The present invention relates to a communication apparatus that makes it possible to use a service that has been made across the board.

  Various access means exist as options when trying to access a specific network service due to enhancement of communication infrastructure such as wireless LAN, W-CDMA, and VPN connection.

  Further, after access to a target network service, service control technologies such as UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and SLP (Service Location Protocol) used to discover and use those services have been developed.

  In the description of Patent Document 1, it is stated that there are a plurality of networks before reaching a target connection destination network, and that an appropriate connection procedure is necessary at any time when connecting to each network. Yes.

  Therefore, in order to select an appropriate connection procedure, the portable terminal is provided with means for grasping the connection procedure of each network and means for selecting a route to the target connection destination.

A technology is disclosed in which a user selects a network from a plurality of networks existing on a route, and automatically connects a plurality of networks existing on a connection route to a connection destination network. .
JP 2006-067389 A

  As described above, there are a plurality of connection means for connecting to the target network, and the control method differs depending on the service to be used, so that the service use method is complicated.

  Therefore, in order for an application to individually connect to a network and execute a service, it is necessary to prepare an advanced application program so that an appropriate network connection method and service execution method corresponding to the service can be used properly.

  However, in order to prepare an advanced application that can properly use an appropriate network connection method and service execution method according to the service, a burden is imposed on the program developer.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to manually select a connection destination network, and network connection when using a target service is not automated.

  Therefore, there is a need for a technique for automatically selecting and connecting a connection means according to a service to a network in which the target service exists.

  In addition, there is a need for a technique for automatically selecting and using an appropriate service control protocol for using a service after a communication device is connected to a network in which the service exists.

  Alternatively, the method of leaving the selection of the connection method and the service control method for using the service to the user has a problem that the burden on the user when using the service increases.

  Therefore, in the ubiquitous society where the service is distributed over a plurality of networks, the present invention is unified for a user and an application with a network connection function for automatically selecting and connecting to an appropriate network according to a target service. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication apparatus having a service execution function, a method thereof, and a program thereof.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication device for selecting a network, connecting to the network, and executing a service, a service search means for searching for a service in the network, and a service discovered by the service search means Means for allocating a network identifier for identifying the network in which the service exists, and means for acquiring network connection information for connecting to the network based on the network identifier when using the service. And a network connection means for connecting to the network using the acquired network connection information.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication apparatus provided according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein all network connection information to which the network identifier is assigned when using a service is provided. A communication apparatus, further comprising: a network status confirmation unit that attempts to connect to the network; and a network selection unit that targets a network that has been confirmed to be connectable by the network status confirmation unit. Is done.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, a communication device that selects a network, connects to the network, and executes a service, searches for a service on the network, and holds information about the service found by the search. Based on information other than the service name in the service information holding means, the means for extracting the service name from the information on the service held by the service information holding means, the extracted service name, and the information on the service There is provided a communication apparatus comprising: service identifier assigning means for assigning a service identifier; and service identifier holding means for associating and holding the service information and the service identifier.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device provided by the third aspect of the present invention, the allocation is performed based on the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information related to the service. A network identifier acquisition unit that acquires a network identifier corresponding to a service identifier, a unit that determines a connection destination network using the network identifier when using a service, and the network identifier from a database held by the network identifier A communication apparatus is provided, further comprising: connection information selecting means for selecting network connection information corresponding to the network information; and means for connecting to the determined connection destination network using the selected network connection information. .

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication device provided according to the third or fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information related to the service And control protocol information held in the service control protocol holding means when using a service, the control protocol information holding the control protocol information corresponding to the allocated service identifier in association with the service identifier And means for determining a service control protocol using control protocol information stored in a database held by itself, and means for connecting to a connection destination network using the determined service control protocol, Provided is a communication device characterized by comprising:

  According to the present invention, the communication device automatically executes appropriate network selection / connection and appropriate service use so that the user can use the service on the network without being aware of the service use process. become able to. Such a communication apparatus enables a user to use various services distributed across different networks across the network.

  Next, the best mode of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
The service automatic connection / control and service execution apparatus of the present invention can be applied to a communication apparatus. The internal configuration of the communication apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a communication apparatus according to the first embodiment for carrying out the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the communication apparatus 100 includes a network interface (IF) group 101, a network connection management unit 102, a service search application program (APP) 103, a service information recording unit 104, a service name information database (DB) 105, a network An identifier information database (DB) 106, a service use application program (APP) 107, and a service determination unit 108 are provided.

  The network IF group 101 has at least one or a plurality of network IFs. In the figure, network IFs A to C are shown.

  Then, when any network IF is connected to the network, the communication network IF group 101 grasps that the network IF is connected to the network, and transmits / receives a packet to / from the connected network. Part.

  The network connection management unit 102 grasps the network identifier and the network connection information, and uses the information to select an appropriate network IF from the network IF group 101 and issue a connection request when connecting to the network. .

  Further, it is a part that notifies a network IF to be connected or a network identifier in response to a request from another component.

  Here, the network connection information refers to network connection information necessary for connecting to a specified network. Specifically, SSID corresponds to a wireless LAN, and authentication information corresponds to a VPN.

  The network identifier is an identifier for specifying a network in which a service exists, and is an identifier for uniquely determining network connection information necessary for connecting to the specified network.

  The service search APP 103 is an application program built in the communication apparatus 100, and executes a search for all services existing on the network when the communication apparatus 100 is connected to an arbitrary network.

  The service information recording unit 104 extracts a service name from the discovered service usage information and generates a service identifier for uniquely determining the service.

  At this time, the service name, the service identifier, and the network identifier for specifying the network in which the service exists are associated and recorded in the database.

  The service name DB 105 is a database that records discovered service names and service identifiers associated with them. Details of the data structure will be described later.

  The network identifier information DB 106 is a database that records service identifiers and network identifiers associated with them. Details of the data structure will be described later.

  The service use APP 107 is an application program built in the communication apparatus 100, and is a program that can use all service control protocols necessary for using the service.

  The service determination unit 108 uses a service that satisfies the requested service content based on a network that can be connected when the communication device 100 records a plurality of services and actually uses the service. Decide on one service and use the service.

  Next, the overall operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

  FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating a service information collection operation when the communication apparatus 100 is connected to an arbitrary network.

  When at least one of the plurality of network IFs held by the network IF group 101 is connected to an arbitrary network, the network IF group 101 notifies the network connection management unit 102 that the connection has been completed (step S101).

  Upon receiving the notification of completion of network connection, the network connection management unit 102 notifies the service search APP 103 of a network IF connected to the network (step S102).

  The service search APP 103 executes a service search using all the notified network IFs (step S103).

  The network IF group 101 notifies the service information recording unit 104 of the discovered service information (step S104).

  The found service information is also notified to the service search APP 103, and the service search APP 103 receives the notification and executes appropriate processing.

  The service information recording unit 104 inquires of the network connection management unit 102 about the network identifier (step S105).

  The network connection management unit 102 notifies the service information recording unit 104 of the network identifier (step S106).

  The service information recording unit 104 extracts a service name from the collected service information, and generates a service identifier for each service name. Further, each service identifier associated with the service name is associated with the corresponding network identifier (step S107).

  The service information recording unit 104 records each service name together with the associated service identifier in the service name DB 105 (step S108).

  Further, the service information recording unit 104 records each network identifier together with the associated service identifier in the network identifier information DB 106 (step S109).

  Next, data structures stored in the service name information DB 105 and the network connection information DB 106 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the data structure of the service name information DB 105.

  The service name d101 and the service name d102 are service names defined by the service control protocol.

  For example, the service name d101 is “UPnPVideo” defined by UPnP, and the service name d102 is “UDDI mail service” defined by UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration).

  The service identifiers d103, d104, and d105 are recorded in association with the service name d101, and the service identifiers d104 and d105 are recorded in association with the service name d102.

  The reason why a plurality of service identifiers are assigned to a single service name, such as service identifiers d103, d104, and d105 for the service name d101, is the same service name, but other services other than the service name This is to express that this is another service with different information (for example, connection destination network).

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the data structure of the network connection information DB 106. Network identifiers d203 to d207 are network identifiers associated with service identifiers.

  In FIG. 4, the service identifier d201 is recorded in association with the network identifiers d203, d204, and d205, and the service identifier d202 is recorded in association with the network identifiers d206 and d207.

  Next, the details of the internal operation of the communication apparatus 100 when using the target service will be described with reference to FIG.

  The service use APP 107 notifies the service determination unit 108 of an arbitrary service name and requests service execution (step S110).

  The service determination unit 108 searches for the service identifier recorded in the service name information DB 105 using the service name received from the service use APP 107 as a search key (step S111).

  The service name information DB 105 notifies the service determination unit 108 of the service identifier associated with the received service name.

  At this time, when there are a plurality of services having the same service name, a plurality of service identifiers are notified (step S112).

  The service determination unit 108 searches for the network identifier recorded in the network identifier information DB 106 using all the notified service identifiers as search keys (step S113).

  The network identifier information DB 106 returns all network identifiers associated with the received service identifier to the service determination unit 108 (step S114).

  The service determination unit 108 notifies all network identifiers received to the network connection management unit 102, and requests connectable network information (step S115).

  The network connection management unit 102 acquires network connection information from all received network identifiers using the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, and requests the network IF group 101 to confirm the connection status (step S116).

  Network IF group 101 attempts to connect to all requested networks. Then, network connection information regarding all the networks that can be connected is returned to the network connection management unit 102 (step S117).

  The network connection management unit 102 acquires a network identifier from the connectable network connection information using the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, and notifies the service determination unit 108 (step S118).

  The service determination unit 108 identifies a service identifier associated with the notified network identifier among the service identifiers grasped in step S112.

  Here, when there are a plurality of specified service identifiers, the service identifier and the network identifier are finally determined in consideration of the service usage information given to each service and the connection condition to the network where the service exists. A pair is determined (step S119).

  The service determination unit 108 notifies the network connection management unit 102 of the network identifier determined in step S119 (step S120).

  The network connection management unit 102 acquires network connection information from all received network identifiers using the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, and issues a connection request to the network IF group 101 (step S121).

  When the connection with the network is completed, the network IF 101 returns a network connection completion notification to the service connection management unit 102 (step S122).

  The service connection management unit 102 notifies the service determination unit 108 of the network IF used for network connection (step S123).

  When the service determination unit 108 recognizes that the network connection is completed, the service determination unit 108 transmits the service execution request notified from the service use APP in step S110 using the notified network IF (step S124).

  As described above, by using the communication apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is possible to discover and use services distributed across different networks.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment for carrying out the invention will be described. The internal configuration of the communication apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the communication device 100 shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 200 includes a service search application program (APP) 109, a service search execution unit 110, a service information recording unit 111, and a service name information database (DB) 112. A service control protocol information database (DB) 113, a service use application program (APP) 114, a service determination unit 115, and a service use execution unit 116.

  Since the network IF 101, the network connection management unit 102, and the network identifier information DB 106 of the communication apparatus 200 in FIG.

  The service search APP 109 is an application program built in the communication apparatus 200 and exists on the network to which the APP belongs by using a specific service control protocol that can be used by the APP when the communication apparatus 200 connects to an arbitrary network. Perform all service searches.

  The service search execution unit 110 uses all service control protocols held by the communication device 200 and executes service search using all search means related to the service search execution command.

  The service information recording unit 111 extracts a service name from the discovered service usage information and generates a service identifier for uniquely determining each service.

  At this time, each service name and service identifier, a network identifier for specifying a network in which the service exists, and service control protocol information necessary for using each service are associated and recorded in the database.

  The service name information DB 112 is a database in which service names are recorded. The service name is recorded in association with an identifier unique to the corresponding service.

  Service names having different notations and services having similar service effects are associated with one abstract service name.

  Details of the service name information DB 112 will be described later. The service control protocol information DB 113 is a database that records service control protocol information, and details of the data structure will be described later.

  The service use APP 114 is an application program built in the communication apparatus 200, and executes service use using a specific service control protocol held by the APP. In addition, service usage information stipulated by the service control protocol is provided.

  At this time, the service usage information is expressed by a special service control protocol and a method and an argument specific to the service control protocol.

  The service determination unit 115 determines one service from a plurality of services that satisfy the requested service content according to the network connection status.

  Furthermore, the service determination unit 115 converts the service usage information defined by a specific protocol into service usage information defined by another service control protocol as necessary.

  The overall operation of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10.

  A service information collection operation when the communication apparatus 200 is connected to an arbitrary network will be described with reference to FIG.

  Steps S201 and S202 are the same as steps S101 and S102 in FIG.

  The service search APP 109 executes a service search that exists on the belonging network using a service search protocol (for example, UPnP discovery) held by the communication apparatus 200 (step S203).

  The service search execution unit 110 searches for all services that are expected to have the same service effect as the service searched from the service search APP 109 by using all the service search protocols that are held.

  For example, when there is a search request for a video recording service specified by UPnP from the service APP 109, the service search execution unit 110, in addition to searching for a UPnP video, is expected to have a service effect equivalent to that service. Perform a search with a video recording service.

  Then, the service search is executed using the network IF notified in step S202 using all the selected service search means (step S204).

  The network IF group 101 notifies the service search execution unit of the found service usage information (step S205).

  The network search execution unit 110 converts the notified service usage information into service usage information defined in the service search protocol held by the service search APP 109 and notifies the service usage information (step S206).

  The service search APP 109 receives the notification from the network search execution unit 110 and executes appropriate processing for the found service information.

  The network search execution unit 110 inquires of the network connection management unit 102 about the network identifier (step S207).

  In the network connection management unit 102, the network search execution unit 110 notifies the service information recording unit 104 of the network identifier (step S208).

  The service search execution unit 110 extracts a service name from the collected service information, and generates a service identifier for each service name.

  Further, each service identifier associated with the service name is associated with a network identifier and a service control protocol (step S209).

  The service search execution unit 110 notifies the service information recording unit 111 of the information processed in step S208 (step S210).

  Since the next steps S211 and S212 perform the same operations as steps S108 to S109 shown in FIG.

  The service information recording unit 111 records the service identifier and the service control protocol in association with each other in the service control protocol information DB 113 (step S213).

  Next, the data structure of data stored in the service name information DB 112 and the service control protocol information DB 113 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The data stored in the network identifier information DB 106 has the same structure as the data structure shown in FIG.

  An example of the data structure in the service name information DB 112 is shown using FIG. The service name d302 and the service name d303 are service names defined by an arbitrary service control protocol.

  For example, the service name “d302” is a service name “UPnPVideo” defined by UPnP, the service name “d303” is a service name “UDDI video” defined by UDDI, and the like.

  The service identifiers d304, d305, and d306 are recorded in association with the service name d302, and the service identifiers d307 and d308 are recorded in association with the service name d303.

  The reason why a plurality of service identifiers are assigned to a single service name like the service identifiers d304, d305, and d306 for the service name d301 is the same service name, but other service information excluding the service name This is to express that the service is a different service (connected network or the like).

  Further, although the service name d302 and the service name d303 are different service names, they are services that can obtain the same service effect, and the service name d302 and the service name d303 are recorded in association with each other by an abstract service name d301. .

  As described above, for example, when the service name d302 is the service name “UPnPVideo” and the service name d303 is the service name “UDDI video”, the service name d301 abstractly expressing them is the service name “video”. .

  The service name information DB originally has information in which an abstract service name is associated with all service names related thereto.

  Next, an example of the data structure of the service control protocol information DB 113 is shown using FIG. Service identifiers d401 and d402 are recorded in association with service control protocol d406, respectively.

  Service identifiers d403, d404, and d405 are recorded in association with the service control protocol d407, respectively.

  The details of the internal operation of the communication apparatus 200 when the target service is used in the communication apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  The service usage APP 114 notifies the service determination unit 115 of service usage information defined by a specific service control protocol held by the APP, and requests execution of the service (step S214).

  The service determining unit 115 extracts a service name from the service usage information, and searches for a service identifier recorded in the service name information DB using the extracted service name as a search key (step S215).

  The service name information DB 112 specifies an abstract service name associated with the service name received from the service determination unit 115.

  Then, all service names associated with the abstract service name are specified. Further, the service determination unit 115 is notified of all service identifiers associated with those service names.

  As a result, a service identifier that identifies all services that are expected to have the same service effect as the service with the notified service name is notified (step S216).

  Steps S217 to S222 are the same as steps S113 to S118 in FIG.

  The service determination unit 115 identifies a service identifier associated with the notified network identifier among the service identifiers grasped in step S216.

  Here, when there are a plurality of specified service identifiers, a pair of service identifiers and network identifiers is finally determined in consideration of service usage information given to each service and connection conditions to the network where the services exist. Is determined (step S223).

  The service determining unit 115 searches for the service control protocol from the service control protocol information DB 113 using the service identifier determined in step S223 as a search key (step S224).

  The service control protocol information DB 113 returns service control protocol information associated with the service identifier (step S225).

  Steps S226 to S228 are the same as steps S120 to S122 in FIG.

  The network connection management unit 202 notifies the service determination unit 115 of the network IF whose network connection has been completed (step S229).

  The service determination unit 115 notifies the service usage execution unit 116 of the service usage information notified from the service usage APP 114 in step S214, the service control protocol information grasped in step S225, and the network IF connected to the network (step S214). S230).

  The service usage executing unit 116 compares the service control protocol described in the service usage information requested from the service usage APP with the service control protocol determined in step S225.

  Then, when the two service control protocols compared are different, the service control protocol specific method and the argument determined in step S225 are the service control protocol specific method and arguments included in the service usage information notified from the service usage APP 114 in step S214. And it needs to be converted to an argument.

  Therefore, the service determining unit 115 converts the service usage information suitable for the service control protocol determined in step S225 (step S231).

  The service control protocol execution unit 116 executes service use from the service use information processed in step S231 by using the network IF grasped in step S230 (step S232).

  As a result, by using the communication apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to discover and use services distributed across different networks.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described. The internal configuration of the communication apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 11, the communication device 300 further includes a network usage information DB 117 and a service usage condition DB 118 in addition to the configuration of the communication device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.

  The network usage information DB 117 is a database that records network usage conditions individually associated with a plurality of network connection methods specified from network identifiers.

  The network usage conditions are expressed by the communication speed of each connection when using each network connection method, the presence or absence of security measures, and the like. Specifically, the minimum communication speed required to connect to a certain network.

  The service usage information DB 118 is a database that records service usage information associated with individual services identified from service identifiers.

  The service usage information is expressed by the presence / absence of billing when using a certain service, the usage frequency, the degree of enhancement of service functions, and the like.

  Next, the difference in operation between the communication device 100 and the communication device 300 will be described.

  The operation of the communication device 300 is basically the same as that of the communication device 100, but the operation when the network identifier and the service identifier are narrowed down to one in steps S118 and S119 shown in FIG.

  The following steps are added to steps S118 and S119 in FIG.

  The network connection management unit 102 searches the network usage information using the grasped network identifier as a search key (step S301).

  The network usage information DB 117 notifies the network usage information associated with the network identifier (step S302).

  The network connection management unit 102 notifies the service determination unit 108 of the network identifier and network usage information (step S303).

  Further, the service determination unit 108 identifies a service identifier associated with the network identifier among the service identifiers grasped in step S112 of FIG. 5 (step S304).

  The service search unit 108 searches for service usage information from the service usage information DB 118 using the specified service identifier as a search key (step S305).

  The service usage information DB 118 notifies service usage information associated with the service identifier (step S306).

  The service determination unit 108 determines a pair of network identifiers and service identifiers by considering both the network usage information and the service usage information acquired in steps S305 and S306 (step S307).

  As a determination method at this time, for example, when using a recorded video playback service, an identifier of a network having a wide communication band is selected based on the network usage information, and an identifier of a service having a video playback function enhanced from the service usage information. The method of selecting is used.

  Thereafter, operations similar to those in steps S120 to S124 in FIG. 5 are performed.

  Note that a communication device that performs network selection / connection by service identifier and service execution can be realized by hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

  The service connection / control technology according to the present invention can be applied to a communication device used when a user accesses an arbitrary service.

It is an internal block diagram of the communication apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a service information collection operation sequence diagram when the end device is connected to an arbitrary network in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a data structure figure of service name information DB in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a data structure figure of network identifier information DB in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement sequence diagram inside a communication apparatus at the time of utilizing the target service with a communication apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram inside a communication apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a service information collection operation | movement sequence diagram when the communication apparatus connects to arbitrary networks in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a data structure figure of service name information DB in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a data structure figure of service control protocol information DB in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement sequence diagram inside a communication apparatus at the time of utilizing the target service with a communication apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an internal block diagram of the communication apparatus in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200, 300 Communication device 101 Network IF group 102 Network connection management unit 103 Service search APP
104 Service information recording unit 105 Service name information DB
106 Network identifier information DB
107, 114 Service use APP
108, 115 Service determination unit 109 Service search APP
110 Service Search Execution Unit 111 Service Information Storage Unit 112 Service Name DB
113 Service control protocol information DB
116 Service Usage Execution Unit 117 Network Usage Information DB

Claims (25)

A communication device for selecting a network, connecting to a network and executing a service,
A service search means for searching for services on the network;
Means for assigning a network identifier for identifying a network in which the service exists to each of the services discovered by the service search means;
Means for acquiring network connection information for connecting to a network based on the network identifier when using a service;
Network connection means for connecting to a network using the acquired network connection information;
A communication apparatus comprising: The communication device according to claim 1,
Network status confirmation means for attempting network connection for all network connection information to which the network identifier is assigned when using a service;
Network selection means for connecting a network confirmed to be connectable by the network status confirmation means;
The communication apparatus further comprising: The communication device according to claim 2,
The network selecting means selects a network from a network to be connected based on a predetermined condition and makes it a connection target. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A communication apparatus further comprising means for determining a service control protocol using control protocol information of a service discovered by the service search means and control protocol information stored in a database held by the service search means . The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Related service holding means for storing and holding the service discovered by the service search means in association with each service that can obtain the same effect;
Means for selecting a service that can select all associated services held in the related service holding means when using a service; and
The communication apparatus further comprising: A communication device for selecting a network, connecting to a network and executing a service,
A service information holding means for searching for a service on the network and holding information on the service found by the search;
Means for extracting a service name from information related to services held by the service information holding means;
Service identifier assigning means for assigning a separate service identifier to each service when it is determined that the service discovered by the search is a separate one;
Service identifier holding means for associating and holding the service information and the service identifier;
A communication apparatus comprising: The communication device according to claim 6,
Network identifier acquisition means for acquiring a network identifier corresponding to the assigned service identifier based on the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information about the service;
Means for determining a connection destination network using the network identifier when using a service;
The communication apparatus further comprising: The communication device according to claim 6 or 7,
The communication apparatus, wherein the network identifier is information determined to uniquely determine a network. The communication device according to any one of claims 6 to 8,
Service control protocol holding means for holding control protocol information corresponding to the assigned service identifier in association with the service identifier based on the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information related to the service. A communication device. The communication device according to claim 9,
Means for determining a service control protocol using control protocol information held in the service control protocol holding means when using a service, and control protocol information stored in a database held by itself;
Means for controlling a service using the determined service control protocol;
The communication apparatus further comprising: The communication device according to any one of claims 6 to 10,
Means for extracting a service name from the service information acquired by the service information holding means;
Related service holding means for storing and holding the service discovered by the service search means in association with each service that can obtain the same effect;
Means for selecting a service that can select all associated services held in the related service holding means when using a service; and
The communication apparatus further comprising: The communication device according to any one of claims 6 to 11,
Means for obtaining network usage information relating to network usage from the service information held in the service information holding means;
Means for determining a connection destination network using all the service information associated in the related service holding means when using a service and the network usage information;
The communication apparatus further comprising: A communication method for selecting a network, connecting to a network and executing a service,
A service search step for searching for services on the network;
Assigning, to each of the services discovered in the service search step, a network identifier for identifying a network in which the service exists;
Obtaining network connection information for connecting to a network based on the network identifier when using a service;
A network connection step of connecting to a network using the acquired network connection information;
A communication method comprising: The communication method according to claim 13, comprising:
A network status confirmation step of attempting network connection for all network connection information to which the network identifier is assigned when using a service;
A network selection step for connecting a network confirmed to be connectable in the network status confirmation step;
A communication method, further comprising: The communication method according to claim 14, comprising:
In the network selection step, a network is selected from the networks to be connected based on a predetermined condition and is set as a connection target. The communication method according to any one of claims 13 to 15,
A communication method further comprising the step of determining a service control protocol using the control protocol information of the service found in the service search step and the control protocol information stored in a database held by the service search step. . The communication method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, comprising:
A related service holding step of storing and holding the service discovered in the service search step in association with each service that can obtain the same effect;
When using a service, the step of setting all related services held in the related service holding step as a target of a selectable service;
A communication method, further comprising: A communication method for selecting a network, connecting to a network and executing a service,
A service information holding step of searching for a service on the network and holding information about the service found by the search;
Extracting a service name from the information about the service held in the service information holding step;
A service identifier assigning step of assigning a separate service identifier to each service when it is determined that the services discovered by the search are separate;
A service identifier holding step for associating and holding the service information and the service identifier;
A communication method comprising: The communication method according to claim 18, wherein
Obtaining a network identifier corresponding to the assigned service identifier based on the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information about the service; and
Determining a connection destination network using the network identifier when using a service; and
A communication method, further comprising: The communication method according to claim 18 or 19,
The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the network identifier is information defined for uniquely determining a network. The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 20,
A service control protocol holding step of holding, in association with the service identifier, control protocol information corresponding to the assigned service identifier based on the extracted service name and information other than the service name in the information related to the service. A communication method characterized by the above. The communication method according to claim 21, wherein
When using a service, determining a service control protocol using the control protocol information held in the service control protocol holding step and the control protocol information stored in the database held by itself;
Controlling the service using the determined service control protocol;
A communication method, further comprising: The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 22,
Extracting service names from the service information acquired in the service information holding step;
A related service holding step of storing and holding the service discovered in the service search step in association with each service that can obtain the same effect;
When using a service, the step of selecting all related services held in the related service holding step as a target of a selectable service;
A communication method, further comprising: The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 23, wherein:
Obtaining network usage information relating to network usage from the service information held in the service information holding step;
Determining a connection destination network using all the service information associated in the related service holding step and the network usage information when using a service; and
The communication apparatus further comprising:   A program causing a computer to function as the communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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