JP2009152891A - Communication system, client device, server device, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system, a client device, a server device, and a computer program which make an operation for acquiring various pieces of state information, for example, necessary for maintenance from the client device connected to a communication network based on protocols such as IPv6 efficient. <P>SOLUTION: The client device 1 sets a stateless address and a stateful address (S107), reads the state information (S108), and notifies a node information management server device 3 of the set stateless address, the set stateful address, and the read state information (S109). The node information management server device 3 receives the stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information, associates the received stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information with one another, and records them in a database used as a binding cache (S110). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system including a server device connected to a communication network and a client device connectable to the communication network, a client device and a server device used in the communication system, and the client device. The present invention relates to a computer program for realizing.

  MIPv6 (Mobile IPv6), in which a mobile communication function is added to IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), which has begun to spread as a next-generation Internet protocol, has progressed from the development stage to the implementation stage. In MIPv6, a client device (node) connected to a communication network performs communication based on two types of IP addresses, a stateful address and a stateless address.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a communication system. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1000 denotes a communication network that mediates communication defined by IPv6. The communication network 1000 includes a plurality of client devices 101, 101,..., DHCPv6 ( Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 6) A server device 102, a node information management server device (HA: Home Agent) 103, router devices 104, 104, and the like are connected. The communication network 1000 is divided into a plurality of segments by each router device 104, 104,.

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of each device connected to the communication system. FIG. 8 shows processing when the client apparatus 101 is connected to the communication network 1000. When the client apparatus 101 is connected to the communication network 1000, the client apparatus 101 transmits a router solicitation (RS) message to the router apparatus 104 constituting the connected segment (S1001). Then, a router advertisement (RA) message is transmitted (S1002). The router advertisement message transmitted from the router apparatus 104 to the client apparatus 101 in step S1002 includes information such as a network prefix managed by the router apparatus 104. Then, the client apparatus 101 generates a stateless address based on information such as a MAC address set in advance in the own apparatus and a network prefix received from the router apparatus 104 (S1003).

  Further, the client apparatus 101 requests the DHCPv6 server apparatus 102 to assign a stateful address (S1004). The DHCPv6 server apparatus 102 assigns a stateful address to the request (S1005), and notifies the assigned stateful address to the client apparatus 101 (S1006). The client apparatus 101 sets the stateless address and the stateful address as its own IP address (S1007), and notifies the node information management server apparatus 103 of the set stateless address and stateful address (S1008). The node information management server device 103 records the stateless address and stateful address received from the client device 101 in a binding cache that is a database for recording IP addresses (S1009). In this way, when the client apparatus 101 is connected to the communication network 1000, a binding update for updating the recorded contents of the binding cache is performed.

  The processing performed when the client apparatus 101 described with reference to FIG. 8 is connected to the communication network 1000 includes a situation in which the client apparatus 101 is newly connected to the communication network 101 and a router apparatus 104 that constitutes a segment to which the client apparatus 101 belongs. It is executed when a situation such as a situation where the change has occurred. The situation where the router apparatus 104 constituting the segment to which the client apparatus 101 belongs is a situation where a handover has occurred due to the movement of the client apparatus 101.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of each device connected to the communication system. FIG. 9 shows processing when information is transmitted from the first client device 101a to the second client device 101b which is a mobile terminal device. In MIPv6, intra-segment communication is performed based on a stateless address. However, since the second client device 101b is a mobile terminal device, the stateless address is updated every handover. Therefore, when communicating across segments, the first client device 101a performs the process shown in FIG. 9 in which communication information is transmitted based on the stateful address of the second client device 101b. The first client device 101a transmits the communication information specifying the stateful address of the second client device 101b to the node information management server device 103 (S2001). The node information management server device 103 reads the stateless address corresponding to the stateful address specified in the received communication information from the binding cache (S2002), and the communication received from the first client device 101a based on the read stateless address. Information is transmitted to the second client apparatus 101b (S2003). In this way, communication information is transmitted from the first client device 101a to the second client device 101b.

  Such a technique related to MIPv6 is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

The client device stores various state information necessary for maintenance such as a model name, firmware version number, vendor name (seller name), manufacturer name (manufacturer name), and the like. Such state information is required under various circumstances such as maintenance, update, and modification of the apparatus and system.
JP 2007-36641 A

  However, when the person in charge needs to obtain the status information of the client device for the purpose of maintenance or the like, the status information must be obtained by operating each client device. That is, there is a problem of improving workability when obtaining state information.

  In addition, in the communication based on the conventional MIPv6, since all communication between the client devices goes through the node information management server device, there is a problem that when the number of client devices increases, the possibility of congestion occurring increases. Furthermore, since the node information management server device manages stateful addresses and stateless addresses when relaying communications, there is a problem that processing load increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the client device also transmits state information when transmitting address information such as a stateful address and a stateless address, and the node information management server device receives address information. In addition, a communication system capable of improving workability at the time of obtaining state information by recording and managing the state information, a client device and a server device used in the communication system, and the client device are realized. The main purpose is to provide a computer program.

  In the present invention, the first client device requests the stateless address of the second client device from the node information management server device, and communicates with the second client device based on the stateless address notified in response to the request. Accordingly, another object is to provide a communication system or the like that realizes prevention of congestion and reduction of processing load on the node information management server device.

  In a communication system including a server device connected to a communication network and a client device connectable to the communication network, the first communication system records state information indicating a state of the own device. A status recording means, a setting means for setting address information indicating an address of the own device on the communication network when connected to the communication network, a status information recorded in the status recording means, and the setting Transmission means for transmitting the address information set by the means to the server device via the communication network, and the server device comprises information recording means for recording the received status information and address information in association with each other. It is a requirement to prepare.

  The second communication system is the first communication system, wherein the client device further includes detection means for detecting a change in the address information set by the setting means and the state information recorded in the state recording means, The transmission means transmits the address information set by the setting means and the status information recorded in the status recording means when the detection means detects a change in at least one of address information and status information. The information is transmitted to the server device via a network, and the information recording means updates the recorded content based on the address information and the status information transmitted by detecting the change. .

  The third communication system is the first or second communication system, wherein the status recording means includes information on at least one of the model name of the own device, the version number of the recorded firmware, the vendor name, and the manufacturer name. It is a requirement that state information is recorded.

  The fourth communication system is any one of the first to third communication systems, and each device connected to the communication network communicates based on a communication protocol defined by IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6). The setting means provided in the client device sets a stateful address and a stateless address based on IPv6 as address information, and the information recording means provided in the server device includes the state information, the stateful address and the stateless address. Is required to be recorded in association with each other.

  The fifth communication system includes a plurality of client devices connectable to the communication network in the fourth communication system, and the first client device included in the plurality of client devices includes the plurality of clients. Requesting means for requesting the server device for a stateless address of the second client device by designating a stateful address of a second client device included in the device, wherein the server device receives the first client device from the first client device; Reading means for reading a stateless address recorded in association with a specified stateful address from the information recording means, and notification means for notifying the first client device of the stateless address read by the reading means. The first client device notifies the notified step. Further a requirement that a communication means for communicating with the second client device based on the Torres address.

  The sixth client device, when connected to the communication network to which the server device is connected, and the status recording means for recording the status information indicating the status of the own device, indicates the address of the own device on the communication network The setting means for setting address information, and the transmission means for transmitting the status information recorded in the status recording means and the address information set by the setting means to the server device via the communication network are required. To do.

  The seventh server device receives from the client device connected to the communication network, receiving means for receiving status information indicating the status of the client device and address information indicating the address of the client device on the communication network; An information recording unit that records state information and address information in association with each other is a requirement.

  An eighth computer program is a computer program to be executed by a computer that can be connected to a communication network to which another device is connected, and is connected to the communication network to which the other device is connected. When the address information indicating the address of the own device on the communication network is set, the procedure for reading the state information indicating the state of the own device recorded in advance, the read status information and the set address information And a procedure for transmitting to the other device via the communication network.

  In the first communication system, the third communication system, the sixth client device, the seventh server device, and the eighth computer program, the status information of the client device is recorded in the server device. It is possible to obtain device status information.

  In the second communication system, even when a change such as a handover of a client device or a firmware update occurs, the content of the change is transmitted to the server device, so that the server device can manage the latest information.

  The fourth communication system can be applied to IPv6.

  In the fifth communication system, the communication between the first client device and the second client device is not required to pass through the server device.

  The communication system, the client device, the server device, and the computer program of the present application use a server device connected to a communication network and a client device that can be connected to the communication network. When the client device is connected to the communication network, the client device sets address information, and transmits the state information recorded in advance and the set address information to the server device. The server device records the received state information and address information in association with each other.

  With this configuration, in the present application, since the status information of the client device is recorded in the server device, the status information of each client device can be easily obtained from the server device via, for example, a communication network. It is possible to reduce the work load of the person in charge who collects the state information from time to time.

  The communication system of the present application transmits address information and status information to the server device when the client device detects a change in at least one of address information and status information. The server device receives the received address information and status. Update the recorded content based on the information.

  With this configuration, in the present application, even when a change such as a handover of the client device or a firmware update occurs, the content of the change is transmitted to the server device. It is possible to improve the workability of the present invention, and the like, and so on.

  Furthermore, in the communication system of the present application, the first client device designates the stateful address of the second client device, requests the server device for the stateless address, and based on the acquired stateless address, connect.

  With this configuration, in the present application, communication between the first client device and the second client device is not required to pass through the server device, and concentration of communication to the server device can be avoided, thereby preventing the occurrence of congestion. In addition, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the server device, and the excellent effects are obtained.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a communication system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, NW is a communication network that mediates communication defined by a communication protocol such as IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) including MIPv6 (Mobile Internet Protocol version 6). The communication network NW includes a plurality of clients. Devices (CN: Correspondent Node) 1, 1,..., DHCPv6 (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 6) server device 2, node information management server device (HA: Home Agent) 3, a plurality of router devices 4, 4,. Various devices are connected. The client devices 1, 1,... Are communication devices such as mobile terminal devices, fixed terminal devices, and more specifically devices such as personal computers, network printers, and telephones. The DHCPv6 server device 2 performs processing such as dynamic allocation of stateful addresses to devices connected to the communication network NW. The node information management server device 3 performs processing such as management of address information such as stateful addresses and stateless addresses assigned to the client devices 1, 1,. The router devices 4, 4,... Perform processing such as communication path setting, and the communication network NW is divided into a plurality of segments by each router device 4, 4,.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of various devices used in the communication system of the present invention. The client apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10 such as a CPU that controls the entire apparatus, a computer program 100 of the present invention, and a CD-ROM drive that reads various information from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM that records various information such as data. An auxiliary storage unit 11, a first recording unit 12 such as a hard disk for recording various information read by the auxiliary storage unit 11, a second recording unit 13 such as a rewritable ROM for recording various information such as firmware, A storage unit 14 such as a RAM for storing temporarily generated information and a communication unit 15 connected to the communication network NW by wire or wireless are provided. Then, by storing the computer program 100 recorded in the first recording unit 12 in the storage unit 14 and executing it under the control of the control unit 10, the communication device operates as the client device 1 of the present invention. In addition to the illustrated configuration, the client device 1 includes various configurations for functioning as a device such as a personal computer, a network multifunction peripheral, and a telephone. The second recording unit 13 records not only firmware but also various state information necessary for maintenance such as model name, firmware version number, vendor name (vendor name), manufacturer name (manufacturer name), and the like. Yes.

  The node information management server device 3 includes a control unit 30, a recording unit 31 such as hardware, ROM, and RAM, and a communication unit 32. A part of the recording area of the recording unit 31 is used as a database 310 called a binding cache (BC) that records address information.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an example of the recorded contents of the database 310 provided in the node information management server device 3 used in the communication system of the present invention. In the database 310, the stateful address, stateless address, and state information of each client device 1, 1,. The stateful address is an IP address assigned to the DHCPv6 server device 2. The stateless address is an IP address generated by the client device 1. The status information is information such as the model name, firmware version, vendor name, manufacturer name, and the like recorded in the second recording unit 13 of the client device 1.

  Next, processing of various apparatuses according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of address information recording processing of each device used in the communication system of the present invention. When the client device 1 is connected to the communication network NW, an address information recording process for recording the address information set in the client device 1 in the database 310 provided in the node information management server device 3 is executed.

  The client device 1 connected to the communication network NW transfers from the communication unit 15 to the router device 4 constituting the segment on the connected communication network NW under the control of the control unit 10 that executes the computer program 100 stored in the storage unit 14. A router solicitation (RS) message is transmitted via the communication network NW (S101).

  In response to the received router request, the router device 4 transmits a router advertisement (RA) message (S102). The router advertisement message transmitted from the router apparatus 4 to the client apparatus 1 in step S102 includes information such as a network prefix managed by the router apparatus 4.

  Then, the client device 1 receives the router advertisement message in the communication unit 15 under the control of the control unit 10, and based on information such as the MAC address preset in the own device and the network prefix received from the router device 4 A stateless address is generated (S103).

  Further, under the control of the control unit 10, the client device 1 requests the DHCPv6 server device 2 to assign a stateful address from the communication unit 15 via the communication network NW (S104).

  The DHCPv6 server device 2 assigns a stateful address to the request (S105), and notifies the assigned stateful address to the client device 1 (S106).

  Under the control of the control unit 10, the client device 1 receives the stateful address assigned by the communication unit 15, and sets the stateless address and the stateful address as its own address information (IP address) (S107). Further, the client device 1 reads the state information from the second recording unit 13 under the control of the control unit 10 (S108). Then, under the control of the control unit 10, the client device 1 notifies the node information management server device 3 of the set stateless address, stateful address, and read state information from the communication unit 15 via the communication network NW (S109). The stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information are indicated in the IPv6 header of the packet transmitted from the client device 1 to the node information management server device 3. In the IPv6 header, addresses for storing stateless addresses and stateful addresses are secured. However, by securing an address for storing state information as an extension header, the notification in step S109 can be realized.

  Under the control of the control unit 30, the node information management server device 3 receives the stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information at the communication unit 32, associates the received stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information with the database 310. (S110). In step S110, when a record including a stateless address that matches the received stateless address is recorded in the database 310, an update for changing the record is performed. Further, when a notification destination device for notifying update contents is set in the node information management server device 3, the node information management server device 3 is set in advance when the recording process in step S110 is performed. The recorded contents are notified to the notification destination apparatus. When the client device 1 is connected to the communication network NW in this way, address information recording processing is executed as a binding update for updating the recording content of the binding cache.

  By executing the address information recording process, the status information of the client device 1 is managed by the node information management server device 3, so that the person in charge of managing the client device 1 can manage the client device for the purpose of maintenance or the like. When it is necessary to obtain the status information of the device 1, the status information of each of the client devices 1, 1,... Can be easily obtained from the node information management server device 3 via, for example, the communication network NW. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce the workload of the person in charge.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of information update processing of each device used in the communication system of the present invention. The information update process is a synchronization process for updating the recorded contents of the database 310 of the node information management server apparatus 3 according to the change when the address information or status information of the client apparatus 1 changes.

  The client device 1 detects the presence or absence of a change in address information and / or state information under the control of the control unit 10 that executes the computer program 100 stored in the storage unit 14 (S201). As described in the address information recording process, the client device 1 receives the router advertisement message from the router device 4 when connected to the communication network NW. When the received router advertisement message is different from the router advertisement message received immediately before, a new stateless address is generated. Therefore, the client apparatus 1 detects a change in address information by comparing the router advertisement messages. . Note that when the router advertisement message is different from the router advertisement message received immediately before, the router apparatus 4 constituting the segment to which the client apparatus 1 belongs changes, for example, the client apparatus 1 becomes the access destination due to movement. This is a situation where the router device 4 has undergone a handover that changes. The change in the status information is a process such as firmware version verification by detecting that a maintenance person such as a firmware update or a predetermined operation has been performed, or after a work or a predetermined operation by the person in charge. It is detected by performing.

  The client device 1 that has detected the change in the address information and / or the state information in step S201 executes the processing in steps S102 to S107 under the control of the control unit 10 to reset the stateless address and the stateful address (S202). . Further, the client device 1 reads the state information from the second recording unit 13 under the control of the control unit 10 (S203). Then, under the control of the control unit 10, the client device 1 notifies the node information management server device 3 of the stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information from the communication unit 15 via the communication network NW (S204).

  Under the control of the control unit 30, the node information management server device 3 receives the stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information at the communication unit 32, and records the stateless address, the stateful address, and the state information recorded in the database 310. Is updated to the contents of the received stateless address, stateful address, and state information (S205). The record to be updated is a record including a stateless address that matches the received stateless address. When the update process of step S205 is performed, the node information management server device 3 notifies the updated content to a preset notification destination device. When the address information and / or status information of the client device 1 changes in this way, the information update process is executed as a binding update for updating the recorded contents of the binding cache based on the changed contents.

  Even when a change such as a handover of the client apparatus 1 or a firmware update occurs due to the execution of the information update process, the synchronization with the recorded contents of the database 310 provided in the node information management server apparatus 3 is taken. Information can be managed. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce the workload of the person in charge.

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of communication processing between client devices of each device used in the communication system of the present invention. The inter-client device communication process is a process for transmitting and receiving information between the plurality of client devices 1 and 1. In the following description, for convenience, the client device 1 on the information transmission side is referred to as a first client device 1a, and the client device 1 on the information reception side is referred to as a second client device 1b.

  The first client device 1a requests the stateless address of the second client device 1b by designating the stateful address of the second client device 1b under the control of the control unit 10 that executes the computer program 100 stored in the storage unit 14. An address request is transmitted from the communication unit 15 to the node information management server device 3 via the communication network NW (S301).

  The node information management server device 3 receives the address request at the communication unit 32 under the control of the control unit 30 and is recorded in association with the stateful address specified in the received address request information. The stateless address 1b is read from the database 310 (S302). Then, the node information management server device 3 transmits the read stateless address from the communication unit 32 to the first client device 1a via the communication network NW under the control of the control unit 30 (S303).

  Under the control of the control unit 10, the first client device 1a receives the stateless address of the second client device 1b at the communication unit 15, stores the received stateless address in the storage unit 14, and based on the stored stateless address Then, communication information, which is information to be transmitted, is transmitted from the communication unit 15 to the second client device 1b via the communication network NW (S304). Since the packet of communication information transmitted from the first client device 1a to the second client device 1b indicates the stateless address of the first client device 1a, the second client device 1b is the stateless address of the first client device 1a. It is possible to acquire an address and reply to the received communication information. In this way, communication processing between client devices is executed.

  In MIPv6, intra-segment communication is performed based on a stateless address. However, when the client device 1 is a mobile terminal device, the stateless address is updated every handover. Therefore, even if the stateless address is updated by the first client device 1a on the transmission side obtaining the stateless address of the second client device 1b on the reception side from the node information management server device 3 by the communication processing between client devices. Communication can be performed. In addition, since the node information management server device 3 is not involved in the inter-client device communication process after notifying the first client device 1a of the stateless address of the second client device 1b, it prevents congestion related to the node information management server device 3. In addition, it is possible to prevent an increase in processing load.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples of infinite embodiments of the present invention, and various hardware and software configurations can be designed as appropriate. For example, various information other than the information described above can be set as the status information.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the communication system of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the various apparatuses used with the communication system of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows notionally an example of the recording content of the database with which the node information management server apparatus used with the communication system of this invention is provided. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the address information recording process of each apparatus used with the communication system of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the information update process of each apparatus used with the communication system of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the communication process between the client apparatuses of each apparatus used with the communication system of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of a communication system. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of a process of each apparatus connected to a communication system. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of a process of each apparatus connected to a communication system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Client apparatus 10 Control part 11 Auxiliary storage part 12 1st recording part 13 2nd recording part 14 Storage part 15 Communication part 2 DHCPv6 server apparatus 3 Node information management server apparatus 30 Control part 31 Recording part 310 Database (binding cache)
32 Communication Unit 4 Router Device 100 Computer Program NW Communication Network

Claims (8)

In a communication system comprising a server device connected to a communication network and a client device connectable to the communication network,
The client device is
Status recording means for recording status information indicating the status of the machine;
Setting means for setting address information indicating an address of the own device on the communication network when connected to the communication network;
Transmission means for transmitting the status information recorded in the status recording means and the address information set by the setting means to the server device via the communication network, and
The server device
An information recording unit that records the received state information and address information in association with each other. The client device is
A detecting means for detecting changes in the address information set by the setting means and the status information recorded in the status recording means;
The transmission means transmits the address information set by the setting means and the status information recorded in the status recording means when the detection means detects a change in at least one of address information and status information. It transmits to the server device via the network,
The information recording means includes
The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the recorded contents are updated based on address information and status information transmitted by detecting a change.   The status recording unit records status information including information on at least one of a model name of the own device, a version number of firmware being recorded, a vendor name, and a manufacturer name. The communication system according to claim 2. Each device connected to the communication network communicates based on a communication protocol defined by IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6),
The setting means provided in the client device is configured to set a stateful address and a stateless address based on IPv6 as address information,
The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information recording means included in the server device records state information, a stateful address, and a stateless address in association with each other. A plurality of client devices capable of connecting to the communication network;
The first client device included in the plurality of client devices is:
Request means for designating a stateful address of a second client device included in the plurality of client devices and requesting a stateless address of the second client device from the server device;
The server device
Reading means for reading from the information recording means a stateless address recorded in association with a stateful address designated by the first client device;
Notification means for notifying the first client device of the stateless address read by the reading means;
The first client device is:
The communication system according to claim 4, further comprising communication means for communicating with the second client device based on the notified stateless address. Status recording means for recording status information indicating the status of the machine;
Setting means for setting address information indicating the address of the own device on the communication network when connected to the communication network to which the server device is connected;
A client device comprising: transmission means for transmitting the state information recorded in the state recording means and the address information set by the setting means to the server device via the communication network. Receiving means for receiving status information indicating the status of the client device and address information indicating the address of the client device on the communication network from a client device connected to the communication network;
An information recording unit that records the received state information and address information in association with each other. In a computer program to be executed by a computer that can be connected to a communication network to which another device is connected,
In the computer,
When connecting to the communication network to which the other device is connected and setting address information indicating the address of the own device on the communication network, state information indicating the state of the own device recorded in advance is provided. The procedure to read,
A computer program for causing the read status information and the set address information to be transmitted to the other device via the communication network.

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