Abstract: Preliminary information is received from a communication partner, a method of acquiring a profile of the communication partner is determined in accordance with the preliminary information received from the communication partner, and the profile is acquired from the communication partner by the determined method.

Abstract: A UPnP device proxy apparatus (103) recognizes a device connected to a network (120) and transmits information regarding the recognized device to UPnP device proxy apparatus (101) The UPnP device proxy apparatus (101) receives the information transmitted from the UPnP device proxy apparatus (103) and transmits, based on the received information, a message indicating that the recognized device is available onto a network 105.

Abstract: A network device obtains capability information of a device existing on a network, activites/inactivates one of a plurality of types of communication middleware on the basis of the obtained capability information, and executes communication between devices across the network by using the communication middleware. The network device also analyses a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network, and corrects the corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the result of analysis.

Abstract: A control apparatus receives, from a device to be controlled, information concerning the device and related to time, obtains specific-time information concerning the device to be controlled, on the basis of the received information concerning the device to be controlled and related to time, and controls the device to be controlled, on the basis of the specific-time information.

Abstract: If a program is to be transmitted/received by message transmission/reception using SOAP, the program description part goes out of the framework of XML, and the message contents contain an uninterpretable part. A SOAP message (M1) includes a data part (D1), a virtual service part (R1) indicating specifications to process the data part (D1), and a program part (P1). A server (S1) processes the data part (D1) by the specifications indicated by the virtual service part (R1) if the virtual service part (R1) in the SOAP message (M1) indicates the specification of processing to be executed by the instruction executed when executing the instruction contained in the program part (P1) of the SOAP message (M1).

Abstract: The communication apparatus obtains through a first protocol a status of a first device connected to the communication apparatus via a network, and receives a message of a second protocol between the first device and a second device that are connected to each other via the network. Then, the communication apparatus generates and transmits a command of the second protocol to the second device, in accordance with the statuses of the first device obtained before and after the reception of the message.

Abstract: If identifying information for identifying a print request is not included in the print request transmitted from a user computer, the identifying information for the print request is generated, and the identifying information is embedded in a received image data to be printed as an electronic watermark. The image data in which the electronic watermark has been embedded is stored by associating that image with the identifying information and the image data is outputted to a print server. If the identifying information is included in the print request, image data corresponding to the identifying information is searched, and electronic watermark information of the identifying information related to the previous print request is extracted from the searched image data to transmit it to the user computer.

Abstract: Corresponding security policies are applied to a discovery protocol as a protocol used in the discovery phase and a control protocol as a protocol used in the control phase of a device control protocol when communications are made.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and method for transmitting commands in a network to which a plurality of communication protocols may be applied. A first command that supports a plurality of communication protocols is input. One of the plurality of communication protocols is selected in accordance with the input first command. The first command is converted into a corresponding second command in the selected communication protocol. The converted second command is transmitted using the selected communication protocol.

Abstract: An image collector/transmitter with the smallest transmission cost is provided which can collect images from image keeping locations with the smallest transmission cost without lowering user services such as selection of an output receiver. Position information indicating the keeping location of image data is managed, and when a print order is issued from an external apparatus, the image data for the print order is collected in accordance with the managed position information, and the collected image data and a print request for the print order are transmitted to a printer controller.

Abstract: An image collector/transmitter with the smallest transmission cost is provided which can collect images from image keeping locations with the smallest transmission cost without lowering user services such as selection of an output receiver. Position information indicating the keeping location of image data is managed, and when a print order is issued from an external apparatus, the image data for the print order is collected in accordance with the managed position information, and the collected image data and a print request for the print order are transmitted to a printer controller.

Abstract: An information processing system capable of appropriate precise access control is provided. The information processing system of this invention includes an access controller capable of data transmission/reception, and a computer system connectable to a network via the access controller. The computer system includes an acquiring unit for acquiring user identification information for identifying a user, and application identification information for identifying an application which accesses the network, and an adding unit for generating an IP address on the basis of the acquired user identification information and application identification information, and adding the IP address to data to be transmitted via the application. The access controller includes an access control unit for controlling access to the network on the basis of the IP address added to the transmitted data.

Abstract: An access control unit or network device generates an access key, and the access control unit records the address of the network device. The access key is output from the network device and input to a mobile telephone. In accordance with the access key received from the mobile telephone, the access control unit obtains the previously recorded address of the network device.

Abstract: An information processing device that can provide digital information that is unalterable, reliable and has high admissibility, while reducing processing burden on the user. The information processing apparatus is capable of exchanging digital information with an external device via a communication device. The information processing apparatus include an information obtaining module that obtains digital information, a certification obtaining module that requests a certification issuing authority that issues a digital certification for a given digital information to issue the digital certification, and obtains the digital certification via the communication device, and a storage control module that correlates the digital certification obtained to the digital information obtained by the information obtaining module and stores the digital certification in a storage medium.

Abstract: If identifying information for identifying a print request is not included in the print request transmitted from a user computer, the identifying information for the print request is generated, and the identifying information is embedded in a received image data to be printed as an electronic watermark. The image data in which the electronic watermark has been embedded is stored by associating that image with the identifying information and the image data is outputted to a print server. If the identifying information is included in the print request, image data corresponding to the identifying information is searched, and electronic watermark information of the identifying information related to the previous print request is extracted from the searched image data to transmit it to the user computer.