Abstract: Information terminal and information sharing method are provided which consider survival time of contents at a transmission destination and propagate the contents widely so as to be suitable for contents sharing. In the information terminal and information sharing method, contents allotted with survival time is received, the survival time allotted to the contents is changed, contents allotted with the changed survival time is transmitted to a different information terminal, and the contents is deleted after the changed survival time has expired.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide network devices and a network device control method which enable control network devices connected to an IP network, AV devices connected over 1394IF through gateway devices from the IP network, and home devices connected to ECHONET to be controlled without distinction among them. To achieve this object, a network device to serve as a controller comprises a controller application that detects a service of a target network device, using a message complying with an information exchange protocol common to the network, collects information such as an access method for the service, a function name, and parameters, and controls the network device upon request, and an information exchange protocol processing part that exchanges messages according to a protocol common to the network devices.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is used in a network including an information apparatus compatible with the universal-plug-and-play (UPnP) discovery and control method and an information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method and includes a browser support unit for converting the Web based discovery and control method to the UPnP discovery and control method and a server support unit for converting the UPnP discovery and control method to the Web based discovery and control method. The information apparatus compatible with the UPnP discovery and control method and the information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method can acquire device information from each other and control the device by each other.

Abstract: An authentication information and a verification information are previously generated and the authentication information is stored to an authentication data generating apparatus, while the verification information is stored to a gateway. When a controller tries to make communication With a customer premises apparatus, the authentication data generating apparatus connected to the controller generates an authentication data using the authentication information and the gateway verifies the authentication data using the verification information. Moreover, the gateway restricts, when connected to the authentication data generating apparatus, the communication between the controller located in the outside of customer premises and the customer premises apparatus. Moreover, the gateway changes, while connected to the authentication data generating apparatus, an address of the customer premises apparatus and stores the changed address to the authentication data generating apparatus.

Abstract: Information terminal and information sharing method are provided which consider survival time of contents at a transmission destination and propagate the contents widely so as to be suitable for contents sharing. In the information terminal and information sharing method, contents allotted with survival time is received, the survival time allotted to the contents is changed, contents allotted with the changed survival time is transmitted to a different information terminal, and the contents is deleted after the changed survival time has expired.

Abstract: Information terminal and information sharing method are provided which consider survival time of contents at a transmission destination and propagate the contents widely so as to be suitable for contents sharing. In the information terminal and information sharing method, contents allotted with survival time is received, the survival time allotted to the contents is changed, contents allotted with the changed survival time is transmitted to a different information terminal, and the contents is deleted after the changed survival time has expired.

Abstract: A user interface application for an embedded device has a GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section, a GUI-screen edition section, and a GUI-program generation section. The GUI-screen edition section provides to a user a means for creating a GUI screen by using a GUI component represented by the GUI-component general-purpose structured data generated by the GUI-component general-purpose-data generation section to generate, based on the GUI screen created by the user, GUI-screen general-purpose structured data in which any programming language can be used. The GUI-program generation section uses GUI-screen general-purpose structured data generated by the GUI-screen edition section and a program executable in a target device to generate a GUI application executable in the target device. The thus-configured present invention provides a technique for supporting development of a user interface application for an embedded device more easily than with conventional techniques.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide network devices and a network device control method which enable control network devices connected to an IP network, AV devices connected over 1394IF through gateway devices from the IP network, and home devices connected to ECHONET to be controlled without distinction among them. To achieve this object, a network device to serve as a controller comprises a controller application that detects a service of a target network device, using a message complying with an information exchange protocol common to the network, collects information such as an access method for the service, a function name, and parameters, and controls the network device upon request, and an information exchange protocol processing part that exchanges messages according to a protocol common to the network devices.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide network devices and a network device control method which enable control network devices connected to an IP network, AV devices connected over 1394IF through gateway devices from the IP network, and home devices connected to ECHONET to be controlled without distinction among them. To achieve this object, a network device to serve as a controller comprises a controller application that detects a service of a target network device, using a message complying with an information exchange protocol common to the network, collects information such as an access method for the service, a function name, and parameters, and controls the network device upon request, and an information exchange protocol processing part that exchanges messages according to a protocol common to the network devices.

Abstract: Communication using IPv6 is carried out, and conversion is given to a prefix of an IPv6 address in a firewall. A security channel for mutual authentication with an out-of-home apparatus or the like is carried out by the firewall, and only identification of an in-home apparatus is carried out on an in-home network by the firewall. A PC is connected to a PC in-home network different from the in-home network, and communication between the PC and the in-home apparatus is always carried out via the firewall.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, such as might be associated with an in-home audio or video control device or a home appliance operated by a user, is provided with input allowing the user to set accuracy of a log of device operation history and/or to set a ratio of disclosure of the log information. A log accumulation control device efficiently collects the log information and offers users diversified levels of accuracy for the log information. In a further configuration, user-designated information acquired form user operation of the device identifies frequency of viewing and listening to each program, and reproduction of contents is controlled as a function of the user-designated information, e.g. to select among common contents and contents of different classification types.

Abstract: In a system having two or more gateway apparatuses connected to both first and second networks having mutually different address systems, a gateway apparatus is provided with a translation table for associating IP addresses with node IDs. The gateway apparatus inquires other gateway apparatuses whether other gateway apparatuses are administering the same address as an IP address generated for a newly added device. If there is another gateway apparatus that is administering the same address, the IP address is prevented from being registered in the translation table.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an information processing device which checks whether the content related information retrieved by the content reproducing device is associated with the content pieces recorded in the content reproducing device and which changes the functional operation and selection operation on the screen according to the check result. More specifically, the information processing device comprises: a content related information retrieve unit to retrieve the content related information such as content evaluation results into the content reproducing device; a content management unit to manage content management information such as information about content pieces recorded or received by the content reproducing device and about licenses for the content pieces; and a content control unit to determine a method of processing the content related information retrieved by the content related information retrieve unit according to the content management information held by the content management unit.

Abstract: In a network system including a stream transmitter and a stream receiver, continuous use can be made of stream data that is the same as or similar to stream data subjected to reception or transmission interruption. The stream receiver includes stream selection unit capable of selecting stream data that is the same as or similar to stream data being received, communications function unit capable of switching to stream data selected by the stream selection unit, and stream switching unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is used in a network including an information apparatus compatible with the universal-plug-and-play (UPnP) discovery and control method and an information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method and includes a browser support unit for converting the Web based discovery and control method to the UPnP discovery and control method and a server support unit for converting the UPnP discovery and control method to the Web based discovery and control method. The information apparatus compatible with the UPnP discovery and control method and the information apparatus compatible with the Web based discovery and control method can acquire device information from each other and control the device by each other.

Abstract: In order to effectively utilize user log data notified in a plurality of formats, collective management of the user log data is realized by judging the format of user log data, and if the judged format of the user log data is different from a predetermined format, the judged format of the user log data is converted into the predetermined format.

Abstract: Information terminal and information sharing method are provided which consider survival time of contents at a transmission destination and propagate the contents widely so as to be suitable for contents sharing. In the information terminal and information sharing method, contents allotted with survival time is received, the survival time allotted to the contents is changed, contents allotted with the changed survival time is transmitted to a different information terminal, and the contents is deleted after the changed survival time has expired.

Abstract: In a networked camera system and a monitoring method thereof, each networked camera has camera information for discriminating the respective apparatus, and an index server, registering the camera information of the respective networked cameras therein, makes search for connection information to the networked camera corresponding thereto, responding to a monitoring target required from the networked monitor, upon the basis of the camera information registered, thereby transmitting it to the networked monitor. The networked monitor connects to a predetermined networked camera upon the basis of the connection information, so as to request a picked-up picture therefrom, thereby displaying the picture transmitted from the networked camera. The networked camera and the networked monitor make transmission of the picked-up picture through the mutual connection therebetween, but without passing through the index server.

Abstract: An authentication information and a verification information are previously generated and the authentication information is stored to an authentication data generating apparatus, while the verification information is stored to a gateway. When a controller tries to make communication With a customer premises apparatus, the authentication data generating apparatus connected to the controller generates an authentication data using the authentication information and the gateway verifies the authentication data using the verification information. Moreover, the gateway restricts, when connected to the authentication data generating apparatus, the communication between the controller located in the outside of customer premises and the customer premises apparatus. Moreover, the gateway changes, while connected to the authentication data generating apparatus, an address of the customer premises apparatus and stores the changed address to the authentication data generating apparatus.

Abstract: In a system having two or more gateway apparatuses connected to both first and second networks having mutually different address systems, a gateway apparatus is provided with a translation table for associating IP addresses with node IDs. The gateway apparatus inquires other gateway apparatuses whether other gateway apparatuses are administering the same address as an IP address generated for a newly added device. If there is another gateway apparatus that is administering the same address, the IP address is prevented from being registered in the translation table.