IP device, management server, and network system

Abstract

An IP device (for example, network cameras 3 a, 3 b , and 3 c ) connectable to a router (for example, a router 2 ) makes a request to the router for assignment of a port number when a predetermined operation is performed, and notifies a management server 6 connected to a wide area network of address data containing an assigned port number when the port number is assigned from the router, wherein address data containing the port number can be registered in the management server 6 on the wide area network, so that, even when access is made from the terminal 4 on the wide area network side with a port number that is locally updated, access is made possible by transmitting address data of the IP device to the terminal 4.

1 . An IP device connectable to a router, comprising: 
 a control part which requests the router to assign a port number when a predetermined operation is performed, and when a port number is assigned from the router, notifies a management server connected to a wide area network of address data containing the assigned port number.    
     
     
         2 . An IP device, comprising a camera, wherein an image taken by the camera is transmitted to other terminals via the router through a wide area network.  
     
     
         3 . The IP device according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined operation is connection to the router, or turning-ON of a power source, or manual operation.  
     
     
         4 . The IP device according to  claim 1 , wherein the router has a port forwarding function for assigning a port number by request from a connected IP device.  
     
     
         5 . The IP device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control part notifies a management server of IP device data and/or a domain name to be used in DDNS service as well as the address data.  
     
     
         6 . The IP device according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP device data contains authentication data.  
     
     
         7 . An IP device connectable to a router, comprising: 
 a management server data storage part storing an address of destination management server to which address data is transmitted;    a control part which has a function for managing port data, performs registration when it is assigned with a port number, and notifies a management server of the registered port number; and    an address data storage part for storing assigned port data, wherein the control part makes a request for assignment of a port number to the router when a predetermined operation is performed, and    stores port data in the address data storage part when a port number is assigned from the router, and notifies a management server on a wide area network of address data containing the assigned port number according to data of the management server data storage part.    
     
     
         8 . The IP device according to  claim 7 , comprising: 
 a camera;    a web server part for communicating with a wide area network by the protocol TCP/IP; and    an HTML generating part which generates a web page composed by HTML, etc., when access is made from a browser of an external terminal, and transmits the web page to the browser of the terminal, and having a function for transmitting an image taken by the camera to other terminals through a wide area network via the router.    
     
     
         9 . A data management method for an IP device connectable to a router, wherein a request for assignment of a port number is made to the router when a predetermined operation is performed, and when the router assigns a port number, a management server connected to a wide area network is notified of address data containing the assigned port number.  
     
     
         10 . A management server which is connected to a wide area network and stores address data of IP devices placed under a router having a port forwarding function, wherein when access is made from a terminal via the wide area network, a control part extracts address data of a corresponding IP device from a storage device and transmits page data of an IP device list added with a hyperlink to the address data to the terminal, and the terminal can be connected to the IP device by following the hyperlink.  
     
     
         11 . The management server according to  claim 10 , wherein the storage device is provided with an IP device management table for registering IP device data and address data of IP devices placed under the router.  
     
     
         12 . The management server according to  claim 11 , wherein in the IP device management table, the IP device data and/or a domain name to be used in the DDNS service are registered in addition to the address data.  
     
     
         13 . A management server which registers IP device data containing ID data in an IP device management table when it is notified of the data from an IP device, returns data requesting user authentication to a terminal when access is made from the terminal via a wide area network, and searches within the IP device management table on the basis of an ID supplied in response to user authentication and returns page data indicating a list of IP devices.  
     
     
         14 . A management server which returns a list of connectable IP devices in response to a connection request from a terminal, makes an authentication request to an IP device when the terminal selects one among the IP devices, transmits page data containing a link to the IP device only when authentication is successfully made, whereby it becomes possible for the terminal to automatically jump to and be connected to the IP device.  
     
     
         15 . A network system, wherein a router having a port forwarding function and a management server are connected to a wide area network, IP devices are connected under the router, and when the IP devices are operated by the router, turned ON or manually operated, they make a request to the router for assignment of port numbers, and the router notifies the management server of address data containing port numbers assigned to the respective subordinate IP devices and IP device data received from the IP devices, and when a terminal makes an access via the wide area network, the management server transmits address data of a corresponding IP device to the terminal.  
     
     
         16 . The network system according to  claim 15 , wherein when access is made from a terminal via a wide area network, the management server transmits page data for specifying the IP device, and when data for specifying the IP device is transmitted from the terminal, address data of the IP device is extracted from a storage device and page data added with a link thereto is transmitted.  
     
     
         17 . The network system according to  claim 15 , wherein when access is made from a terminal via a wide area network, access is made by containing a name corresponding to an IP device connected under the router, whereby the management server specifies an IP device group or an IP device and returns page data containing a hyperlink to the specified IP device.  
     
     
         18 . The network system according to clam  15 , wherein when access is made from a terminal via a wide area network, access is made by containing a domain name corresponding to a WAN side IP address of the router and a name provided for each of the IP devices connected under the router, whereby the management server specifies an IP device and returns page data containing a hyperlink to the specified IP device.  
     
     
         19 . A data management method for IP devices connectable to a router, wherein the IP devices make a request to the router for assignment of port numbers when a predetermined operation is performed, the router assigns port numbers to the subordinate IP devices in response to the request, the IP devices notify address data containing assigned port numbers to a management server connected to a wide area network when the port numbers are assigned from the router, and when access is made from a terminal via the wide area network, the management server transmits address data of a corresponding IP device to the access source terminal.  
     
     
         20 . An IP device which is provided under a router that has a port forwarding function and is connected to a wide area network, and notifies the router of an IP address and a port number for the port forwarding setting, comprising a control part which transmits a connection check request to a management server on the wide area network, transmits an affirmative response when it can respond to a connection request from the management server, and judges the end of automatic setting from data of an affirmative response being made contained in a connection check result response from the management server.  
     
     
         21 . The IP device according to  claim 20 , wherein a storage device is provided for storing an exclusive file for making a response to a connection request from the management server, and the control part contains access destination data of the file in the connection check request to be transmitted to the management server.  
     
     
         22 . The IP device according to  claim 20 , wherein when the control part transmits a negative response on a connection request, it judges failure of automatic setting from data of the negative response being made contained in the connection check result response.  
     
     
         23 . The IP device according to  claim 20 , wherein the control part judges failure of automatic setting on the basis of data of no response being made contained in a connection check result response when the management server does not respond in a predetermined time.  
     
     
         24 . The IP device according to  claim 20 , wherein the affirmative response is “OK” of the status code  200  in the protocol HTTP.  
     
     
         25 . The IP device according to  claim 20 , wherein the control part notifies a MAC address as well as an IP address and a port number when it makes the connection check request, and also notifies the MAC address when it transmits the affirmative response on a connection request from the management server.  
     
     
         26 . A management server which is provided on a wide area network together with a router and receives and processes a request from an IP device under the router via the wide area network, comprising a control part which, when the IP device performs port forwarding setting to the router and the IP device transmits a connection check request, makes a connection request to the IP device on the basis of the connection check request, and transmits a connection check result response containing data of an affirmative response being made to the IP device when the affirmative response meaning that a response that can be made is transmitted from the IP device.  
     
     
         27 . The management server according to  claim 26 , wherein the control part makes a connection request on the basis of access destination data of an exclusive file of the IP device contained in a connection check request from the IP device.  
     
     
         28 . The management server according to  claim 26 , wherein the affirmative response is “OK” of the status code  200  in the protocol HTTP.  
     
     
         29 . The management server according to  claim 26 , which transmits a connection check result response containing data of a negative response being made to the IP device when the negative response is transmitted from the IP device.  
     
     
         30 . The management server according to  claim 26 , comprising a timekeeping means, wherein when no response can be received in a predetermined time from the IP device, a connection check result response containing data of no response being made is transmitted to the IP device.  
     
     
         31 . The management server according to  claim 26 , wherein the control part compares a MAC address notified by the connection check request from the IP device and a MAC address received together with an affirmative response from the IP device, and when they match each other, it transmits a connection check result response containing data of an affirmative response being made to the IP device.  
     
     
         32 . A network system comprising a router that has a port forwarding function and is provided on a wide area network, IP devices connected under the router, and a management server that is provided on the wide area network and receives and processes requests from the IP devices via the wide area network, wherein when the IP device performs port forwarding setting to the router and a connection check request is transmitted from the IP device, the management server makes a connection request to the IP device on the basis of the connection check request, and when the IP device transmits an affirmative response meaning that it can respond, the management server transmits a connection check result response containing data of the affirmative response being made to the IP device.  
     
     
         33 . The network system according to  claim 32 , wherein the affirmative response is “OK” of the status code  200  in the protocol HTTP.  
     
     
         34 . The network system according to  claim 32 , wherein when a negative response is transmitted from the IP device, the management server transmits a connection check result response containing data of a negative response being made to the IP device.  
     
     
         35 . The network system according to  claim 32 , comprising a timekeeping means, wherein when no response can be received in a predetermined time from the IP device, the management server transmits a connection check result response containing data of no response being made to the IP device.  
     
     
         36 . The network system according to  claim 32 , wherein the management server compares a MAC address of the IP device notified by the connection check request from the IP device and a MAC address in the affirmative response received from the IP device, and when they match each other, the management server transmits a connection check result response containing data of an affirmative response being made to the IP device.  
     
     
         37 . An IP device which has an image data transmission function, and transmits portal screen display data when it is accessed from a terminal via a network, and can transmit an image outputted by itself or other devices within a local area network to an external terminal via the network, wherein when network data for acquiring the image is registered, in a case of registration by automatic setting, the control part broadcasts a network data acquiring request, receives a network data acquiring response from other devices within the local area network, and registers the network data in the display camera management table.  
     
     
         38 . The IP device (network camera) according to  claim 37 , wherein the network data contains an IP address, a port number, and a MAC address.  
     
     
         39 . The IP device (network camera) according to  claim 38 , wherein the network data contains a host name.  
     
     
         40 . The IP device (network camera) according to  claim 37 , wherein in the case of registration by manual setting, the control part inputs the network data by the input means for each of other network cameras, the control part uni-casts a network data acquiring request to the network camera that has inputted the network data, receives a network data acquiring response, and registers it into the display camera management table.  
     
     
         41 . The IP device according to  claim 40 , wherein in setting screen display data for displaying a setting screen, an automatic setting input button and a manual setting input button enabling inputs by a graphical user interface are provided.  
     
     
         42 . The IP device according to  claim 41 , wherein the network data is displayed in a template of the setting screen data in a list.  
     
     
         43 . A program which operates a computer as an automatic setting means for broadcasting a network data acquiring request in the case of registration by automatic setting and as a table registration means for registering network data in a display camera management table when a network data acquiring response is received from other IP devices within a local area network.  
     
     
         44 . The program according to  claim 43 , which operates a computer as a data reflection means for describing network data of a display camera management table in a template of setting screen display data.  
     
     
         45 . A network camera comprising: 
 a camera part;    an interface for transmitting an image taken by the camera part to other terminals via a network; and    a control part which transmits portal screen display data when access is made from a terminal via a network, broadcasts a network data acquiring request to register network data for acquiring the image by automatic setting, receives a network data acquiring response from other devices within a local area network, and registers the network data in a display camera management table.    
     
     
         46 . A network system comprising a first network camera that is connected to a local area network and transmits portal screen display data when it is accessed, a second network camera connected to the local area network, and a terminal which accesses the first network camera via a network containing the local area network, where the portal screen display data describes that images taken by the first network camera and the second network camera are displayed, wherein when network data for acquiring the images is registered by automatic setting, the first network camera broadcasts a network data acquiring request, and when the second network camera receives a network data acquiring response, the first network camera registers the network data in a display camera management table.  
     
     
         47 . The IP device according to  claim 2 , wherein the IP device data contains authentication data.  
     
     
         48 . The IP device according to  claim 3 , wherein the IP device data contains authentication data.  
     
     
         49 . The IP device according to  claim 4 , wherein the IP device data contains authentication data.  
     
     
         50 . The IP device according to  claim 5 , wherein the IP device data contains authentication data.  
     
     
         51 . The IP device according to  claim 24 , wherein the control part notifies a MAC address as well as an IP address and a port number when it makes the connection check request, and also notifies the MAC address when it transmits the affirmative response on a connection request from the management server.