Patent ID: 6697836
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A service providing system comprising:a plurality of first devices for obtaining information; a plurality of second devices for providing information connected through a network; and a mediating device mediated between said plurality of first devices for obtaining information and said plurality of second devices for providing information, said mediating device serving to receive a content requested by one of said first devices for obtaining information, determining at least one of said second devices to which said information is to be sent based on given information among said first devices and said second devices, transmit a request for providing information to at least one of said second devices for providing information, based on said requested content, obtain the requested information, and control the distribution of information to said one first device for obtaining information, wherein said mediating device serves to receive and store attribute information provided by at least one of said second devices for providing information, and further searching at least one of said second devices based on said attribute information associated with each second device, for customized information about said first devices, and content requested by said one of said first devices, wherein said mediating device serves to receive and store retrieval policy information provided by at least one of said second devices for providing information, and further searching at least one of said second devices for providing information based on said retrieval policy information, wherein said mediating device includes a communications managing unit, a service mediate managing unit, at least one service mediate agent, and said communications managing unit serves to receive a content requested by said one of said first devices for obtaining information, register attribute information of the information provided from said plurality of second devices for providing information, managing a communicating process in the case of the process for providing information, said service mediate managing unit serves to search said plurality of second devices for providing information on the basis of at least one of customized information about said one of said first devices for obtaining information, attribute information about said plurality of second devices for providing information, and mediate policy information for searching said plurality of second devices for providing information, and said service mediate agent serves to control distribution of information to said one of said first devices for obtaining information by selecting and starting an application program in said searched second device for providing information, passing a proper value to said application program and obtaining the content of information provided by said application program.