Patent ID: 7352773
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A relay apparatus comprising: a first connection unit configured to connect with a first network: a second connection unit configured to connect with a second network different from the first network; an ID generation unit configured to generate an own unique ID of its own, which is to be allocated on the first network; an ID notification unit configured to notify a partner device connected to the second network through the second connection unit of the own unique ID of its own; an ID acquisition unit configured to acquire the partner unique ID of a partner device connected to the second network through the second connection unit; an ID comparison unit configured to compare the own unique ID of its own with the partner unique ID of the partner device; a control unit which controls to set only one of the own unique ID and the partner unique ID to make the IDs inconsistent, when it is found as a result of comparison by the comparison unit that the own unique ID of its own coincides with the partner unique ID of the partner device; a device count detection unit configured to detect the number of partner devices on the first network; and a connection limit notification unit configured to notify a user of information related to a connection limit to the partner device on the basis of a detection result of the number of partner devices by the device count detection unit.