Patent ID: 8310694
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An information processing apparatus for communicating with an external apparatus, comprising: an instructing unit configured to accept an instruction, from a user, for generating identification information to identify a service provided by the information processing apparatus from a service provided by other information processing apparatus; a generating unit configured to generate the identification information according to the instruction accepted by the instructing unit; a displaying unit configured to display the identification information generated by the generating unit; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the external apparatus, a search condition which is inputted at the external apparatus, to search the service provided by the information processing apparatus and transmitted by multicast; a judging unit configured to judge whether or not the search condition corresponds to the identification information displayed by the displaying unit; and a notifying unit configured to notify the external apparatus of address information indicating an address of the information processing apparatus if the judging unit judges that the search condition corresponds to the identification information displayed by the displaying unit; a stopping unit configured to stop the service provided by the information processing apparatus according to an instruction from a user, and a controlling unit configured to invalidate the identification information when the stopping unit stops the service provided by the information processing apparatus; wherein the judging unit processes the search condition by a predetermined method and judges whether or not the search condition processed by the predetermined method corresponds to the identification information.