Patent ID: 8776136
Filing Date: 2014-07-08
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An information processing system, comprising: a recording apparatus which receives and records a program; a communication apparatus by which a user communicates with the recording apparatus; a server which controls initial registering of the recording apparatus and subsequent logging in of the communication apparatus to enable communication thereafter between the recording apparatus and the communication apparatus to be directly carried out without being controlled by the server; and a router which controls communication between the recording apparatus and the server; the recording apparatus including: a first communication unit which transmits, to the server via the router and over a communication network, identification information corresponding to the recording apparatus to register the recording apparatus with the server; the communication apparatus including: a second communication unit which receives user-inputted identification information that is inputted into the communication apparatus by the user and transmits, to the server over the communication network, a login request which includes the user-inputted identification information; the server including: a third communication unit which receives the identification information corresponding to the recording apparatus transmitted by the first communication unit of the recording apparatus through the router to register the recording apparatus with the server, stores the received identification information corresponding to the recording apparatus, receives the login request transmitted by the second communication unit of the communication apparatus, and compares the identification information included in the login request to the stored identification information corresponding to the recording apparatus, the login request being successful upon the identification information included in the login request coinciding with the stored identification information corresponding to the recording apparatus, whereby the third communication unit of the server, in response to the communication apparatus successfully logging in to the server, transmits a request via the router to the first communication unit of the recording apparatus for access information, wherein the request comprises a port confirmation message for requesting confirmation of a port of the first communication unit to use for direct communication between the recording apparatus and the communication apparatus, receives the access information from the first communication unit of the recording apparatus in response to the request, the access information comprising socket information identifying the port of the first communication unit to be used for the direct communication between the first communication unit of the recording apparatus and the second communication unit of the communication apparatus to be carried out over the communication network without being controlled by the server, and transmits the access information to the second communication unit of the communication apparatus; the recording apparatus including: a receiving unit which receives a program and EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data, a storing unit which stores the EPG data and reservation status information which relates to a reservation status of program recording, and a reservation recording processing unit which carries out reservation recording processing in which a program is recorded in accordance with the reservation status information; the first communication unit of the recording apparatus carrying out the direct communication with the communication apparatus over the communication network through the router using the port of the recording apparatus identified in the socket information of the access information without such communication being controlled by the server that controlled the initial registering of the recording apparatus and the subsequent logging in of the communication apparatus, including transmitting the EPG data or the reservation status information in accordance with a request from the communication apparatus; the second communication unit of the communication apparatus carrying out the direct communication with the recording apparatus over the communication network through the router using the port of the recording apparatus identified in the socket information of the access information without such communication being controlled by the server that controlled the initial registering of the recording apparatus and the subsequent logging in of the communication apparatus, including transmitting a request of the EPG data or the reservation status information in accordance with an operation of the user and receiving the EPG data or the reservation status information which is transmitted from the recording apparatus in accordance with the request; and the communication apparatus including: a presenting unit which presents to the user the EPG data or the reservation status information which was received by the second communication unit.