Patent Publication Number: US-2007112909-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus and system

Description:
The present invention claims priority from Japanese application JP2005-328254 filed on Nov. 14, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a technology for a plural number of information processing apparatuses to communicate data through a communication network.  
      In recent years, many of technologies are proposed for providing a service to a user, mutually in cooperation with a plural number of apparatuses with using a middle software, such as UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and/or Jini (registered trademark of SunMicrosystem), etc. For example, with the UPnP AV architecture, it is possible to operate functions of a plural number of servers by means of one (1) piece of a client (see Non-Patent Document 1).  
      Also, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-213612 (2004) is disclosed a technology for downloading an application with using OSGi, for detecting that a new information apparatus or appliance is added to a home network, in which an application server (such as, a home server) is located, with utilizing the UPnP or the Jini, and thereby utilizing the new information appliance therein.  
      [Non-Patent Document 1] OSGi Alliance OSGi Technology [on line] [searched on Aug. 19, 2005] &lt;http://www.osgi.org/osgi_technology/index.asp?section=2&gt;; and  
      [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-213612 (2004).  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      However, although mention is made about processing in case when a device is newly connected, thereby to provide a new function/service with using that device, in the documents mentioned above, however it is specialized only to the function owned by the device itself; therefore, no conception is made bout a reality of the services, which can be created newly in combination with the existing device and the new device. For that reason, only insufficient study is made on the processing in the case where the plural number of information appliances provide various services in relation with each other.  
      Accordingly, with such the technology as is disclosed in the documents mentioned above, there is such a problem that, although useful service can be achieved, inherently, between the device that is connected newly and the device that has been connected until that time, but there is no means for the user to utilize it.  
      Also, when trying to execute the service, which can be achieved between the device connected newly and the device that has been connected until that time, within the framework of the documents mentioned above, it is necessity to install a new control protocol, every time when a new device is connected thereto, onto the respective apparatuses, which are connected to the home network or the like. This is ineffective and increases the costs thereof.  
      Then, according to the present invention, an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing system, for making the service executable, which can be provided in cooperation with the device that is connected newly and the device that was already connected therewith, for example.  
      In details, for example, within the information processing apparatus enabling to communicate data through an external apparatus and a communication network, it is enough, while memorizing service information, which can be achieved by the constituent elements, such as, that information appliance and the external apparatus or appliance, within that information processing apparatus, to output that service information memorized and identification information (for example, an ID information) thereof, to the home server or the like, which controls or manages the home network generally. In more details, it is enough to construct it as is described in the claims now pending.  
      It is possible to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing system, enabling easy execution of the service(s), which can be provided in cooperation with the device that is connected newly and the device that was already connected therewith. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
      Those and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a configuration view of a service management system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a hardware construction view of an information processing apparatus, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  is a hardware construction view of a home server, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 4  is a view for showing an example of the structures of a device configuration table, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is a view for showing an example of the structures of the device configuration table, when it is stored into a device configuration table storage portion within the home server, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 6  is a view for showing an example of the structures of a device management table, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart for showing steps when installing a device configuration table, according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart for showing steps when installing software, according to the present embodiment; and  
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart for showing steps when executing the software, according to the present embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Hereinafter, explanation will be made on the embodiments according to the present invention, while assuming that an element attached with the same mark or reference numeral has the same function.  
       FIG. 1  is a view for showing an example of the system configuration of a service management system  1 , according to the present invention. In this  FIG. 1 , a reference numeral  2  depicts a home network connecting information appliances within a home through a network, wherein a reference numeral  80  depicts an information appliance or device “c” having a device configuration table  20  therein, which newly enters into the home network, a reference numeral  60  depicts an information appliance or device “a”, which entered into the home network before the information appliance c  80  does, and a reference numeral  70  depicts an information appliance or device “b”, which also entered into the home network before the information appliance c  80  does, respectively. Further, a reference numeral  50  depicts a router for connecting between the home network inside the home and the network outside the home,  52  the Internet,  54  a file server having an application or the like, to be installed into the network apparatus(es) or device(s) inside the home, which is/are applicable with OSGi (Open Services Gateway Initiative) frame work,  100  a home server,  20  the device configuration table,  40  a device management table,  110  an application for controlling one (1) or plural numbers of client(s), and  112 ,  114  and  116  clients, wherein the clients  112 ,  114  and  116  are provided for the purpose of controlling processes  118 ,  120  and  122 , which are provided in each of the information appliances or devices, and each of the processes  118 ,  120  and  122  has a function of executing a process requested from any one of the clients  112 ,  114  and  116 , and returning a processing result to any one of the clients  112 ,  114  and  116 , respectively.  
      With the information appliance(s) mentioned above, it/they is/are expressed by only “information appliance(s)”, in case when no distinction is made among the information appliance a  60 , b  70 , and c  80 .  
      Also, in general, the information appliance indicates various kinds of information appliances for building up the home network, for example, a PC (i.e., personal computer), a HDD (i.e., a Hard Disk Drive) recorder, a DVD (i.e., Digital Versatile Disk) player, an air conditioner, a sensor, a NAS (i.e., Network Access Storage), an electric light or lamp, a refrigerator, an electronic or microwave oven, a clock, etc.  
      The home network  2  makes connection among the information appliances and devices, such as, the home PC, an AV apparatus, home electric appliances, etc., with using a wireless LAN (i.e., Local Area Network), a wired LAN, the Bluetooth, the UWB (Ultra Wide Band), and thereby enabling mutual communication of data between the information appliances themselves.  
      The device configuration table  20  is a table describing the information device information (i.e., the information appliance  22 ) therein, which are necessary for executing a higher-ranked service  21 , in cooperation with functions  23  of providing basic services, which are provided by the plural numbers of information appliances with using the UPnP and/or Jini, etc.  
      With the services, which are provided by the plural numbers of information appliances for a user, in cooperation therewith, a list of the services is described on the device configuration table  20 , each being a constituent element of the information appliances having that device configuration table  20  mentioned above therein; therefore, it is possible to verify the services, which can be provided for the user, by comparing the function of the information appliance on the home network  2  to the device configuration table  20 , as being so-called a design drawing of the services. The details of the device configuration table  20  will be mentioned, later, by referring to  FIG. 4 .  
      The device management table  40  is a table to be constructed upon basis of the device configuration table  20 . If there is the information appliance, which is described in the information appliance  22 , on the home network  2 , a unique ID (i.e., unique ID  43 ) for identifying the information appliance is obtained from that information appliance, and it is registered onto the device management table  40 . The details thereof will be mentioned, later, by referring to  FIG. 6 .  
      The Internet  52  is a network, which is constructed with an optical network, a CATV network, a telephone network, etc., and it enables to communicate of data, in accordance with a certain predetermined process between the apparatuses which are connected to the Internet  52 .  
      The router  50  makes connection between the Internet  52  and the home network  2 , thereby enabling the communication of data therebetween.  
      The file server  54 , storing or accumulating therein applications, etc., which are necessary for the information appliances on the home network  2 , enables to add and/or change the function of the information appliance through the information appliance downloads the application from the file server  54 , depending upon the necessity thereof.  
      The information appliance c  80 , storing or accumulating the device configuration table  20  within a storage device mounted therein, such as, a memory or a HDD, for example, detects the information appliance necessary for the service  21  described on the device configuration table  20  through searching for the information appliances on the home network  2 , at timing of adding the new information appliance or the information appliance c  80  onto the home network  2 , and thereby producing the device management table  40 .  
      The device management table  40  produced may be stored or accumulated within the memory or the HDD loaded on the information appliance c  80 , or may be stored or accumulated within a memory or a HDD thereof, other than that of the information appliance c  80  on the home network  2 .  
      However, in case of the latter, it is necessary for the device management table  40  to memorize existing URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) into the storage device within the information appliance c  80 .  
      Also, if there is an information appliance having a function for managing the device configuration table  20  owned by other information appliance(s), separating from the information appliance c  80 , on the home network  2 , the information appliance c  80  installs the device configuration table  20  into the information appliance, which manages the device configuration table  20 , thereby enabling to provide the service described on the device configuration table  20  to the user.  
      The information appliance installed with the device configuration table  20  therein searches for the information appliance located on the home network  2 , and produces the device management table  40 . The device management table  40  produced may be stored into the memory or the HDD loaded on the information appliance c  80 , or may be stored into the memory or the HDD thereof, other than that of the information appliance c  80  on the home network  2 .  
      However, in case of the latter, it is necessary for the device management table  40  to memorize existing URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) into the storage device within the information appliance c  80 . The information appliance installing the device configuration table  20  therein may be the home server  100 , or by means of the home server  10  may be to managed or controlled the device configuration tables  20 , which are provided by the information appliances c  80  on the home network  2 , together with in a package.  
      Also, for the information appliance c  80 , it is possible to provide a service for the client, by possessing a process  124  having functions of executing the request informed from the client and returning a result of processing therein, with using a middleware, such as, the UPnP and/or the Jini, etc., through the network.  
      For the purpose of utilizing the process  124  from the server  100 , at first, it is necessary to install an application  110  and/or the client  1116  into the home server  100 ; however, in case where the information appliance c  80  has an area or region for storing or accumulating the application  110  and the client  116  therein (such as, in a program storage portion  84 ), the application owned by the information appliance c  80  and/or the software of the client  116  may be installed through accessing to the file server locating outside of the home, when installing the device configuration table  20  into the home server  100 .  
      Also, in case when the information appliance c  80  manages the device configuration table  20  and the device management table  40  of other information appliance, it is assumed that the information appliance has, not only a function of providing the service to the client, but also a function as the client, i.e., controlling the service provided by the other information appliance.  
      The hardware configuration of the information appliance c  80  will be mentioned, later, by referring to  FIG. 2 .  
      Both the information appliance a  60  and the information appliance b  70 , installing therein at least the UPnP and/or the Jini, etc., have a function of providing the process  120  and/or the process  122  to the client(s) in the form of a network service. Or, it may has a function similar or equal to that of the information appliance c  80 .  
      The home server  100 , installing therein at least the UPnP and/or the Jini, etc., is able to utilize the process  120 , the process  122  and/or the  124 , which the information appliance c  80  provides, in the form of the network service.  
      Further, possessing the device configuration table  20 , which is transmitted from other information appliance, and the device management table  40 , which is produced from the device configuration table  20 , enables to achieve service cooperation. In case there is no such the application  110  for controlling a service  41  when utilizing the network service, nor the client for controlling a function  44 , as being the service that can be provided through the network, on the home server  100 , then a framework, such as, OSGi or the like, is installed, for downloading the client necessary for controlling the information appliance and/or the application  110  for controlling the client, with using the file server  54  provided on the Internet  52 , to be utilized thereafter.  
      Other than utilizing the file server  54 , while storing the application  110  necessary for the service  21  and/or the client in the storage device of the information appliance c  80 , which newly joins into the home network  2  in advance, the application  110  and/or the client mentioned above may be transmitted from the information appliance c  80  when installing the device configuration table  20  into the home server.  
      With the home server  100  according to the present embodiment, in case where it is not in the home network  2 , it is assumed that an information appliance having the functions of that home server  100  is within the home network  2 . Also, for that information appliance, it is not necessary to manage or control the applications  110  in plural numbers thereof by one (1) set of the information appliance, and maybe provided the information appliances in plural number thereof, each being able to manage or control the application  110  and the device configuration table  20  and the device management table  40 , wherein each of those may manage or control one (1) or more of the applications  110 , respectively.  
      The hardware configuration of the home server  100  will be mentioned later, by referring to  FIG. 3 , separately.  
      The application  110  is software for controlling the plural numbers of clients, thereby providing a service for the user. Further, since it is managed or controlled by management software for controlling the service  41 , the application  110  can provide a service to the user for the first time when it is registered into the management software.  
      The management software can make addition/revision/deletion on the application, like a plug-in. The applications  110  registered in the management software are in the same number to that of the services, which are registered in the service  41 , and if a service is added into the device management table  40 , then the application  110  corresponding to that service is also added into the management software.  
      The application to be added is downloaded from the program storage portion  84  of the information appliance c  80 , which provides the device configuration table  20  necessary for producing the device management table  40 , or into the file server  54  outside the home from the storage portion.  
      Or, if there is no client utilizing the application  110 , it is possible to make addition/revision/deletion onto the client, by information that to the management software.  
      The clients  112 ,  114  and  116  make installation through the middleware, such as, the UPnP and/or the Jini, etc., and are software for requesting a process to the network service of the processes  120 ,  122  and  124 , which also make installation through the middleware, such as, the UPnP and/or the Jini, etc., in the similar manner. Under the relationship between the client and the process in the present embodiment, for example, within the processes  120 ,  122  and  124  for providing the same function, it is possible to execute a process request for the processes  120 ,  122  and  124  by one (1) set of the clients.  
      However, according to the present embodiment, for easy explanation thereof, it is assumed that the client  112  executes control of the process  120 , the client  114  executes control of the process  122 , and the client  116  executes control of the process  124 , respectively.  
      Also, explanation will be made on assumption that the middleware for providing the network service is installed through the UPnP. In actual, it does not matter to utilize any kind of protocol, as far as the protocol has functions of automatically detecting the information appliance, which is added to the network, and informing the available service thereof to the information appliance on the home network.  
      In the service management system  1 , according to the present embodiment, there are plural numbers of the information appliances providing different services and the home server  100 , within the home network, while installing the clients for making the process request to the process, which is installed into each of the information appliances of providing said the service, into the home server  100 , and installing the application  110  for integrally managing the plural numbers of clients, thereby enabling the user to execute an objective process with easy operation, but without consciousness of the individual services.  
      In case when wishing to watch and listen a TV program recorded on a portable terminal (or mobile phone), for example, the user must conduct the timed recording of the TV program, and further conduct trans-coding on it into a format that can be reproduced by the portable terminal, after completing the recording, thereby transmitting the contents produced into the HDD or the like, which is loaded on the portable terminal.  
      Although the individual process can be achieved by using the HDD recorder or the PC, or the service of the Internet, etc., however it takes very long time until when the user can watch and listen the TV program on the portable terminal through executing the respective step. Then, defining a higher service for integrally managing the individual service and installing the application to be executed enables to obtain easy operation by the user.  
      Also, in the service management system  1  according to the present embodiment, while storing or accumulating the device configuration tables  20  into the information appliance c  80 , the device configuration tables  20  is transmitted to the home server  100  when the information appliance c  80  newly enters or joins into the home network  2 , wherein the home server  100  searches for the information appliance(s) within the home network  2 , so as to make estimation on whether the service described on the device configuration table  20  can be provided or not, thereby producing the device management table  40 , and downloads the clients for utilizing the service provided by the information appliance and also the application for integrally managing the clients, from the file server outside the home or the information appliance c  80 , to be installed therein, if necessary, thereby enabling to provide the higher service, which can be achieved by the cooperation of services, to the user.  
      When the information appliance c  80  enters into the home network  2 , the higher service that can be realized under the present environment of the home network  2  is informed, immediately, to the user, and thereby enabling the user to utilize it.  
       FIG. 2  is a view for showing the hardware configuration of the information appliance c  80 , into which the present embodiment can be applied.  
      As is shown in  FIG. 2 , the information appliance c  80  comprises a CPU  81 , a main memory  82 , a communication controller portion  83 , a program storage portion  84   m  and a device configuration table storage portion  85 . And, each of the constituent elements of the information appliance c  80  is connected through a bus  86 , so that necessary information can be transmitted among those constituent elements.  
      The CPU  81  performs predetermined operations in accordance with programs, which are stored into the main memory and/or the program storage portion  84  in advance.  
      The main memory  82  builds up a means for functioning as a work area and also for storing the necessary programs therein, and for the former, it can be achieved by a RAM (Random Access Memory), and for the latter, it can be achieved by a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc.  
      The communication controller apparatus  83  builds up a means for transmitting data between the apparatuses, which are connected to the home network  2 , through the home network  2 , in the similar manner, and it can be achieved by, for example, a modem, a network adopter, a wireless transmitting apparatus, etc.  
      The program storage portion  84  builds up a means for reserving therein the program for controlling the operations of the information appliance c  80 , and it can be realized by, for example, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an optical disk, a Flash memory or the like.  
      The device configuration table storage portion  85  builds up a means for reserving the device configuration tables  20  describing the services thereon, each having the information appliance c  80  as the constituent element, and it can be achieved by, for example, the HDD, the optical disk, the Flash memory or the like.  
      In case when managing the application  110  by means of the information appliance c  80 , the device management table storage portion (not shown in the figure) and the information appliance information storage portion (not shown in the figure) are necessary, separately, other than the functions mentioned above, and further in the program storage portion are stored the applications  110 .  
       FIG. 3  is a view for showing the hardware configuration of the home server, into which the present embodiment can be applied. As is shown in  FIG. 3 , the home server  100  comprises a CPU  101 , a main memory  102 , a communication controller portion  103 , a program storage portion  104 , a device configuration table storage portion  105  and a device management table storage portion  106 . And, each of the constituent elements of the home server  100  is connected through a bus  106 , so that necessary information can be transmitted among those constituent elements.  
      The CPU  101  performs predetermined operations in accordance with programs, which are stored into the main memory and/or the program storage portion  104  in advance.  
      The main memory  102  builds up a means for functioning as a work area and also for storing the necessary programs therein, and for the former, it can be achieved by a RAM (Random Access Memory), and for the latter, it can be achieved by a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc.  
      The communication controller apparatus  103  builds up a means for transmitting data between the apparatuses, which are connected to the home network  2 , through the home network  2 , in the similar manner, and it can be achieved by, for example, a modem, a network adopter, a wireless transmitting apparatus, etc.  
      The program storage portion  104  builds up a means for reserving therein the program for controlling the operations of the home server  100 , and it can be realized by, for example, the HDD, the optical disk, the Flash memory or the like.  
      The device configuration table storage portion  105  builds up a means for reserving the device configuration tables  20  thereon, and it can be achieved by, for example, the HDD, the optical disk, the Flash memory, or the like. The device configuration table  20  installed by the information appliance c  80  is managed for each of the information appliances c  80 . The device configuration table  20  for each the information appliance is registered, for example, by using the unique ID of the information appliance ( FIG. 5 : the device configuration table  20  after registration into the device configuration table storage portion  105 ).  
      The device management table storage portion  106  builds up a means for reserving the device management tables  40  therein, and it can be achieved by the HDD, the optical disk, the Flash memory or the like. The information device information storage portion  107  builds up a means for reserving the information device information tables  30  therein, each being constructed with a name of the information appliance  31  and the unique ID  32 , both building up the home network  2 , and it can be realized by, for example, the HDD, the optical disk, the Flash memory or the like.  
       FIG. 4  shows an example of the structures of the device configuration table  20 . This device configuration table  20  comprises services  21  for integrally managing the services, which are provided by the plural numbers of clients and the processes, thereby defining them as the higher services, information appliances  22  necessary for identifying on whether the information appliance locating above the home network  2  is necessary one or not, for the services  21  described on the device configuration table  20 , functions  23  to be installed by the information appliance(s)  22 , which are necessary for providing the service  21 , and flags  24 , each indicating that the function  23  is a necessary function, for achieving the service  21 , or an extensive function for extending it further.  
      Further, within the service  21  of the device configuration table  20 , the information appliance(s) c  80  necessarily owning the device configuration table(s)  20  therein is/are built up to be the information appliance(s)  22 . For the information appliance mentioned above, it is sufficient to discriminate the kind of the information appliance, and any kind of information may be utilized for the discrimination thereof.  
       FIG. 5  shows an example of the structures of the device configuration/management table  30 . This device management table  30  is the device configuration table when it is installed into any one of the information appliances or the home server  100 . The device configuration/management table  30  installed is that which is registered by tying the device ID  25  of the information appliance c  80  at an origin of the installation and the device configuration table  20  with a string.  
      As a way of use thereof, after installing the device configuration table  20 , thereby producing such the device management table  40  as is shown in  FIG. 6 , when further a new information appliance c  80  or the information appliance, which can provide a service installed by the UPnP or the like, enters into the home network  2 , newly, search is made for the service  21 , which can be provided newly to the user, by searching for the information appliance(s) tied up with the service(s)  21  of the device configuration/management table  30  through a string, by referring to the device configuration/management table  30 . When finding out the service  21 , which can be provided, the service  21  searched out is registered into the device management table  40 , and information is made to the user that the service is available.  
      With the process of installing the device configuration table, it is desirable to make the installing with using the UPnP or the like, and in that instance, it is necessary to describe the URT to which the application  110  and/or the client should be downloaded, in Preset URL, etc.  
       FIG. 6  shows an example of the table for showing the device management table  40 . The device management table  40  is constructed with a list of the services  41 , which can be provided to the user, a list of the information appliance(s) building up the services, a list of the unique ID  43  of the information appliance(s), and list of the functions, which the information appliance(s) provide(s). When the device configuration table  20  is installed into the information appliance c  80  or the home server  100 , then the apparatus being installed therewith makes search for the information within the home network  2  and the functions, which the respective information appliances provide, and from the search result thereof, comparison is made between the information appliances and the functions building up the services, so as to pick up the service(s) available to the user from the list of the services  21 , and thereby procuring the device management table  40  to be registered into the device management table storage portion  106 .  
      For the unique ID  43 , it is necessary to discriminate the information appliances locating on the home network  2  by means of that ID. In case where the installation is made with the UPnP, for example, it is preferable to use a method of utilizing a UND (Unique Device Name).  
      In case where there are plural numbers of the information appliances, each having the same function, within the home network  2 , the unique ID  43  on the device management table  40  can register plural numbers of the unique IDs therein for the information appliances  42  having the same function, so that it can be utilized by any one of the information appliances. However, in case where there are plural numbers of information appliances having the same function within the home, and the physical portions of them be important with respect to the equipments in cooperation with, such as, a TV and/or speakers, or a temperature sensor and/or an air conditioner, etc., it is difficult to grasp the physical positions or the like of the information appliances within the home, from the position on the network. Therefore, it is necessary to make setup by the user, in case when plural numbers of the information appliances having the same function are found out on the home network  2 . For that reason, the management is so conducted that the information appliance can be seen easily, which the user sets up. However, as the method for management, any other method may be applicable therein.  
      Also, it is possible to make the search for the information appliance(s) within the home network  2 , every time when the service is executed, but without utilizing the unique ID  43  of the device management table  40  therein. However, in the case where the physical position of the information appliance is important, for the purpose of convenience to the user, it is preferable to make management at least on the unique ID of the information appliance, which the user sets up.  
      Next, explanation will be made about the operations in the present embodiment, by referring to drawings.  FIG. 7  shows a method for registering the device configuration table  20  into the home server  100 . In a step S 100 , the information appliance c  80  makes connection to the home network  2 , by using the wireless LAN, the Bluetooth, the UWB, etc., and information is noticed to all of the information appliances and the home server  100  that it enters into. The home server  100  finds out the information appliance c  80  newly added through the notice motioned above, and obtains the device information describing therein the lists of kind and function of the information appliance, the unique ID, and the URL (Uniform Resource Locator), etc., with which the device configuration table  20  can be obtained, in particular, of the new information appliance c  80 , thereby obtaining the unique ID  43  (step S 105 ). Searching for the unique ID  32  in the information device information table  30  within the information device information table storage portion  108 , confirmation is made on whether there is the information appliance having the same unique ID or not (step S 105 ). In case where no information appliance c  80  is on the table mentioned above, the home server  100  executes a request for obtaining the device configuration table  20  to the information appliance c  80  with utilizing the URL included within the device information (step S 115 ).  
      Upon receipt of the request for obtaining the device configuration table  20  issued in the step S 115  (step S 120 ), the information appliance c  80  transmits the device configuration table  20  owned by the information appliance c  80  (step S 125 ). The home server  100  receives the data transmitted, responding to the obtain request, which is transmitted in the step S 115  (step S 130 ).  
      Determining on whether the data received is the device configuration table  20  or not (step S 135 ), and if it is the device configuration table  20 , then that device configuration table  20  obtained is stored or accumulated into the device configuration table storage portion  105 , with tying it with the unique ID of the information appliance c  80 , which is obtained in advance, by a string (step S 140 ).  
      In case where the obtained unique ID of the information appliance is on the information device information table  30 , in the step S 110 , then it is determined that the information appliance c  80  was already registered into the home server  100 , and then the present registration process is ended.  
      In case where the obtained data is not the device configuration table  20 , in the step S 135 , then search is made for the information appliance  22  on the device configuration table  20  with using the kind of the information appliance obtained in the step S 105 , as a search key (step S 145 ).  
      In case where there is no information appliance corresponding thereto in the step S 145 , or when there is the corresponding information appliance, but judging from the list obtained in the step S 105  that there is no function  23  that is requested by the corresponding information appliance, then the present registration process is ended (step S 150 ).  
      In case where there is the corresponding information appliance in the step S 135 , and deciding that there is the function  23 , which is requested by the corresponding information from the list of the functions obtained in the step S 105 , search is made for the device management table  40  within the device management table storage portion  106  of the home server  100 , with using the service  21 , to which the corresponding information appliance belongs, as the search key, and the unique ID obtained in the step S 105  is registered into the unique ID  43  of the information appliance  42  corresponding to the above-mentioned information appliance  22  of the corresponding service  41  (step S 155 ). When the registration process is completed, then the present registration is ended (step S 150 ).  
      After registering the device configuration server  20  into the home server  100 , there is necessity of the client  116  for controlling the information appliance  80  and the application  110  for controlling the plural number of information appliances. In case where the HAVi (Home Audio/Video interoperability) is installed in the information appliance c  80  and the home server  100 , and also the client  116  and the application  110  to be executed within the home server  100  are stored or accumulated in the program storage portion  84  of the information appliance c  80 , it is possible to install the client  116  and the application  110  into the home server  100 , automatically, with utilizing the HAVi middleware, after executing the processes shown in  FIG. 7 , however according to the present embodiment, explanation will be made about the method for installation with utilizing the OSGi frame work, by referring to  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart for describing the installing method for installing the client  116  necessary for controlling the function  124  of the control device  80  and installing the application  110  for controlling the client  116 . After completing the installation of the device configuration table  20 , the home server  100  conducts search for all of the information appliances building up the home network  2 , by referring to the device configuration table  20  installed in  FIG. 7 .  
      In case of utilizing the UPnP, since it is possible to obtain the information appliance information through execution of device description, then search is made on whether the kind of the information appliance of the obtained information fits to any one of the information appliances  22  on the device configuration table  20 , or not.  
      The search is executed for all of the information appliances, which are obtained through the device description. As a result of the search, if the information appliance information obtained does not fit to any of the information appliances  22  described on the device configuration table  20 , then the present flowchart is ended (step S 200 ).  
      For the purpose of comparison of the function  23 , which is requested by the corresponding information appliance  22 , with the information appliance, for which there is found the corresponding information appliance  22  in the step S 200 , the list is obtained of the functions owned by that information appliance. In case when the above-mentioned function  23  is in the function list obtained, the process moves to a step S 210 , on the other hand, there is not, then the present flowchart is ended (step S 205 ).  
      In case where there is the corresponding information appliance  22  and the function  23  requested by the above-mentioned information appliance  22  within the home network  2  in the process of the step S 205 , and as the result of executing the steps S 200  and S 205  on all of the information appliances within the home network  2 , there is the information appliance, which can provide at least an essential function of the above-mentioned service, then the above-mentioned service  21  is added to the device management table  40  of the device management table storage portion  106 . The constructing information appliances input UDN of the information appliance to be added into unique ID  43  of the corresponding information appliance  42  of the service  41  which was added (step S 210 ).  
      At the instance when completing the addition of service onto the device management table  40 , it is confirmed on whether there is the software of the client or not, for controlling the processes of the information appliances belonging to the service, which was added to the home server  100 . In case when there is no client (step S 215 ), the home server  100  makes access to the file server  54  located on the Internet  52 , so as to search for the necessary software, with using the service  41  to be provided, the information appliance  42  to be controlled, and the function  44  to be controlled, as the search key, and thereby downloading it.  
      Relating to the mechanism for downloading the client software from the file server  54 , in case where the OSGi frame work is installed in relation to the home server  100  and the file server  54 , the client software may be downloaded with utilizing the function of the OSGi (step S 225 ). Further, in case where there is no application  110  for managing the service  41  within the home server  100  (step S 220 ), access is made to the file server  54  with using the service as the search key, and thereby downloading the corresponding application  110  (step S 230 ).  
      When completing the download in the step S 225  or S 230  and thereby completing the installation of the software, then the present flowchart is ended. In case where there is already the software to be downloaded in the step S 215  or S 220 , the downloading process will not be generated (step S 215  and step S 220 ).  
      Next, explanation will be given about a method for executing the application, by referring to  FIG. 9  attached. First of all, the application  110  receives an operation made by the user and/or an event notice from the sensor. As the operation made by the user, for example, there can be considered a method of providing the user interface through the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) while the server  100  has the Web server function, and a method of providing the user interface with utilizing the UPnP from the TV to the home server  100 , using the TV on the home network  2 , etc.  
      With using the method of the former, the Web browser must be installed into the terminal for displaying the user interface, and with the latter, a client is needed for controlling the application  110  on the TV side, while for the application  110  is necessary a function for providing the user interface to other terminal through the UPnP.  
      Upon receipt of the operation made by the user and/or the event notice from the sensor, the application  110  confirms the device management table  40 , and thereby finding out which one of the services within the device management table  40 , upon basis of the service operated by the user, the content of the event notice, and the information appliance originating the notice therefrom (step S 300 ).  
      When finding out the service requested by the user or the event, confirmation is made on whether the information appliance belonging to the service is located or not, on the home network  2 . When making the confirmation on the information appliance, it is made for the information appliance of the unique ID  43 , which is registered onto the device management table  40  (step S 305 ). When confirming that the information appliance can be used, then the service is executed. Herein, when the information appliance cannot be used, then the application  110  verifies on if it is possible or not, to provide only the essential function(s) in the service, and thereby enabling the service to be available by only the information appliance(s), which is/are available when the event is generated.  
      With contents of the service, although the details thereof not be explained herein, however, if there are provided a Web camera and a HDD recorder or a NAS on the home network  2 , as the information appliances in the observation service, for example, it is possible to provide the service of always storing or accumulating the picture at the position where the Web camera is provided into the HDD recorder or the NAS, in cooperation with the application  110  of the home server  100 .  
      Also, herein, further providing an information appliance, such as, a human sensor, for example, in vicinity of a window or a door of a house, enables the application  110  to receive the event notice from the human sensor through the mediation of the application  110 , and thereby providing the service of storing or accumulating the picture of the Web camera into the HDD recorder or the NAS by the application  110 , only for a predetermined time-period from the time when the event notice is made, with an aid of the Web camera.  
      Other than the embodiment mentioned above, there can be considered a model, in which no such home server  100  is located on the home network  2 . In this case, not such the system of collectively managing by the home server, but the device configuration table, which is owned by each of the information appliances, is managed by the each information appliance, respectively, and also the device management table thereof is managed by itself. Those managements can be achieved where the information appliance owning the device management table has the function same to that of the above-mentioned home server. Regarding the flow of processes, since it is same or similar to that of the home server model, therefore explanation thereof will be omitted herewith.  
      However, the present invention should not be limited only to the examples of the embodiments mentioned above, and it is of course that it can be modified or changed into various kinds of structures other than that, but without departing from the essentials or gist of the present invention.  
      In the embodiments mentioned above, as the information appliance are susceptive various kinds of digital home appliances, such as, the HDD recorder, the PC, the PDA, the portable telephone (or the mobile phone), for example, and as the home server is the PC and/or the HDD recorder. In relation to the contents of the processes mentioned herewith, they may be embodied in the form of embodiment of installing them as the middleware for the information appliances listed up in the above, and it is convenient from a viewpoint of designing thereof.  
      While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with our invention, it should be understood that disclosed embodiments are susceptible of changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, we don not intend to be bound by the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the ambit of the appended claims.