Patent ID: 8364783

Claim:
A relay server comprising; a timekeeping device which, in accordance with receipt of query data, which is transmitted from a data transmitting server and queries as to the existence of a data transmission request from a data terminal that has been authenticated, via a port of a firewall which allows a data transmission from the data transmitting server to the relay server but which allows data communication from the relay server to the data transmitting server during a fixed period of time in response to transmission of data from the data transmitting server to the relay server, is for starting clocking of the fixed time period; a determination device, responsive to receipt of the query data transmitted from the data transmitting server, for determining whether there has been a data transmission request from the data terminal during the clocking of the fixed time period by said timekeeping device; a first transfer device, responsive to a determination by said determination device that there has been a data transmission request from the data terminal, for transferring the data transmission request from the data terminal to the data transmitting server; a second transfer device for transferring, to the data terminal, data requested by the data terminal transmitted from the data transmitting server in response to transfer of the data transmission request from the data terminal to the data transmitting server by the first transfer device; and a transmitting device, responsive to end of clocking of the fixed time period by said timekeeping device without a data transmission request from the data terminal being determined by said determination device, for transmitting data, which indicates absence of a data transmission request from the data terminal, to the data transmitting server.