Patent ID: 8135742

Claim:
A proxy service providing apparatus which connects a plurality of first devices which provide services and a second device which does not directly use the services provided by the plurality of first devices, via a network, comprising: a storage unit adapted to store a first table describing a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of first devices and a service provided by each of the plurality of first devices, and a second table describing a correspondence relationship between the second device and a service providable to the second device among the services provided by the plurality of first devices; a processor including a determination unit adapted to determine a parent-child relationship between the proxy service providing apparatus and the second device based on the second table; the processor including a service search unit adapted to, upon receiving, from the second device, a request for provision of the service provided by each of the plurality of the first devices, search for the service providable to the second device based on the first table and the second table stored in the storage unit; and a providing unit adapted to replicate the service provided by each of the plurality of first devices and provide a service, corresponding to the service providable to the second device obtained as a search result of the service search unit among the replicated service, to the second device based on a determination result of the determination unit.