Patent ID: 8645549

Claim:
A signal relay method of a relay server for performing a relay operation between a plurality of first terminals and a second terminal via a network, the relay server including a storage section to store relay data from the second terminal, the relay server performing operations comprising: (a) receiving a request to receive data of the second terminal from a first one of the first terminals; (b) searching whether or not a second one of the first terminals previously accessed to the second terminal with a result that relay data is currently stored in the storage section; (c) in step (b), in a case that relay data is not currently stored in the storage section, relaying the request to the second terminal and transmitting data, received from the second terminal relating to the request, to the first one of the first terminals; and (d) in step (b), in a case that relay data is currently stored in the storage section, transmitting the stored relay data to the first one of the first terminals as a response to the request, (e) searching whether the second one of the first terminals is accessing to the second terminal when receiving a cut-off request with respect to the second terminal from the first one of the first terminals, (f) in step (e), in a case that the second one of the first terminals is not accessing to the second terminal, stopping the transmission of the relay data to the first one of the first terminals and transmitting the cut-off request to the second terminal, and (g) in step (e), in a case that the second one of the first terminals is accessing to the second terminal, stopping the transmission of the relay data to the first one of the first terminals without transmitting the cut-off request to the second terminal.