Patent ID: 7856504

Claim:
A server apparatus that is connectable in a network in conjunction with a first device and a second device, the server apparatus comprising: connecting means for setting a session for a communication with the first device; first receiving means for receiving, from the second device, an access start request for starting an access to the first device; first transmitting means for issuing, to the first device, a request for access-target information for allowing the second device to access the first device, when the first receiving means receives the access start request; second receiving means for receiving a response from the first device in response to the request issued from the first transmitting means; and second transmitting means for transmitting, when the response is first access-target information indicating a port number and an address each accessible by the second device and mapped to a port and an address of the first device, an indication of the port number and the address mapped to the port and the address of the first device to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other independent of the session, and for assigning, when the response is not the first access-target information, a port number of the server apparatus and transmitting second access-target information indicating the port number and an address of the server apparatus to the second device in order to cause the second device and the first device to communicate with each other through the session.