Information processing apparatus that controls device via network and method of controlling the apparatus, device control apparatus and method of controlling the apparatus, as well as device control system

摘要

An information processing apparatus capable of suppressing an increase in traffic on the network, and transmitting data even when the platform is different between a transmitting-side device and a receiving-side device. When a transfer request to the device is received from an upper layer software program, a virtualized controller extracts predetermined parameters necessary for controlling the device from parameters included in the transfer request, transmits the extracted parameters to the device, and stores the other parameters. When response parameters corresponding to the request parameters are received, a communication controller generates a transfer response by adding the stored parameters to the response parameters and transfers the generated transfer response to the upper layer software program.

主权项

1. An information processing apparatus that is connected, via a network, to a device control apparatus to which a device is locally or internally connected, comprising:
(A) a processor; (B) an identification information acquisition unit configured to acquire device control apparatus identification information associated with the device control apparatus, and device identification information associated with the device, from the device control apparatus; (C) a request parameter creation unit configured to perform the following operations when a transfer request to the device is received from an upper layer software program: (i) extract predetermined parameters necessary for controlling the device via the device control apparatus from parameters included in the transfer request, as request parameters, (ii) transmit a device transfer request including the request parameters to the device, and (iii) store parameters included in the transfer request except the request parameters, as first parameters; and (D) a transfer response generation unit configured to perform the following operations when response parameters corresponding to the request parameters are received: (i) generate a transfer response by adding the stored first parameters to the response parameters, and (ii) transmit the generated transfer response to the upper layer software program.