JP2001223730A - Gateway device and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To connect systems and networks having different buses and to allow devices connected to the respective buses to retrieve and use each other. SOLUTION: A gateway device 1 is interposed between an E bus 2 to which a PC 4 and a scanner 5 are connected and a 1394 bus 3 to which a PC 6 and a printer 7 are connected and at requests from the devices connected to the different buses, device information for accessing the devices is sent back from a device information DB 14 stored with the device information, so that the devices connected to the respective buses can retrieve and use each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gateway device and a recording medium for interconnecting systems and networks having different buses.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art IEEE 1394 has attracted attention as a next-generation peripheral device interface. IEEE13
94 is a next-generation high-speed serial interface,
This is a full-fledged multimedia interface with a view to connecting personal computers (PCs) to home appliances. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional network using IEEE1394. As shown in the figure, IEEE1
According to 394, the PC 101 and the hard disk (HD
D) It is possible to connect the nodes 102, the printer 103, the scanner 104, the optical disk 105, the digital video camera 106, and the like as a node with peer-to-peer as a very flexible tree structure.

For example, a digital video camera 106 is
It is assumed that the terminal is inserted into one of the open ports of the IEEE1394 bus. At this time, there is no need to worry about turning on / off the power of the digital video camera 106 and each node, and no setting (configuration) is required. Here, by pressing the button of the digital video camera 106, it is possible to directly display the image on a display (not shown) somewhere on the IEEE 1394 bus, print out from the printer 103, or record on the optical disk 105. It is. Of course, display and capture on the PC 101 are also possible. In addition, the digital video camera 106
Can be freely removed from the IEEE 1394 bus.

[0004] As described above, the IEEE 1394 is capable of hot plugging (connection while the power is on), automatic configuration (plug and play), and moving image compatible speed (100M, 20M) of the digital video camera 106 and the like.
0M, 400Mbps) and multimedia transfer support. In addition, IEEE13
The 94 has characteristics such as highly versatile packet communication, such as the need for a host PC and the support of a transfer method requiring data assurance in a printer or the like.

[0005] In recent years, in homes and companies, the number of cases of constructing a network using Ethernet as an interface has been increasing. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional network using Ethernet. As shown in the figure, a PC 201, a scanner 202, a printer 203, and the like are connected to an Ethernet (registered trademark) bus, and these can communicate with each other. That is, a tree connection with a high degree of freedom is possible, and a plurality of route connections are also possible.

As described above, it is possible to cope with a failure by connecting a plurality of routes, and it is possible to perform efficient packet transmission by selecting an optimum route. In addition, a plurality of packets exist on the Ethernet, and it is possible to construct a communication system according to the application. Each local PC 201 has the above-mentioned I
The printer 202 and the scanner 20 according to EEE1394
It is also possible to connect devices such as a third device.

[0007]

However, since the Ethernet bus and the IEEE 1394 bus have different data formats, data transmission systems, and management systems for connected devices based on addresses, the buses are unconditionally used using the same packet. Can't go back and forth.

[0008] For this reason, IEEE 13
Printers and scanners connected by the 94 bus cannot be searched by other PCs connected by the Ethernet bus to the same network as the PC.

Therefore, in the present invention, IEEE13
The present invention provides a gateway device and a recording medium that connect systems and networks having different buses such as 94 and Ethernet, and that can mutually search and use devices connected to each bus.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a common database for storing device information for accessing a device connected to each of a plurality of different buses.
The device is configured to return device information from the common database in response to a request from a device connected to each of a plurality of different buses.

As a result, buses such as IEEE 1394 and Ethernet connect different systems and networks, and are connected to the respective buses by referring to a database storing device information on devices connected to the respective buses. Devices will be searchable and available to each other.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a gateway device for connecting a plurality of different buses, a common device for storing device information for accessing a device connected to each of a plurality of different buses. A gateway device comprising a database and means for returning device information from a common database in response to a request from a device connected to each of a plurality of different buses. This makes it possible for devices connected to the respective buses to search and use each other by referring to the database storing the device information when accessing the devices connected to the plurality of different buses. Become.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the gateway device according to the first aspect, wherein the device information includes a unique address for accessing the device. Thereby, the database can be managed based on the addresses unique to the devices respectively connected to the plurality of different buses.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the gateway device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the common database is updated when a new device is connected to the bus. Thereby, the common database is updated to the latest state when a new device is connected to each bus, and the user can automatically set the new device information without setting new device information in the common database.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the gateway device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the common database is periodically updated.
Thus, by regularly checking the devices connected to the bus and updating the common database, it becomes possible to confirm the deletion of the device and the power-off using the common database.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device comprising means for causing a second device accessing a first device connected to a bus to download a device driver for operating the first device. A gateway device according to any one of Items 1 to 4.
As a result, when a new device connected to the bus is accessed, the device driver is automatically downloaded from that device, allowing the user to use the device automatically selected without having to search for and install the device driver. It is possible to do.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the gateway device according to the fifth aspect, further comprising means for temporarily holding a device driver. As a result, even if a new device is connected and a device driver is requested each time, the gateway device temporarily holds the device driver, so that a device accessing the new device can easily install the device driver. It becomes possible to acquire.

[0018] The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claims 1 to 6.
And a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as the gateway device according to any one of the above. A recording medium storing such software program code is supplied to a system or apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU or the like) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code recorded on the recording medium, thereby executing the above-described operation. The same operation as that of the gateway device can be obtained.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a communication network constituted by a gateway device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a gateway device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an Ethernet (registered trademark) bus (hereinafter, referred to as an “E bus”) 2 and an IEEE 1394.
A bus (hereinafter, referred to as a “1394 bus”) 3, that is, interposed between a plurality of different buses, and Et as an interface function for connecting to each bus
herPHY11a and EtherLink11b
And 1394PHY12a and 1394Link12
b. Further, the gateway device 1
TC for both buses 2 and 1394 bus 3
TCP / IP that manages communication using the P / IP protocol
The management unit 13, a device information DB 14 as a common database for storing device information for accessing devices connected to each of the E bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3, and each of the E bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3 And a plug-and-play central management unit 15 for performing automatic configuration of devices.

The E bus 2 has an EtherPHY 41a as an interface function for connecting to the E bus 2.
And the EtherLink 41b and a TCP /
A device including an IP management unit 42, a plug and play management unit 43 that performs automatic configuration of the device when the device is connected to the E bus 2, and an APP 44 as an application program that controls these units. Personal computer (P
C) 4 or similar EtherPHY 51a and Eth
The scanner 5 as a device including the erLink 51b, the TCP / IP management unit 52, the plug and play management unit 53, and the APP 54 is connected.

On the other hand, the 1394 bus 3 has 13 interfaces as an interface function for connecting to the 1394 bus 3.
94PHY61a and 1394Link61b, and 1
A TCP / IP management unit 62 that manages communication by the TCP / IP protocol for the 394 bus 3 and a plug and play management unit 63 that performs automatic configuration of the device when the device is connected to the 1394 bus 3 And a PC 6 as a device including an APP 64 as an application program for controlling these units, and similar 1394 PHYs 71a and 1394.
The printer 7 or the like as a device including a Link 71b, a TCP / IP management unit 72, a plug and play management unit 73, and an APP 74 is connected.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the gateway device 1 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the gateway device 1 according to the present embodiment has an NIF 16 for making a plurality of interfaces usable by one TCP / IP, A cache buffer 17 for temporarily storing data and the like, a physical address and an IP address which are unique addresses for accessing a device connected to the E bus 2 and a unique address for accessing a device connected to the 1394 bus 3 An address conversion table 18 for comparing and converting physical addresses, IDs and IP addresses, a packet conversion unit 19 for converting the packet configuration of the E bus 2 and the packet configuration of the 1394 bus 3 between each other, and the E buses 2 and 1394 Bus 3
Speed adjustment buffer 20 for temporarily storing packets to adjust the speed difference between
A speed adjusting unit 21 for adjusting the transmission speed of the buckets of the bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3, and an IP managed by the gateway device 1.
An operation / input unit 22 used for setting ON / OFF of an address and a cache and a display unit 23 for displaying information for management and setting are provided.

The plug-and-play central management unit 15
It functions as means for receiving requests for addition, deletion, and search from devices connected to the bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3 and returning a result using the device information DB 14. In addition, device drivers from devices (hereinafter,
Whether the request is a “driver” request is determined from the command information of the received packet. If the request is a driver request, the addresses of the request source and the request destination are stored. And
When receiving the driver's reply command from the request destination,
In addition to transferring the driver to the request source, the driver is stored in the cache buffer 17, and the storage address of the driver, the corresponding OS (operating system) and its version, and the type and version of the driver are stored in the device information DB 14. Add to request destination device information. Then, the plug and play central management unit 15
Monitors the packet, and transfers the driver stored in the cache buffer 17 when a driver under the same condition is requested again.

Next, the E buses 2 and 1394 shown in FIG.
The configuration of the devices connected to the bus 3 will be described using the printer 7 as an example. FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the printer 7 connected to the 1394 bus 3 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the printer 7 according to the present embodiment has a search unit 75 for making a request for searching the device information DB 14 to the gateway device 1, a printer resolution and the like. An operation / input unit 76 used for the setting and a display unit 77 for displaying information for management, setting, and the like are provided. The plug-and-play management unit 73 issues a request to the gateway device 1 to add or delete this device.

Although the printer 7 has been described as an example, the PC 6 connected to the same 1394 bus 3 as the printer 7 and the PC 4 and the scanner 5 connected to the E bus 2 have substantially the same configuration. is there. Where E
For the PC 4 and the scanner 5 connected to the bus 2, the interface function (EtherPHY 41a,
51a and EtherLink 41b, 51b) are P
C6 and printer 7 are different.

The PC 6 connected to the 1394 bus 3
TCP / IP management unit 6 provided in printer and printer 7
Reference numerals 2 and 72 are used to manage packets by 1394 over IP. As shown in FIG.
This is a form in which an IP packet is included in 94 packets. According to the 1394 overIP, devices such as the PC 6 and the printer 7 connected to the 1394 bus 3
By assigning a P address, each application can identify a device using this IP address.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the device information DB 14 provided in the gateway device 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the device information DB 14
Is the network zone (E bus (0), 139)
4 buses (1)) and device classifications (PC (0), printer (1), scanner (2)).
The device information of each device (PC4, scanner 5, PC6, printer 7) (IP address for identifying the device, physical address, ID information for identifying the device, model information such as name and specifications) is linked from the device classification. I have.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a registration process of the gateway device 1 in the device information DB 14.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the printer 7 is newly connected to the 1394 bus 3, the plug-and-play management unit 73 in the printer 7 performs a registration process to the device information DB 14 of the gateway device 1. Start.

In step S11 shown in FIG. 5, the plug and play control unit 73 determines whether an IP address for accessing the gateway device 1 having the device information DB 14 has been obtained. In step S12, the IP address of the gateway device 1 is obtained. Step S12
In, the plug-and-play management unit 73 searches for the gateway device 1 using broadcast (a method of transmitting to all connected devices). Upon receiving the gateway search packet, the gateway device 1 returns a packet indicating to the request source that the device itself is the gateway device 1.

In step S13, the printer 7
Using the obtained IP address, the device information (IP address, physical address, ID, name, manufacturer name, color / monochrome, resolution, etc.) is transmitted to the gateway device 1. In step S14, the gateway device 1
Receives the device information transmitted from the printer 7. In step S15, the plug-and-play central management unit 15 of the gateway device 1 updates the device information DB 14 based on the received device information. In step S16, the plug and play central management unit 15 of the gateway device 1 notifies the registration result to the transmission source device. In step S17, the transmission source device receives this registration result.

As described above, when the device information DB 14 is updated to the latest state when a new device is connected to the E bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3, the user sets new device information in the device information DB 14. Automatic setting can be performed without performing. Alternatively, the device information DB 14 checks devices connected to the E bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3 at predetermined time intervals, and if the device information DB 14 is updated periodically, the device information DB 14
To delete the device and turn off the power.
It is also possible to confirm F.

The device information DB 14 thus updated
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the device information registered in the device as an image for each device. In FIG.
The physical addresses of the PCs 4 and 6, the scanner 5 and the printer 7 are unique addresses assigned when the respective devices are manufactured. The devices connected to the E bus 2 are connected to the 1394 bus 3 by 48 bits. Device is a 64-bit address. The IP address of a device connected to the E bus 2 is generally assigned by a network administrator. 1
The IP address of a device connected to the 394 bus 3 is obtained from an IP address pool described later from the gateway device 1.
Automatically assigned by

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a search process of the device information DB 14 of the gateway device 1.

For example, when the scanner 5 shown in FIG. 1 makes a search request of the device information DB 14 to the gateway device 1, in step S21, the scanner 5
A request for device classification and additional functions (model information) is made to the gateway device 1 by the search unit (not shown). In step S22, the plug and play central management unit 15 of the gateway device 1 searches the device information DB 14 for a device that matches the device classification and the additional function (model information).

In step S23, compatible device information is created and transmitted to the scanner 5 that has issued the request. In step S24, the scanner 5 displays the compatible device information on a display unit (not shown). The contents displayed here are, as shown in FIG. 8, a list of network zones to which the compatible device is connected, device classification, model information, and the like.

In this embodiment, a communication network constituted by one gateway device 1 for connecting different buses is described. However, a plurality of gateway devices 1 are connected and a device information DB is connected.
When there are a plurality of devices, the above-described device search is sequentially performed on all device information DBs in the communication network.

Here, FIG. 9 shows a configuration diagram of the address conversion table 18 of the gateway device 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the address translation table 18
IP address 81, a subnet mask 82 indicating a zone of the IP address, an IP address pool 83 for allocating an IP address to a device connected to the 1394 bus 4, and a pointer 84 to the device information DB 14
It is composed of

FIG. 10A is a flowchart showing a gateway process from the E bus to the 1394 bus, and FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the gateway process from 394 bus to E bus.

When the gateway device 1 receives a packet on the E bus 2 in step S31 of FIG. 10A, in step S32, the gateway device 1 indicates the destination of the packet.
It is determined whether or not the P address is an IP address managed by the gateway device 1 using the IP address pool 83. If the IP address is not managed by the gateway device 1, the received packet is discarded in step S33. On the other hand, the I managed by the gateway device 1
If it is a P address, in step S34,
Device information DB in the address conversion table 18 shown in FIG.
Using the pointer 84 to the device information DB 14
To determine whether there is a 1394 device having the destination IP address. If there is a 1394 device having the destination IP address, the physical address of the E bus 2 indicating the destination in the packet is stored in the device information DB 14.
Is converted to the physical address of the destination 1394 bus 3 stored in the 1394 bus 3, and the destination ID is obtained from the physical address of the 1394 bus 3. Forward.

Here, FIG. 11 shows the packet of E bus 2 as 1
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of conversion into a packet on a 394 bus 3;

For example, when transmitting a packet from the scanner 5 shown in FIG. 6 to the printer 7, the packet shown in FIG. 11A is transmitted from the scanner 5 connected to the E bus 2. In FIG. 11A, the physical address of the destination E bus 2 (the physical address of the gateway device 1) and the physical address of the source E bus 2 (the physical address of the printer 7) are sequentially arranged from the top of the packet (the left end in the figure). Address), packet type 0800 (IP packet), and IP datagram. The IP datagram contains the IP address of the transmission source (scanner 5) and the IP address of the transmission destination (printer 7).

FIG. 11B shows a packet in which the destination is the physical address of the gateway device 1 and is received by the gateway device 1 and converted. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 11B, the gateway device 1
A header including a destination ID (printer 7) and a source ID (gateway device 1) for transmission to the 1394 bus 3 is added to the head of the packet shown in (a).

On the contrary, the gateway device 1
When a packet on the 1394 bus 3 is received in step S35 of (b), the device information DB 14 is searched using the pointer 84 to the device information DB 14 in the address conversion table 18 in step S36. Then, when a device matching the destination IP address is found, the physical address of the E bus 2 indicating the destination and the physical address of the found device and the physical address of the E bus 2 indicating the source are respectively assigned to the physical address of the gateway device 1. The packet is reconfigured as an address and transferred to the E bus 2.

That is, the gateway device 1 converts the packet from the E bus 2 only when the device is managed by the gateway device 1 and transfers it to the 1394 bus 3, and converts all the packets from the 1394 bus 3. E
Transfer to bus 2.

According to the gateway device 1 having the above configuration, when a plurality of different buses such as the E bus 2 and the 1394 bus 3 are connected, a request from a device connected to each of the plurality of different buses is required. Device information is returned from the device information DB 14 that stores device information for accessing devices connected to each of a plurality of different buses. By referring to the device information, the PCs 4 connected to the respective buses,
6. Devices such as the scanner 5 and the printer 7 can be mutually searched and used.

Next, a case where the printer 4 connected to the 1394 bus 3 from the PC 4 actually connected to the E bus 2 in the communication network having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a driver download procedure.

First, the PC 4 requests the gateway device 1 to search the device information DB 14 by a search unit (not shown), and obtains a list of printer devices managed by the gateway device 1. The acquired list of devices is displayed on a display unit (not shown). In step S41, the user selects a device to be used from the displayed list of devices using an operation / input unit (not shown). Here, it is assumed that the printer 7 has been selected. When the printer 7 is a device to be newly connected, the PC 4 transmits a packet requesting a driver for operating the printer 7 to the gateway device 1.

In step S42, the gateway device 1 receives this packet. In step S43, if the packet is a driver request from the PC 4, in step S44, the cache buffer 17
Check if you are caching the driver inside. If the driver is cached in the cache buffer 17, the caching driver is transmitted to the requesting PC 4 in step S45. In this way, the PC 4 acquires the driver and executes the installation process, so that the printer 7 can be used. When newly accessing the printer 7 connected to the 1394 bus 3 from the PC 4 connected to the E bus 2, the gateway device 1 causes the PC 4 to download the driver of the printer 7 from the printer 7 to the PC 4. The user can use the automatically selected printer 7 without finding and installing a driver.

If the driver is not cached in the cache buffer 17, the gateway device 1 determines in step S 46 that the driver needs to be transferred, downloads the driver held inside the printer 7, and Transfer to. At this time, the downloaded driver is cached in the cache buffer 17 in step S47.

As described above, even when the PC 4 is newly connected and a driver is requested each time, the PC 4 that newly accesses the printer 7 can be easily stored by temporarily holding the driver by the gateway device 1. It is possible to obtain a driver.

It should be noted that the present invention is applicable to a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device,
The present invention may be applied to a system constituted by a scanner (scanner) or an apparatus constituted by one device (for example, an integrated apparatus).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or an apparatus.
It is needless to say that the present invention is also achieved when the computer of the system or the apparatus reads out and executes the program code stored in the recording medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the recording medium on which the program code is recorded constitutes the present invention.

As a recording medium for supplying such a program code, for example, a flexible disk (floppy disk), hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory A card, a ROM, or the like can be used. In addition, the present invention is configured in a form in which a program code is stored in these recording media placed on a server such as an Internet provider and the program code is provided via the Internet.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that the system may perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the recording medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

[0062]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, when accessing a device connected to each of a plurality of different buses, the device is connected to each bus by referring to a database storing device information of each device. Devices are mutually searchable and available.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, the database can be managed based on addresses unique to devices respectively connected to a plurality of different buses.

(3) According to the invention described in claim 3, the common database is updated to the latest state when a new device is connected to each bus, and the user sets new device information in the common database. Automatic setting can be performed without the need.

(4) According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by confirming the devices connected to the bus periodically and updating the common database, it is possible to confirm the deletion of the device and the power OFF by using the common database. Becomes possible.

(5) According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when newly accessing a device connected to the bus,
By automatically downloading the driver from the device, the user can use the automatically selected device without searching for and installing the driver.

(6) According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if a new device is connected and a driver is requested each time, the gateway device temporarily holds the driver, so that the new device can be connected. Device can easily acquire the driver.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a communication network configured by a gateway device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the gateway device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of a printer connected to the 1394 bus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a device information DB provided in the gateway device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing registration processing of a gateway device in a device information DB;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing device information registered in a device information DB in an image for each device;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a search process of a device information DB of the gateway device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing displayed compatible device information.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an address conversion table of the gateway device.

10A is a flowchart showing a gateway process from the E bus to the 1394 bus. FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing a gateway process from the 1394 bus to the E bus.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an E bus packet is converted into a 1394 bus packet;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a driver download procedure;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional network using IEEE1394.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a network using conventional Ethernet.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Gateway device 2 E bus 3 1394 bus 4, 6 PC 5 Scanner 7 Printer 11a, 41a, 51a EtherPHY 11b, 41b, 51b EtherLink 12a, 61a, 71a 1394PHY 12b, 61b, 71b 1394Link 13, 42, 52, 62, 72 TCP / IP management unit 14 Device information DB 15 Plug and play central management unit 16 NIF 17 Cache buffer 18 Address conversion table 19 Packet conversion unit 20 Speed adjustment buffer 21 Speed adjustment unit 22 Operation / input unit 23 Display unit 43, 53, 63 , 73 Plug and play management unit 44, 54, 64, 74 APP 75 search unit 76 operation / input unit 77 display unit

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yuji Toyomura 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5K033 BA15 CB01 CB08 CB14 DA05 DA13 DA16 DB12 DB19 EA07 EC01 EC03

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A gateway device for connecting a plurality of different buses, wherein a common database storing device information for accessing a device connected to each of the plurality of different buses; Means for returning the device information from the common database in response to a request from a device connected to the gateway device. 2. The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the device information includes a unique address for accessing the device. 3. The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the common database is updated when a new device is connected to the bus. 4. The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the common database is updated periodically. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for downloading a device driver for operating the first device to a second device accessing the first device connected to the bus. The gateway device according to any one of the above. 6. The gateway device according to claim 5, further comprising means for temporarily holding said device driver. 7. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to function as the gateway device according to claim 1 is recorded.