MXPA99008385A - Timer-controlled information processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A controller of an IRD is operated based on the Universal Time Code UTC as a reference time. When reservation information using a VCR sub-unit of a DVCR is input, the controller reads the offset time of the DVCR relative to the UTC stored in a Bulletin Board Subunit (BBS) of the DVCR. By utilizing the offset time, the time at which the VCR sub-unit is used is converted into the local time used by the DVCR. The converted time is then written into the BBS of the DVCR. With this arrangement, a target can be precisely controlled even when the UTC is used as a reference time.

Description

INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The present invention generally relates to an information processing apparatus for reliably performing reservation processing for sub. -units connected to the information processing apparatus through a serial data bus of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) -139. The invention also relates to an information processing method employed in the above-mentioned equipment of information processing apparatus and to a recording medium implementing said method. 2. Description of the Related Art Audio / Visual (AV) machines are being developed that can transmit information between them through a network using an IEEE-1394 serial data bus. In this network, it is possible to control the AV machines connected to the network through the use of a predetermined command (Transaction sets of AV / C commands). For example, a video image received by an Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) 171 to receive digital satellite broadcasts can be recorded, as shown in Figure 1, on a digital video recorder (DVCR) 181 connected to the IRD 171 through an IEEE-1394 serial data bus 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "bus 2"). In addition, what is known as a "registration reservation" can be done through the use of IRD 171 and DVCR 181. In accordance with registration reservation processing, an IRD 171 controller 172 controls the IRD 171 and the DVRC 181. More specifically, the registry reservation settings (channel, registration start time, etc.) are made in the IRD 171, and when the registration start time is reached, the 172 controller of the IRD 171 controls a sub-domain. tuner unit 173 for selecting the reserved (established) channel and for sending a received video signal to the DVCR 181 via the bus 2. Simultaneously, the controller 172 transmits a registration start command to a VCR sub-unit 184 of the DVCR 181 through the bus 2. In response to the registration start command transmitted from the controller 172, the VCR sub-unit 184 of the DVCR 181 registers the video signal supplied from the tuner sub-unit 173 in the magnetic tape (not illustrated). In general, the reservation start time is established by local time. The reason is as follows. By indicating the reservation scheme by means of white units controlled by the controller, the reservation scheme can be conveniently indicated by the local time if it is established by the local time. In the future, however, there may be some units that designate time using the universal time code (UTC) instead of local time. UTC is a global time and is indicated by hours, minutes, and seconds. By using UTC, however, the user can not easily determine what the local time is from UTC, which decreases the ease of operation. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION Therefore, taking into account the above, it is an object of the present invention to maintain the ease of operation even when AV machines are operated on the basis of UTC. In order to achieve the aforementioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus operated on the basis of a second reference time and employing a target operated on a first time basis. reference through a network. The information processing apparatus includes a first acquisition unit to acquire a time represented by the second reference time in which the target must be used. A second acquisition unit acquires a information regarding the first reference time from the blank. A conversion unit converts the time represented by the second reference time acquired by the first acquisition at a time represented by the first reference time in which the target must be used in accordance with the information related to the first reference time acquired. for the second acquisition unit. The aforementioned information processing apparatus may further include a registration unit for recording the time converted by the conversion unit to the blank. The second acquisition unit can acquire, information about the first reference time,, information regarding a difference of the first reference time from a third reference time shared between the information processing apparatus and the target. The second acquisition unit may also acquire information regarding a polarity of the third reference time as the information related to the first reference time. The second acquisition unit can acquire a code representing a country where the target is located as the information at the first reference time. The time in which the target should be used can include a start time at which the use of the target starts. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time and employing a target operated on a first time basis. reference through a network. The information processing method includes a first acquisition step to acquire a time represented by the second reference time in which the target must be used, a second acquisition step to acquire information regarding the first reference time from of the blank, and a conversion step to convert the time represented by the second reference time acquired by the processing of the first acquisition step in a time represented by the first reference time in which the blank is to be used in accordance with the information on the first reference time acquired by processing the second acquisition step. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a recording means is provided for recording an information processing program executable by a computer, the information processing program for use in an information processing apparatus that is operated on the basis of a second reference time and that uses a target operated on a basis of a first reference time through a network. The information processing program includes a first acquisition step to acquire a time represented by the second reference time in which the target must be used, a second acquisition step to acquire information regarding the first reference time from of the target, and a conversion step to convert the time represented by the second reference time acquired by processing the first acquisition step in a time represented by the first reference time in which the target must be used in accordance with the information related to the first reference time acquired through the processing of the second acquisition step. In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time and used by an external information processing apparatus operated on the basis of a first reference time through a network. The information processing apparatus includes a first storage unit for storing an event that starts at a predetermined time. A second storage unit stores an event start time. A third storage unit stores information regarding the second reference time. An output unit sends the information related to the second reference time stored in the third storage unit to the external information processing apparatus in response to a request from the external information processing apparatus. The third storage unit can store, as information regarding the second reference time, information related to a difference between the second reference time and a third reference time shared between the information processing device and the external information processing device. The third storage unit may also store information regarding a polarity of the third reference time as the information about the second reference time. The third storage unit may further store a code representing a country where the information processing apparatus is located as the information concerning the second reference time. According to another additional aspect of the present invention, an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time is provided and is employed by an external information processing apparatus operated on a first reference time through of a network. The information processing method includes a first step of storage control to control the storage of an event that started at a predetermined time, a second storage control step to control the storage of an initial time of the event, a third step of storage control to control the storage of information regarding the second reference time, and an output step to send the information concerning the second reference time stored by processing the third storage control step to the external information processing device in response to a request from the external information processing apparatus. In accordance with the additional aspect of the present invention, a recording means for recording an information processing program executable by a computer is provided, the information processing program for use in an information processing apparatus that is operated with base in a second reference time and is used by an external information processing device operated based on a first reference time through a network. The information processing program includes a first step of storage control to control the storage of an event that starts at a predetermined time, a second step of storage control to control the storage of an event start time, a third step of storage control for controlling the storage of information concerning the second reference time, and an output step for sending information concerning the second reference time stored by processing the third storage control step to the external processing apparatus information in response to a request from the external information processing apparatus. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit for storing events to be processed. An execution unit executes the events stored in the storage unit. A time designation unit designates a time in which each of the events must be executed. A validity designation unit designates a validity of the events stored in the storage unit. The valiaez designation unit can designate the validity of all events stored in the storage unit. Alternatively, the validity designation unit may designate the validity of each of the individual events stored in the storage unit. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network. The information processing method includes a storage control step for controlling the storage of events to be processed, an execution step for executing the stored events by processing the storage control step, a time designation step for designating a storage step. time on which the events should be executed, and a validity designation step to designate the validity of the stored events by processing the storage control step. According to a further aspect of the present invention, a registration means is provided to record an information processing program executable by a computer and used to transmit and receive data through a network. The information processing program includes a storage control step for controlling the storage of events to be processed, an execution step for executing the stored events by processing the storage control step, a time designation step for designating an time on which each of the events must be executed, and a validity designation step to designate a validity of the events stored by processing the storage control step. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit for storing an event to be processed. An execution unit executes the event stored in the storage unit. A unit of time designation designates one of a final time and an expected time of the event for a relative time. The time designation unit may also designate a valid period of the event stored in the storage unit. The time designation unit may designate one of the final time and the waiting time of the event for a relative time calculated from the start time of the event. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network. The information processing method includes a storage control step for controlling the storage of an event to be processed, an execution step for executing the stored event by processing the storage control step, and a time designation step for designate one of a final time and a waiting time of the event for a relative time. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a recording means is provided for recording an information processing program executable by a computer and used to transmit and receive data through a network. The information processing program includes a storage control step for controlling the storage of an event to be processed, an execution step for executing the stored event by processing the storage control step, and a time designation step for designating one of a final time and a waiting time of the event for a relative time. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing apparatus includes an event storage unit for storing events to be processed. An execution unit executes the events stored in the event storage unit. A unit of time designation defines a time in which each of the events must be executed. A connection information storage unit stores connection information of each of the events required to transmit and receive data through the network. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network. The information processing method includes an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed, an execution step to execute the events stored by processing the event storage control step, a step of designation of time to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed, and a step of storage of connection information to store connection information of each of the events required to transmit and receive data to through said network. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a recording means is provided for recording an information processing program and is used to transmit and receive data through a network. The information processing program includes an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed, an execution step for executing events stored by processing the event storage control step, a time designation step to designate the time on which each of the events must be executed, and a storage step of connection information to store a connection information of each of the events required to transmit and receive data through the network. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing apparatus includes an event storage unit for storing an event to be processed. A time designation unit designates a time in which the event should be executed. An execution unit executes the event stored in the storage unit in accordance with any of the stages of waiting, starting, ending, suspending, and resuming the event. The aforementioned information processing apparatus may further include a stage validity designation unit for designating a validity of each of the steps. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network. The information processing method includes an event storage control step for controlling the storage to be processed, a time designation step for designating a time at which the event has to be executed, and an execution step for executing the event stored by processing the event storage control step in accordance with any of the waiting, beginning, ending, suspending and resuming stages of the event. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a recording means is provided for recording an information processing program executable by a computer and used in the transmission and reception of data through a network. The information processing program includes an event storage control step to control the storage of an event to be processed, a time designation step for designating a time at which the event should be executed, and an execution step for execute the stored event by processing the event storage control step in accordance with any of the stages of waiting, starting, ending, suspending, and resuming the event. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing apparatus includes an event storage unit that stores events to be processed. A unit of time designation designates a time in which each of the events must be executed. An execution unit executes the events stored in the event storage unit. A user information storage unit stores the user information of each of the events. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network is provided. The information processing method includes an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed, a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed, an execution step to execute the stored events by processing the event storage control step, and a user information storage step to store a user information of each of the events. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a recording means is provided for recording an information processing program executable by a computer and used to transmit and receive data through a network. The information processing program includes an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed, a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed, an execution step to execute stored events by processing the event storage control step, and a user information storage step to store user information for each of the events. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a related network systemM.

; Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a Bulletin Board Sub-unit (BBS) 14 illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a BBS 34 presented in Figure 2; Figure 5 illustrates the model of a Resource Programming Board (RSB); Figure 6 illustrates the format of a Resource Programming Board (RSB); Figure 7 illustrates the format of a List Specific Information field; Figure 8 illustrates the format of a Resource Programming Object; Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a controller 11 presented in Figure 2; Figure 10 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the controller 11 presented in Figure 2; Figure 12 illustrates the format of a WRITING command OPEN; Figure 13 illustrates the format of a READ command; Figure 14 illustrates the format of a CREATE command; Figure 15 illustrates the sub-function_l shown in the figure 14; Figure 16 illustrates the details of the sub-function_l shown in Figure 15; Figure 17 illustrates the values of the fields illustrated in Figure 16; Figure 18 illustrates the format of a WRITE command DESCRIPTION; Figure 19 illustrates the format of a CLOSE command; Figure 20 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 21 illustrates the directory structure of an SA descriptor; Figure 22 illustrates the list of root programming action events; Figure 23 illustrates the format of the SA list specific information; Figure 24 illustrates the list of program action events; Figure 25 illustrates the list of program action commands; Figure 26 illustrates the valid / invalid activator marker; Figure 27 illustrates the list of user information; Figures 28A, 28B, and 28C illustrate the macro command; Fig. 29 is a flow diagram illustrating the containment unit search processing executed by the controller 11 illustrated in Fig. 20; Fig. 30 is a flowchart illustrating the search processing of containment unit executed by the controller 11 shown in Fig. 20; Fig. 31 is a flow chart illustrating the contention unit search processing executed by the controller 11 .. shown in Fig. 20; Fig. 32 is a flow diagram illustrating the containment unit search processing executed by the controller 11 shown in Fig. 20; Fig. 33 is a flow chart illustrating the processing for establishing the SA Event ID executed by the controller 11 presented in Fig. 20; Fig. 34 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 35 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 36 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 37 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating a further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 38 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 39 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a network system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 40 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the network system shown in Fig. 39; and Figure 41 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a computer; DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The configuration of a network system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to Figure 2. Throughout the specification, the term "system" indicates an entire apparatus consisting of several devices, means, etc. This network system is formed of an IRD 1 and a DVCR 3 connected to each other through a bus 2. In addition to the IRD 1 and the DVCR 3, electronic machines equipped with an IEEE-1394 terminal, such as personal computers , hard disk drives, compact disc players (CD), monitors digital camcorders, and minidisk (MD) players (trademark), can be connected to bus 2. Electronic machines, such as IRD 1 and DVCR 3, connected to bus 2 are known as "units". Between the units, it is possible to read and write information from the individual units and in the individual units by using a descriptor (Descriptor), defined in the General Specification of the Digital Interface Command Set AV / C of the Set of Transactions AV / C command (hereinafter referred to as "AV / C General Specification"). The general AV / C details can be found at http: // cxn02 .net., Sony. Co., Jp / Doc /. functions provided for the units are referred to as the "subunits." A controller 11 of the IRD 1 controls the entire IRD by receiving a channel selection operation or a registration reservation operation performed by an I user. also controls the DVCR 3 by using a default command (Set of AV / C Command Transactions) A CS 3 antenna receives digital signals from a digital satellite broadcast transmitted through a communication satellite (not shown) and sends the digital signals to a tuner sub-unit 12. The tuner sub-unit 12 extracts a predetermined channel signal from the digital signals input from the CS 13 antenna under the control of the controller 11, and sends the extracted signal to a dub-unit of VCR 33 of DVCR 3 via bus 2. Controller 11 adonally searches for information stored in a Bulletin Board Sub-unit (BBS9 34 of the DVCR 3. A BBS 14 which serves as a sub-unit of the IRD 1, stores information as to registration reservations received and determined by the controller 11. A controller 31 of the DVCR 3 controls the entire DVCR 3 by receiving a playback instruction operation or a registration reservation operation performed by a user. tuner unit 32 extracts a predetermined channel signal from the analog signals input under the control of the controller 31 and sends the extracted signal to the VCR sub-unit 33.

The VCR sub-unit 33 records on a magnetic tape (not shown) a video signal input from the tuner subunit 32 or a video signal input from the tuner sub-unit 12 of the IRD 1 through of the bus 2. The BBS 34 handles registration reservation information regarding the DVCR 3. The tuner sub-unit 12 and the BBS 14 are sub-units of the IRD 1, and the tuner sub-unit 32, the sub -UNIT DVCR 33 and BBS 34 are sub-units of the DVCR 3. In this network system, when a digital satellite emission registration reservation is carried out, a user registers the characteristics of the registration reservation (channel , registration start time, etc.) in the IRD 1. If the reservation entered does not cause a double reservation, it is accepted, and the reservation information is described in BBS 14 of the IRD 1. The BBS 14 is formed, as shown in Figure 3 of a Resource Program Board (RSB) and a Programmed Action Board (SAB) 52. The SAB 52 stores all information regarding registration reservations entered from controller 11 of the IRD l and from a controller of another unit (for example, controller 31 of the DVCR 3). That is, the SAB 52 stores all the information to control a series of operations to cause the tuner sub-unit 2 of the IRD 1 to receive information at a predetermined time and register it in the VCR sub-unit 33 of the DVCR 3. In contrast, the RSB 51 stores only information regarding reservations for the tuner sub-unit 12 of the IRD 1 among all the information regarding registration reservations (including reservations established by other units). Even if the operation of the VCR sub-unit 33 is related to the operation of the tuner sub-unit 12, the RSB 51 does not store reservation information of the VCR sub-unit 33. The RSB 51 makes the information public stored in response to a request not only from controller 11 of the same unit but also from the controller of another unit (for example, controller 31 of DVCR 3). Similarly, the BBS 34 of the DVCR 3 is formed, as shown in Figure 4, of an RSB 61 and a SAB 62. The SAB 62 stores all the information regarding registration reservations entered from the DVCR controller 31 3 and from another controller of another unit (for example, controller 11 of IRD 1). In contrast, the RSB 61 stores only information regarding reservations for the VCR sub-unit 33 (or tuner sub-unit 32) of the DVCR 3 among all the information related to registration reservations entered in the controller 31 of the DVCR 3 and the controller 11 of the IRD 1. Even if the operation of the tuner sub-unit 12 is related to the operation of the VCR sub-unit 33 (or tuner subunit 32), the? .SB 61 does not store reservation information of the tuner sub-unit 12. The RSB 61 makes the stored information public in response to a request not only from the controller 31 of the same unit, but also from the controller of another unit (e.g. controller 11 of the IRD 1). Figure 5 illustrates a model of the RSB. The unit corresponding to a white device 72 is the DVCR 3 is the example illustrated in Figure 2. A sub-unit #A shown in Figure 5 corresponds, for example to the VCR sub-unit 33 of the DVCR 3 illustrated er. Figure 2. A proprietary device 71 is equivalent to the IRD 1 illustrated in Figure 2. A Program for Programmed Action corresponds to a reservation program registered in controller 11 shown in Figure 2. An RSB 82 (which is equivalent to RSB 61 illustrated in Figure 4) is located within a BBS 81 (corresponding to the BBS 34 illustrated in Figure 4) and is formed from a single root list. The root list is a base list designated by a Sub-unit Identifier Descriptor. The Sub-unit Identifier Descriptor is a list that indicates the characteristics of all sub-units. Details of the structure of the list are specified in General Specification AV / C. The root list of RSB 82 is formed of a Resource Program Object or of several Resource Program Objects that represent reservation information to be written in units. Figure 6 illustrates the format of the RSB. The length_of_descriptor indicates the length of the RSB. The type_of_list indicates whether the RSB is Read Only or Write Authorization. The Read Only list indicates that only reading is allowed, and the Allowed Writing List indicates that you can both write and read. Attributes designate a bit marker that represents the attributes of all structures in the list. The list_specific_size_size indicates the length of the list_specific information (which will be described below with reference to Figure 7). The number_of_entries (n) represents the number of entries_of_obj eto (i) (i = 0,1,2, n-l) recorded in this RSB. In this example, n entries_of_object are recorded. Figure 7 illustrates the format of the list_specific information. The length_of_fields_of no_info represents the number of bytes of the non-info block fields before the next_time_deviation. If the board_type is the Resource Programming Board, 01? 6 is set.

The maximum size of the list of objects represents the maximum size of the list of objects. The maximum_number_of_object entries indicates the maximum number of object entries in the list. The maximum size_of_object_in_th eet indicates the maximum size of each object entry. If no limit is imposed on the maximum_size_of_list_of_objects, the maximum_number_of_object entries and the maximum_number_of_object entries, 00006 is set in each layer- The three above fields are meaningful for the controller to recognize the capability of the object list or object entry. The length_of_dependent_information_of_type_of_table defines the length of the information_dependent_of_type_of_table. The information_dependent_of_type_of_table indicates the particular information for the type of board. Since that board is RSB, the country_code, the country_de_region_ID, the polarity_of_development_of local time and the_deviation_of_local_time, the_time_of_change, the_of_time_of_the_next_time in the information_dependent_of_type_of_table. The country_code is a 24-byte code defined as 3166 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and indicates the country. This code consists of 3 characters, each of the characters is a bit code defined by IS08859-1. The country_region_ID has 6 bits and indicates the ID number of a specific zone of the country represented by the country_code. If the Country_ID_ID is set to 000000, there is no zone that has different local times in the designated country. The polarity_of_deviation_of_ local time is formed by 1 bit. If the polarity of local time deviation indicates 0, the local time is a positive value (local time is advanced in relation to UTC (generally, time measured in places east of Greenwich)). If the polarity of local time deviation designates 1, local time is a negative value (local time is delayed relative to UTC (in general, the time measured in places west of Greenwinch)). The deviation_of_local_time designates a difference (deviation) from the local time in relation to the UTC and is within a range of -12 hours to +12 hours. The deviation_of_local_time has a total of 16 bits and, more specifically, the four digits of the time, that is, the digit of the units, and the decimal digit of the hour and those of the minute, are each indicated by a binary-coded decimal ( B C D) .

The change_time is a 40-bit field that indicates the time and date on which the time changes due, for example, to summer time. The change_time is represented by the time and date in the modified july date (MJD) and the UTC. The next_time_deviation designates a deviation in relation to the UTC of the time after having changed in a predetermined area (designated by the country_region_ID) of a specified country (specified by country_code). The next_time_deviation is indicated in a range of -12 hours to 12 hours. The deviation has a total of 16 bits and is indicated by 4 numbers, such as the digit of the units and the digit of the tenths of the hour and those of the minute, each number being represented by a BCD of four bits. The next_time_deviation is followed by the optional info blocks for future expansion. Figure 8 illustrates the format of the object_input (i) (i = 0, 1, 2, ..., n-l) of RSB. The length_of_block_of_no info indicates the number of bytes of the fields of non-info blocks before the_dependent_type_of_repetition_type. The start_time represents the second, minute, time, day, month, and year when the event started. The year has 16 bits, the four numbers are each represented by a 4-bit BCD. The month has 8 bits, the two numbers are each represented by a 4-bit BCD. The day has 8 bits, the two numbers are each represented by a 4-bit BCD. The time has 8 bits, the two numbers are each indicated by a 4-bit BCD. The minute has 8 bits, the two numbers are each indicated by a 4-bit BCD. The second has 8 bits, the two numbers are indicated by a 4-bit BCD. The start_time can easily be identified as the BCD. Time is represented by local time. The duration, which indicates the period of time covered by the event, is represented by the hour, minute, and second. The time has a total of 12 bits, the three numbers are each represented by a 4-bit BCD. The minute has a total of 8 bits, the two numbers are each indicated by means of a 4-bit BCD. The second has a total of 8 bits, the two numbers are each represented by a 4-bit BCD. By adding the duration to the time_of_start, you can indicate the time of termination of the event. Therefore, the period during which the event is carried out is represented by the duration without directly indicating the time of completion. This eliminates the need to modify the termination time to when the event start time changes, which simplifies the update processing. The length_of_dependent_type_of_repeat_type indicates the length of the_repeat_type_dependent_info. The repeat_dependent_type information represents when and how programming is resisted. If the Programmed Action is not repeated, the length_of_dependent_information_of_type_of_repetition indicates 00? 6. The content of the repeat_dependent_type information varies according to the type of repetition selected. The type of repetition includes the weekly programming 00? 6 and the programming at interval 1016. The events to be repeated weekly (weekly programming) or at a predetermined interval (interval programming) can be recorded as indicated above. Therefore, only a smaller storage capacity is required compared to what is referred to in order to store, for example, the absolute time and the absolute date every Monday and Wednesday that correspond to the days of issue. In the info blocks, the length_of_composite, the type_of_block_of_info, the length_of_primary_fields, the number of subunits, and the type and subunit ID are described. The length_of_composite indicates the byte length of the info block, except for the length field. The type_of_block_of_info is set to 890016. The length_of_primary_fields indicates the number of bytes of the number_of_subunits and the field of type_e_sub_ID_of_subunity. The number_of_subunits represents the number of subunits that are used by the registration device (the device includes a controller). The type__e_ID_de_subunidad specifies the subunits to be used by the registration device. As previously mentioned, the start_time and the duration are represented by the fixed lengths in the fixed direction. In contrast, the ID information for identifying the subunit and the Registration Device employing the subunit is stored as Info blocks at a predetermined address subsequent to the address of start_time and duration. With this fix, you can easily handle the addition of Registry Devices. Details of the reservation processing described above (contention unit search processing) performed by the system illustrated in figure 2 are discussed below with reference to the flow diagrams of figures 9 to 11. In the step Sil, a user establishes a reservation in the controller 11 of the IRD 1. For example, a reservation to cause the tuner subunit 12 to receive the channel 48 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on October 16 and to transfer the received video signal to the VCR sub-unit 33 of the DVCR 3 and register it. Simultaneously, in step S12, the controller 11 controls the RSBs of the units including the white subunits that must be in the state of Open Writing In this embodiment, the white subunits are the tuner subunit 12 of the IRD 1 and the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR 3. Accordingly, the controller 11 first selects, for example, the tuner subunit. 12 and send an open Write command in such a way that the RSB 51 of the IRD 1 that includes the tuner subunit 12 reach the status of Open Write (the allowed write status). In practice, however, the RSB 51 and the controller 11 are in the same unit, that is, the RSB 51 and the controller 11 are not connected via the bus 2. Therefore, the controller 11 controls the RSB 51 as if an Open Write command is supplied to the RSB 51 via the bus 2. After the RSB 51 of the IRD 1 including the tuner subunit 12 is in the Open Write state, the controller 11 controls that the RSB 61 of the DVCR 3 including the remaining white subunit, that is, the VCR subunit 33 is in the Open Write state. In this case, the controller sends an Open Write command that has the format illustrated in figure 12 to the RSB61 (controller 31) of DVCR 3 via bus 2. The above Open Write command is a type of commands from Open descriptor to create access to a predetermined blank address space, and has the format illustrated in figure 12. The value 08? 6, which represents the Open Descriptor, is set in the operation code. The value 1016, which indicates the Object List Descriptor defined by the list ID, is set to operand 0 as the type_of_descriptor that represents the type of the descriptor. In operand 1 and operand 2, list IDs (in this mode, 00 and 01) of the RSBs to which they must have access (which must be in the Open Write state) are described. The value 03? 6 which indicates that descriptors must be opened for reading or writing, is established in operand 3 as a subfunction. The value 00 is set in operand 4 as a reserved value. Referring again to Figure 9, in step S13, the controller 11 reads the descriptor_length and the list_specific information field (Figure 7) of the RSB 51 within the BBS 14. The read operation is carried out using, for example , the read command shown in FIG. 13. In this case, since the controller 11 and the RSB 51 are not connected via the bus 2, as indicated above, the above data is read directly from the controller .11 to the RSB 51. However, when the controller 11 reads data from the RSB 61 of the DVCR 3, the Read command illustrated in Figure 3 is sent to the RSB 61 (the controller 31) via the bus 2. As illustrated in Figure 13 , the value 09? 6 that represents the reading descriptor, is established in the operation code, which is the header of the read command. In the following operand 0, the descriptor identifier is described to identify the descriptor to be read. In the read operation in step S13, the descriptor identifier is set by the list ID. Specifically, 0016 through OD16 of the address_deviation is set to the information field of the specific_of_list with RSB allowed script. When the Read command is transmitted, FF is set in the state_of_result_ofreading. When the Read command returns from the target as a response, the reading result is set. In the length_of_data, the number of bytes of data to be read from the target is described. When the length_of_data is set to 0, all lists are read. The address in which the reading starts is set at the address. When 00 is set in the address, the reading starts from the header.

Referring again to FIG. 9, in step S14, the controller 11 extracts for the RSB 51 the maximum length of the list (the maximum_size_of_list_objects illustrated in FIG. 7), the maximum entry number of the list (the maximum_number_of_entries_of_objects illustrated. in Figure 7), and the maximum length of bytes of each input (the maximum_in_entry_of_object size illustrated in Figure 7). The controller 11 then determines in step SI5 whether data (reservation information) to be recorded in the RSB 51 or cause an excess of the maximum length of the list extracted in step S14. If the result of step S15 is no, the process proceeds to step SI6 where the controller 11 determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the current number of entries from the maximum number of entries in the list extracted in step S14 is greater than 0, that is, if there are available entries for writing data. If the result of step S16 is yes, the process proceeds to step S17 in which the controller 11 determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the input length of the reservation information to be written from the maximum length of the input extracted in step S14 is greater than 0, that is, if there is some space for the entry in which the data is written. If any of the conditions set forth in step S15 to S17 are not met, the process proceeds to step S18 in which the controller 11 indicates a warning, such as "full reservations" to the user. This allows the user to recognize that no more reservations can be made. If all the conditions set forth in steps S15 to S17 are met, the reservation information can be written to the RSB 51, and a determination is made in steps S19 to S25 of FIG. 10 in the sense of whether the time of the reservation entered by the user splices the time of the reservation had already been accepted, that is, if a double reservation occurred. More specifically, in step S19, a variable i is initialized to 0. It is then determined in step S20 whether the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number of entries, ie the number_of_entries, recorded in the RSB 51 is greater than 0, that is, if all entries recorded in RSB 51 have been searched. If the result of step S20 is yes, the process proceeds to step S21 in which controller 11 reads object_input (i) (FIG. 8) (in this case, object_input (0)) illustrated in RSB 51. Even though the read operation in step S21 is also carried out by using the Read command illustrated in FIG. 13, the descriptor identifier is established by the object position. At the entry_of_object (i), the time information of the registered reservation (the_time_of_time and the duration illustrated in Figure 8) and the ID information of the white sub-unit (the_type_of_subunity (0) of the info blocks illustrated in the Figure 11) are stored, which will be described below. Then, the controller 11 determines in step S22 whether the time information (start_time and duration) entered by the user in step Sil is spliced with the time information (start_time and duration) read in step S21. If the result of step S22 is yes, the process proceeds to step S23. In step S23, the controller 11 determines whether the subunit in which the reservation was established in step Sil (in this case, the tuner subunit 12) matches the subunit read in step S21 (the_e_unity_ID_ type). If the result S23 is yes, the time and subunit read in step S21 correspond to those entered by the user. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S25 where the controller 11 indicates a warning, such as "reservations are spliced" as a result, the occurrence of a double reservation can be avoided. If it is found in step S22 that the time information entered by the user is not spliced with the time information read in step S21, or it is found in step S23 that the subunits determined in steps Sil and S21 do not coincide with each other even if a time splice has occurred in step S22, there is no possibility of generating a double reservation. Accordingly, in step S24, the variable i is incremented by 1, and the process returns to step S20. A processing similar to the processing described above is repeated until it is determined in step S20 that the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number_of_input is not greater than zero. That is, all the entries_of_objects (i) stored in the RSB 51 are not searched to determine if there are reservations that are spliced. If it is found in step S20 that the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number_of_inputs is not greater than 0, that is, if it is determined that all the entries_of_or_object (i) have been searched, the process continues to step S26. In step S26, the controller 11 sends a Create command to the RSB 51 and creates an object entry in the RSB 51. In this case, the Create command is not actually sent, and the processing is executed as if the Create command was sent, as stated above. When the object entry is created in RSB 61, the Create command is sent. The steps S15 to S18 described above can be executed after the determination, in step S20, that not all entries have been fully searched. The Create command described above is discussed with details below with reference to figures 14 to 17. Figure 14 illustrates the format of the Create AV / C command. Figure 15 illustrates the value that can be specified by the subfunction_l illustrated in Figure 14, and in this mode 01 (create a new object and its dependent list) is used.

Figure 16 illustrates the format of the subfunction specification1 for the subfunction_l = 01 illustrated in Figure 14. Figure 17 illustrates the values of the individual fields illustrated in Figure 16. If the values 20, 22, and 11 are respectively set, as shown in figure 17, in the fields, that is, the identifier_of_descriptor_ where the identifier_of_descriptor_what_l, and the identifier of_descriptor_what_2, of figure 16, the meaning is to create a new object and its dependent list. Details of the Create AV / C command are indicated in IEE 1394 (see Internet page http: //www.1394 TA.org), and the formats used in this mode are extracted from the specifications of the IEEE 1394 standards (improvement of the general specification AV / C 3.0 version 1.0 FC2 and TA Document 1999005 Bulletin Board Subunit General Specification (general specification bulletin board sub-unit AV / C) 1.0, version 0.99: 149). The information descriptors that form the dashboard (Descriptor of information lists) include descriptors that can be written and descriptors that can be read, and the type of list is used to differentiate the two types.

To write a new information in AV / C descriptor (AV / C Descriptor) from an external source, the following method can be used as a typical example. The controller sends the Create command described above to the target, and then the target forms a model to write information, the controller controls again the structure of the specific information. More specifically, when the information is written first, the controller designates a desired list and sends the command Create AV / C descriptor. Upon receiving this command, the target forms the object within the target based on the model that has the data structure specified by the General AV / C Specification. The model that has the data structure designated by the General AV / C Specification has an object ID field. In the list using the AV / C Descriptor, the object ID is handled by the target, that is, when the object is created, the target adds a unique ID to the object and has the function of handling the ID. The object ID is an ID number to specify only the object in the list, and the target is required to prevent the multiple storage of IDs. The BBS simply provides information, and the object IDs are handled by the controller. When the Create command is sent to a subunit, inconsistencies may arise. When an object is created, the object ID, which must be handled by the controller, is under the control of the target. After sending the Create command, the controller has to follow the writing control. In this way, the processing is divided into several steps. Therefore, if the controller is accidentally disconnected from the bus while writing information to the BBS, an imperfect object can be created. To overcome the situation described above, a system is required to specify the imperfect object and to eliminate it correctly. In this mode, the information structure in the BBS is restricted to specify imperfect objects. When creating an object, the target (in this mode the DVCR 3) first assigns temporarily handling numbers (for example all 0) to a Global Unique ID (GUID) of the object ID. The object ID consists of the GUID and the registration ID. The controller then writes information to the object, and if the write operation is carried out correctly, the driver eventually overwrites the GUID. In accordance with the aforementioned procedure, if the write operation has been performed correctly, the presence of objects that have the GUID indicating all 0 and impossible. Consequently, such objects can be specified as imperfect objects that were created accidentally while the writing operation was being developed. Therefore, written objects can be uniquely identified. It is also possible to distinguish correctly written objects from imperfect objects and easily eliminate imperfect objects (invalid objects). This also makes it possible to effectively use a finite memory provided for an electronic device. According to the above method, written objects can be specified in a simple manner by temporary assignment of zero to the GUID. A programmatic to eliminate imperfect objects can be created easily in a corresponding way. In step S26 of figure 11, the Insert command can be used instead of the Create command. Referring again to Fig. 11, the process proceeds to step S27 in which the controller 11 reads the list-specific information field (Fig. 7) of the white RSB 61 of the DVCR 3, thereby obtaining the local time difference of the DVCR 3. Then, in step S28, the controller 11 calculates time information of the reservation of the VCR subunit 33 entered by the user in the step Sil according to the deviation_of_local_time of the DVCR 3 that is obtained in step S27. More specifically, even when the controller 11 operates on the basis of UTC (it is capable of acquiring the UTC), the user enters the time at which the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR is used based on the local time of IRD 1 in from the DVCR 3. The controller 11 then converts the time entered by the user (relative to the local time of the IRD 1) in the UTC and it also obtains the time corresponding to the local_time_deviation of the UTC, finally calculating the time based on the local time of the DVCR 3. In step S29, the controller 11 writes the reservation content, such as the start_time, the duration, and the_request_information, the subunit to be used (the_e_unit_ID_type) in the input_specific information fields (figure 8) of the RSB 51. The start_time is recorded based on the local time of the DVCR 3 calculated in step S28. Figure 18 illustrates the command Write descriptor provided by controller 1 when step S29 is executed. As stated above, since the controller 11 and the RSB 51 are not connected via the bus 2, the reservation information of the tuner subunit 12 is written directly to the RSB 51 without sending the Write Descriptor command. Conversely, when the controller 11 writes the VCR subunit reservation information 33 in the RSB 61, the Write Descriptor command is sent. In the operation code, which is the header of Write Descriptor, the OAie value is established. which indicates Write Descriptor. In operand 0, the descriptor identifier to identify the descriptor of the information to write is established by the object position. Then, the value 50? 6 / representing the partial_ replacement, is established as the subfunction, thus executing a partial insertion or a partial elimination. When carrying out an insertion, a new descriptor is inserted immediately before the descriptor defined by the operand specified by the identifier_of_descriptor. When performing a removal operation, the descriptor defined by the identifier_of_describer is removed. The group_marker is used to update the data that can not be divided when written in the descriptor. In this mode, the OOie (immediate) value is established, which indicates that the data is being written immediately in the descriptor. The length_of_data_of_replacement represents the number of bytes of the operand, that is, the length of the data to be written. The address indicates the position in which processing is executed. If the length_of_data_of_r_meet indicates 0, a partial removal is carried out, in this case, the operand of the replacement_data does not exist. In this case, the length_of_original_data is greater than 0, and indicates the number of bytes to be removed. If the length_of_original_data is 0, a partial initiation is carried out, in which case, the_data_of_ replacement is greater than 0, and indicates the number of bytes to be inserted. Referring back to Figure 11, the process proceeds to step S30 in which the controller 11 closes the list, i.e., the RSB 51. Simultaneously, the controller 11 sends the Close command illustrated in Figure 19 to the RSB 51. As stated above, the controller 11 closes the RSB 51 directly without issuing the Close command since the controller 11 and the RSB 51 are not connected through the bus 2. When the controller 11 closes the RSB 61 of the DVCR 3, the Close command is issued.

The format of the Close command illustrated in Figure 19 is basically similar to the Open Write command illustrated in Figure 12, except for the following. The Open Write command subfunction illustrated in Figure 12 indicates 03? 6, which represents Open Script, while the Close Command subfunction illustrated in Figure 29 indicates 00? 6, which indicates Close. The process then continues until step S31, in which the controller 11 determines whether there are other resources related to the reservation. In this case, even when processing has been completed to make a reservation on the tuner subunit 12, further processing is required to make a reservation on the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR 3. Therefore, the process returns step S12 in which a processing similar to the processing performed in the RSB is executed in the RSB 61 of the DVCR 3 51. If it is determined in step S31 that there are no other resources related to the reservation, the process ends. A description of a network system incorporating another embodiment of the present invention is given below with reference to Figure 20. The network system illustrated in Figure 20 is formed from the IRD 1 and the DVCR 3 connected via the bus 2. The controller 11 of the IRD 1 controls the entire IRD 1 by receiving a channel selection operation or a registration reservation operation performed by a user. The controller 11 also controls the DVCR 3 by using the default command (set AV / C command transaction). The CS 13 antenna receives digital signals from a digital satellite broadcast transmitted through a communication satellite (not shown) and sends the digital signals to the tuner subunit 12. The tuner subunit 12 extracts a predetermined channel signal from of the digital signals input from the CS 13 antenna under the control of the controller 11, and sends the extracted signal to the VCR sub-unit 33 of the DVCR 3 via the bus 2. The controller 11 also searches for information stored in a descriptor of Programmed Action (SA) 221 of the DVCR 3.

An SA 211 descriptor that serves as a subunit of the IRD 1, stores information regarding registration reservations received and determined by the controller 11. The controller 31 of the DVCR 3 controls the entire DVCR 3 by receiving a playback instruction operation or a registration reservation operation performed by a user. An analog tuner block extracts a predetermined channel signal from the analog signals inputted under the control of the controller 31 and sends the extracted signal to the VCR sub-unit 33. The VCR sub-unit 33 registers on a magnetic tape (not shown) a video signal input to from analog tuner block 35 c a vide signal input from tuner subunit 12 of IRD 1 through bus 2. The descriptor of SA 221, which serves as a subunit of DVCR 3, stores and manages the information of DVCR registration reservations 3. In accordance with the network system described above, when making a reservation of registration, the user enters the characteristics (the channel, the registration start time, etc.), of the reservation of registration in the IRD 1. If the reservation of registration does not imply a double reservation, the reservation entered is accepted and then described in the descriptor of SA 211 of the IRD 1.

Figure 21 illustrates the directory structure of the SA descriptor 211 of the IRD (the descriptor of SA 221 is configured similarly to the descriptor of SA 211, even when not shown). The SA 211 descriptor is formed from a list of SA root events consisting of a plurality of reservation information elements (SA events number i) and a macro comma list, which is a table for handling the macro command number i registered with the unit. Figure 22 illustrates a more detailed configuration of the root SA event list. The heading of the list includes, as shown in Figure 22, a valid / invalid_sale root list that indicates whether the SA 211 descriptor (all events described in the SA 211 descriptor) is valid or invalid. For example, it becomes possible that a super-timer 271, which will be discussed with reference to FIG. 38, controls the individual electronic machines of the entire system by turning off the marker from the root list of valid / invalid_of_SA while the detailed characteristics of the descriptors of SA of the individual electronic machines remain the same. The SA list specific information includes the information illustrated in figure 23. Details of the information illustrated in figure 23 are basically similar to the details illustrated in figure 7, and therefore an explanation of these details is omitted. The number_of_event_of_SA_object represents the number of the following_SA_ events. Subsequently, the pointer_for_event_of_SA of number i is provided which indicates the pointer of each SA event, such as a registration reservation. The reservation information (SA event number i) is formed of an SA event ID, time information, related unit information, connection information, trigger information, individual stage command information, as well as user information . The SA event ID includes an ID that allows the corresponding reservation information to be uniquely identified within the network or the related unit. The time information contains the waiting time, the start time of registration, the time of completion of registration, etc. The related unit information describes the Unique Node ID (Global) e (which is a unique ID for the unit den of a Node ID that varies each time the bus is reinitialized) of the mode related to reservation (in this case , the DVCR 3), the subunit type, and the Subunit ID. The connection information indicates the bandwidth of bus 2 and information about the connection. The activation information includes the type of activator (time or message). The individual stage command information designates the macro commands executed in the individual stages (standby stage, start stage, termination stage, suspend stage and restart stage). The user information contains a label, etc. Figure 24 illustrates a more detailed configuration of the SA event list. The valid / invalid-object-object marker is a marker that indicates whether the event is valid or invalid. For example, it is considered that the recording of a series drama broadcast every week is reserved. If the broadcast of the serial drama program is temporarily canceled due to the diffusion of a base ball game, reservation registration processing is temporarily canceled by turning off the marker Valid / invalid_of_event_object while maintaining the detailed reservation characteristics of the program. The object_ID is the event ID, which has a unique value within the unit. The_time_of_SA indicates the start time of the event for the absolute time. The period_for_wait represents the waiting period that varies specifically between the units. Waiting processing begins and lasts during Period_to_wait before the start_time of_Sa. The period_for_action indicates the execution time of the event. The value obtained by adding the period for action to the start time of SA represents the time of termination of the event. That is, the waiting period _ and the period_for_action are designated by the target relative time from the start_time_of_SA, which is represented by the absolute time. This makes it possible to enter the waiting period of each unit, with a fixed value, thus facilitating the creation of applications. Also, since the termination time is indicated by the relative time, it is easy to postpone or advance the termination time (only the change of the start time is required, thus eliminating the need to change the termination time. the valid period of the event, which is used to rearrange the reservation information when the reservation has not been made for any reason or when the reservation information of the subunit has not been used, and if the valid period is established , the following advantage is offered: When the same reservation record is carried out, for example, a soap opera, during a predetermined period, such as 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year, it ends automatically after the end of the period predetermined (after the culmination of the telenovela broadcast).

The output unit (node ID) & oPCR No. represents the ID of the unit (node ID) that produces the event and the number of the outgoing connection control register. The input unit (node ID) & iPCR No. indicates the node ID of the electronic machine that receives the corresponding event and the number of the input connection control register. The aforementioned information is required as connection information to transmit and receive data from and to the other electronic machines through bus 2. The bandwidth designates the bandwidth to occupy and required to transmit and receive data on the bus 2. This information is used when the resource contention situation of the network is reviewed (which is described in detail below with reference to the flow chart of Figure 29). If the information described above, it is necessary to explore the actual commands in order to review to determine the presence of a contention situation. Therefore, time is required to review the containment situation.

The Pointer for SA is a pointer to the list_of_SA_commands where the execution command is described. That is, the commands illustrated in Figure 25 can be specified by using the pointer_for_SA. The size of the execution command varies according to the reservation operation. Accordingly, the list of commands is provided separately as shown in Figure 25. The user_size_size represents the size of the user information (details will be discussed with reference to Figure 27). The user_information_ pointer indicates the pointer to the user_formation_list illustrated in Figure 27, which will be described below. The user_information_list is also provided separately as the size of the user information varies. Figure 25 illustrates a detailed configuration of the SA command list. The established command illustrated in Figure 25 is categorized into 5 stages, namely, wait, activation, stop, suspend, and resume. At the beginning of the command list, the markers indicate whether the impellers of the five individual stages are valid or invalid. For example, the valid / invalid_of_pulse_for_wait_command represents the validity of the waiting impeller. More specifically, this marker is configured, as illustrated in Figure 26. Each marker is set to be valid (1) or invalid (0), as shown in figure 26, for individual elements, such as time and command. This makes it possible to represent whether the impeller is based on internal time or external time. Subsequently, the step size of the command is described. For example, the size of action commands indicates the size of the action command. Therefore, the address of the header of the command set in each stage can be calculated, that is, in this case, the size of the number_of_address_of_action (0) is calculated. Next, the commands of the individual stages are described. In each command, the number of commands of each stage is indicated, followed by specific commands. For example, in accordance with the suspension command, the number of suspension commands is represented by the number_of_suspension_commands, followed by n_suspension_command_number (0) to suspend_command (n-l). In this way, it is possible to write a plurality of execution commands in each stage. The wait_command starts and lasts during the wait_state before the_start_of_SA time. In accordance with the wait processing, for example, the tuner subunit 12 is set to the channel selection state, a connection required to transmit data from the IRD 1 to the DVCR 3, through the bus 2 is established, and the channel and the band required to transmit data are reserved. The command_of_action starts at the time of the start_time_of_SA. This drives the synchronizer subunit 12 to enunciate a reservation registration operation at a predetermined time. The exit_command is executed after the period_for_action has elapsed from the start_time_of_S. Accordingly, the reservation registration operation performed by the tuner subunit 12 is terminated at a predetermined time. The suspend_command is transmitted when a broadcast program is interrupted by a broadcast station for some reason. Since the execution of suspend_command the processing of the event is temporarily interrupted. The reset_command is a command to cancel the suspend mode, thus restarting the processing of the temporarily interrupted event. In this way, by describing the staged commands, it is possible to separate the commands for different execution periods, thus making it easy to access the established blank command. In addition, since the commands can be established as valid or invalid in stages, it is possible to specify in stages that the command driver is based on internal time or external time. Figure 27 illustrates a more detailed configuration of the user information. First, the number of elements of user_information is described, as shown in Figure 27, in information_of_number_of_user. The information_of_user is used as an area in which the user can write data of each event, for example, a nickname or notes (of each event) can be written in the information_of_user. Likewise, the type of info of each user information element is added, and a marker, for example, can be described in the type_of_info with the purpose of making easy the access to the information_of_user. In this way, by adding a nickname, the user can easily identify each event (reservation). The user can also use this area to make comments. With reference again to figure 21, the macro command number i is formed of ur. pointer to the list of macro command number i, a macro identifier command number 1, and a user label. The list of macro commands number 1 represented by the pointer to the list of macro commands number 1 describes a pair of the AV / C command to be executed and the Unique ID of the node. The subfunction includes information that defines the operation of the established command (for example, in the case of the occurrence of an error, the operation is completed or forcefully executed until the end). Figures 28A, 28B, and 28C illustrate descriptor information regarding macro commands stored in the SA descriptor 211 illustrated in Figure 21. The descriptor information includes not only macro command information, but also various information elements. Therefore, to identify different information elements, a data ID (data_ID) is assigned to each information element. In this mode, a Macro Command is assigned as the data ID, as illustrated in Figure 28A, to the information about the macro command. In the modality illustrated in Figure 28A, 50h (h indicates that the preceding number is hexadecimal) is assigned to the Macro Command. The default values have been assigned to certain types of information such as data IDs, for example, 40h has been assigned to the information on the specifications of an AV system or the function of a subunit (subunit identifier), and 41h has been assigned been assigned to information (list of objects) on a selected object (the object available for selection). Basically, the data ID to be assigned to the Macro Command can be any value other than the aforementioned default values. The data ID is used to manage the information. Accordingly, with reference to the data ID, it is possible to identify the address of the descriptor in which the information assigned with the data ID is stored. In this embodiment, for example, information about the macro command (sometimes known here as the "macro command descriptor information") is stored, as shown in FIG. 28B, from address OOOOh. With this mode, for example, the descriptor has a 16-bit address space, and 8-bit data (1 byte) can be stored in each direction.

In the macro command descriptor information, the length (size) of the macro information descriptor command, ie, length_of_descriptor, is indicated in two bytes in the header address and the second direction (OOOOh and OOOlh in Figure 28B) . That is, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 28 B, the macro command descriptor information is stored in the address OOOOh to xxxxh, and xxxxh +1 is indicated as the length of the macro command descriptor information, i.e. length_of_descriptor. At the third address (0002h in Figure 28B), the number of macro commands, i.e. macro_count_command contained in the macro command descriptor information is indicated in a byte. That is, a plurality of macro commands can be described instead of a single macro command in the macro-command descriptor information, and the number of macro commands is indicated in the macro_macro_command. In Figure 28B, n + 1 macro commands are expressed. In the fourth direction (0003h in Figure 28B) and the subsequent addresses, command sets are described that form the macro command in the macro command units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "entry"). The input_of_macro_command (i) (i = 0,1 ..., n) is formed, for example, as shown in Fig. 28C. It will be noted that the length of the entry is variable, in the left column of Figure 28C, the direction of deviation is indicated from the heading of the entry. The unique node "ID" for command "is described in the first address (OOh in Figure 28C) of the entry, for example, as will be described with reference to Figure 36, when a personal computer (PC) 261 controls, through IRD 1, the DVCR 3 that is not equipped with an SA descriptor, the destination to which the command is transferred is IRD 1, but the destination where the command is executed is not the IRD 1, but the DVCR 3. Therefore, to designate the destination in which the command is executed, the "Unique Node ID for command" is indicated, In the subsequent address (01 h in Figure 28C), the entry number to identify is described. the entry, that is, the "number_of_macro_command_input" (hereinafter simply known as the "number_of_entry"). Therefore, as for the entry "input_of_with macro_command (i)", for example i is indicated as the number_of_input. In the third direction of the entry (02h in Figure 28C), the procedure of executing "subfunction" of the commands to be described subsequently is presented. That is, in the fourth direction (03 h in Figure 28C) and the subsequent addresses of the entry, commands number 0, number 1, ..... number K that form the macro command are described, and the procedure and conditions under which it is described are described. execute the commands as the subfunction in the third direction of the entry. More specifically, for example, the following procedure and conditions are described as a subfunction. Command number 0 is executed first, and if the execution of command number 00 ends correctly, command number 1 is executed. If the execution of command number 0 ends normally, command number 2 is executed. fourth address (03h in Figure 28C) and the subsequent addresses of the entry, the number commands 0, number 1,, number K that form the macro command are indicated, as commented above. These commands are described in compliance with the AV / C command format. Taking command number 0 as an example, the command_data_length (0) that indicates the length of command number 0 is described in the header direction, followed by the AV / C command. More specifically, the set of command transactions (CTS) and the type of command / response code (CT / RC) are indicated first. Subsequently, the header address (HA) and the operation code (OPC) are described sequentially, followed by a required number of operands (OPRs). If the CTS indicates Oh, command number 0 is a set of AV / C commands. The CT / RC represents the type, that is, command or response. In addition, the HA designates the destination to which the command should be transmitted or the source from which the response has been sent. The OPC indicates the content of the processing to be executed. The OPR represents the required parameter for processing. Next, a description of the contention unit search processing performed by this network system is provided with reference to the flow diagram of FIGS. 29 to 32. This processing begins when an operation for a registration reservation to be performed by the DVCR 3 is entered into the IRD 1 by the user and is detected by the controller 11. In step S51, the controller 11 selects one of the units connected to the bus 2. In step S52, the controller 11 selects and reads one of the reservation information elements (SA event) from the list of SA events root of the SA descriptor stored in the SA of the unit selected in step S51. Then in step S53, the controller 11 refers to the related unit information of the SA event read in step S52, and determines whether the unique Node ID, the Subunit Type, and the Subunit ID included in the related unit information correspond to the DVCR 3. If the result of step S53 is yes, the process proceeds to step S54. In step S54, the controller 11 checks the time information of the SA event that was read in step S52, and determines whether the recording time included in the time information splices the reserved registration time entered by the user. If it is determined that the registration time does not splice the reserved registration time, the process proceeds to step S55. If it is determined in step S54 that the recording time contained in the SA event time information that was read in step S52 splices into the reserved registration time entered by the user, the process proceeds to step S58. In step S58, the controller 11 determines that the entered record reservation presents contention (causing double reservation) and the information of the double reservation is reported to the user through a predetermined method. For example, by presenting record reservations that are spliced, the user can receive instructions in the sense of selecting one of them. Alternatively, a DVCR in which a registration reservation is not made at the time of splicing can be searched and presented to the user. If you are in step S53 that the Unique Node ID, the Subunit Type, and the Subunit ID included in the related unit information do not correspond to DVCR 3, skip step S54. In step S55, the controller determines whether all SA events included in the list of SA events root of the SA descriptor of the unit selected in step S51 have been selected in step S52. The processing of step S52 to step S55 is repeated until the controller 11 determines that all SA events have been selected. If it is found in step S55 that all the SA events have been selected, the controller 11 determines in step S56 whether all the units placed on the bus 2 have been selected in step S51. The processing of step 551 to step S56 is repeated until the controller 11 determines that all units have been selected. If it is found in step S56 that all the units have been selected, the controller 11 determines in step S57 that the entered registration reservations have no containment (without occurrence of double reservation), and stores the information of the entered registration reservation. in the SA descriptor 211. Subsequently, in step S59, the controller 11 causes the unit in which the reservation must be established to be in the Open Write state. For example, if the target unit is the tuner subunit 12 of the IRD 1, the controller 11 sends the Open Write command in such a way that the SAB 52 of the IRD 1 having the tuner subunit 12 is in the Write Open state) . In practice, however, the SAB 52 and the controller 11 are not connected via the bus 2. Accordingly, the controller 11 controls the SAB 52 as if the Open Write command was supplied to the SAB 52 via the bus 2. The process then proceeds to step S60 where the controller 11 reads the length of the desciptor and the SA_specific_specific information (FIG. 23) of the SAB within the BBS 14. The read operation is carried out by using, for example, the command Read. In this case, since the controller 11 and the SAB 52 are not connected through the bus 2, as previously stated, the above data is read directly from the controller 11 to the SAB 52. In step S61, the controller 11 extracts for SAB 52 the maximum length of the list (the maximum_size_of_object_list illustrated in Figure 23), the maximum number of entries in the list (the maximum_number_of_entries_object illustrated in Figure 23), and the maximum length of bytes of each entry ( the maximum size_of_input_object illustrated in Figure 23). The controller 11 then determines in step S62 whether data (reservation information) to be recorded in the SAB 52 causes an excess of the maximum length of the extracted list • in step S61. If the result of step S62 is no, the process proceeds to step S63 where the controller 11 determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the current number of entries from the maximum number of entries from the list extracted in step S61 is greater than 0, that is, if there are entries to write data. If the result of step S63 is yes, the process proceeds to step S64 in which the controller 11 determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the input length of the reservation information to be written from the maximum length of the input extracted in step S61 is greater than 0, that is, if there is some space available for the input in which the data is written. If any of the conditions set forth in steps S62 to S64 is not met, the process proceeds to step S65 in which the controller 11 indicates a warning such as "complete reservations" to the user. This allows the user to recognize that no more reservations can be made. If all the conditions set forth in steps S62 to S64 are met, reservation information may be written in SAB 52 and an additional determination is made in steps S66 to S73 of Figure 31 if the time of the reservation is entered by the user connects the time of the reservation that has already been accepted, that is, if a double reservation occurred. More specifically, in step S66, a variable i is initialized to zero. It is then determined in step S67 whether the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number of entries, ie the number_of_entries, recorded in the SAB 52 is greater than zero, that is, if all the entries recorded in the SAB 52 have been searched. If the result of step S77 is yes, the process proceeds to step S68 where the controller 11 reads the object_address (i) (in this case, the object_address (0)) illustrated in the SAB 52. Even when the reading operation in step S68 it is also carried out by using the Read command, the descriptor identifier is established by the position of the object. At the object_income (i), the time information of the registered reservation (the start_time and the duration illustrated in FIG. 8), and the ID information of the white subunit (the_e_ID_de_subunity (0) of the info blocks illustrated in Figure 8) are stored. Then, the controller 11 determines in step S69 whether the time information (start_time and duration) entered by the user splices the time information (start_time and duration) read in step S68. If the result of step S69 is yes, the process continues until step S70. In step S70, the controller 11 determines whether the subunit in which the reservation was established (in this case, the tuner subunit 12) matches the subunit read in step S68 (the_e_unity_ID_type). If the result of step S70 is yes. The time and subunit read in step S68 correspond to those entered by the user. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S72 where the controller 11 indicates a warning, such as "reservations are spliced". As a result, the occurrence of a double reservation can be avoided. If it is found in step S69 that the time information entered by the user does not splice the time information read in step S68, or if it is found in step S70 that the subunits do not match each other even if a splice occurred. time in step S69, there is no possibility of generating a double reservation. Therefore, in step S61, variable i is incremented by 1, and the process returns to step S67. A processing similar to the processing described above is repeated until it is determined in step S67 that the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number_of_entries is not greater than zero. That is, all the object_inputs (i) stored in the SAB 52 are searched for the purpose of determining if there are reservations that are spliced. If it is found in step S67 that the value obtained by subtracting the variable i from the number_of_inputs is not greater than zero, ie, that all the object_inputs (i) have been searched, the process proceeds to step S73. In step S73, the controller 11 sends a Create command to SAP 52 and creates an object entry in the SAB 52. In this case, the Create command is not actually sent, and the processing is executed as if the Create command was sent , as stated above. Steps S62 to S65 described above can be executed after it has been determined in step S67 that all entries have not been completely searched. In step S73, of Figure 32, the Insert command can be used in place of the Create command. The process then proceeds to step S74 where the controller 11 reads the list-specific information field (FIG. 23) of the white SAB 62 of the DVCR 3, thereby obtaining the local_time_compensation of the DVCR 3. Then, in step S75, the controller 11 calculates the reservation time information of the VCR sub-unit 33 entered by the user in accordance with the local_time_compensation of the DVCR 3 that is obtained in step S74. More specifically, even when the controller 11 operates based on UTC (it is capable of acquiring the UTC), the user enters the time in which the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR 3 is set based on the local time of the IRD 1 instead of the DVCR 3. The controller 11 then converts the time entered by the user (in relation to the local time of the IRD 1) into the UTC and additionally obtains the time corresponding to the compensation_of_local_time of the UTC, calculating in this way finally the time based on the local time of the DVCR 3. In step S76, the controller 11 writes the reservation content, such as the start_time, the duration, and the_request_information, etc., in the input_specific information fields of the SAB 52 The start time is recorded based on the local time of the DVCR 3 calculated in step S75. The process proceeds to step S77 in which the controller 11 closes the list, i.e., the SAB 52. Simultaneously, the controller 11 sends the Close command to the SAB 52. As stated above, the controller 11 directly closes the SAB 52 without issuing the Close command since the controller 11 and the SAB 52 are not connected through the bus 2. The process then continues until the country S78 where the controller 11 determines if there are other resources related to the reservation. In this case, even when processing has been completed to make a reservation in the tuner subunit 12, further processing to make a reservation in the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR 3 is required. Accordingly, the process returns to step S59 in which a processing similar to the processing executed in SAB 52 is executed in SAB 62 of the DVCR 3. If it is determined in step S78 that there are no other resources related to the reservation, the processing ends.

If the information regarding the particular registration reservation is written in the descriptor of SA 211 of the IRD 1 and the descriptor of SA 221 of the DVCR 3 which is a related unit, the unit selected in step S51 may be the DVCR 3 only. In addition, simultaneously with the processing of step S53 or step S54, the connection information of the SA Event can be read in such a way that the location of the band currently used of bus 2 can be obtained. Thus, it is only essential that part of the SA event of the SA descriptor be read from the SA of each unit without needing to review the registration reservation situation by verifying the execution commands of the individual units one by one. As a result, you can obtain the information concerning the determined registration reservations. The processing for establishing the SA Event ID in this network system will now be described below with reference to the flow chart of Figure 33. After a reservation of registration using the DVCR 3 entered into the IRD 1 by the user and detected by the controller 11, the reservation processing (contention unit search) described above is executed. Then, it starts the processing illustrated in Figure 33. In step S91, the controller 11 generates a provisional ID to identify only the reservation information within the network (or the related unit). Thus, in step S92, the controller 11 reads an SA event within the network and extracts the SA Event ID of the read event. Subsequently, the controller 11 determines in step S93 whether the provisional ID generated in step S91 corresponds to the SA Event ID extracted in step S92. The processing from step S91 to step S93 is repeated until it is found in step S93 that the 2 IDs do not coincide with each other. If the result of step S93 is no, the controller 11 determines in step S94 whether all the SA events of the unit (or the related unit) within the network have been extracted. The processing of step S92 to step S94 is repeated until the result of step S94 is no. If it is found in step S94 that all the SA events have been extracted, the process proceeds to step S95 in which the controller 11 registers the provisional ID generated in step S91 in the descriptor of SA 211 as the event ID of SA.

Figure 34 illustrates the configuration in which the IRD 1 has an SA controller 231 instead of the SA descriptor 211, which is a subunit. Even though the SA 231 controller can not store the SA Descriptor, it has the function to check the SA Descriptor stored in the SA of another unit, which corresponds to the function, for example, of the Reading descriptor or the descriptor of AV / C writing. As described above, an ID is provided that allows the unique identification within the network (or the related unit) of the reservation information. Thus, a certain registration reservation may be designated within the network (or the related unit) in such a way that it can be easily corrected or removed. Another mode of configuring a network system that performs a reservation registration operation is as follows. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 35, a timer 241 is formed by the controller 11 and the descriptor of "SA 211 of the IRD 1, while a timer 251 is formed by the controller 31 and the descriptor of SA 221 of the DVCR 3. A user performs a reservation registration operation on both IRD 1 and DVCR 3 to transfer data received by IRD 1 at a predetermined time to DVCR 3 and register it on DVCR 3. More specifically, the information that indicates that a predetermined channel emission must be received at a predetermined time and transferred to the DVCR 3 via the bus 2 is stored in the SA descriptor 211. The controller 11 performs a counting operation and, upon reaching a time By default, the controller 11 reserves the channel and band required to transfer the data to the DVCR 3 via the bus 2 and causes the tuner subunit 12 to receive the program from the designated channel. then transfer the received data to DVCR 3 via bus 2.

A reservation registration information indicating that a data transferred from the IRD 1 must be received in a predetermined time and must be recorded in the recorder 3 is also stored in the descriptor of SA 211 of the DVCR 3. The controller 31 carries out a counting operation, and upon reaching a predetermined time, the controller 31 causes the VCR subunit 33 to record the data transferred from the IRD 1 through the bus 2. Figure 36 illustrates another mode of the configuration of a network system . In this embodiment, the DVCR 3 is not equipped with the descriptor of SA 221. The personal computer (PC) 261 causes the IRD 1 to store a reservation registration information in the descriptor of SA 211 of the IRD 1. In this case, as mentioned above, PC 261 designates IRD 1 as the destination to which reservation registration information must be transferred, and also specifies DVCR 3 as the destination to which IRD 1 must transmit a command at a predetermined time. Upon reaching a predetermined time stored in the SA descriptor 211, the controller 11 of the IRD 1 reserves the channel and band that are required to transfer the data through the bus 2, and causes the tuner subunit 12 to receive the predetermined channel. . The controller 11 then transfers the received data to the DVCR 3 via bus 2. The controller 11 transmits a command to the DVCR 3 before transferring the data, and requires the DVCR 3 to record the data to be transferred from the IRD 1 in the VCR sub-unit 33. Upon receiving this command, the controller 31 of the DVCR 3 receives the data subsequently transferred from the IRD 1 and registers it in the sub-unit of VCR 33. Figure 37 illustrates a further embodiment of the configuration of the a network system. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 36, it is necessary that the time of the counting operation performed by the controller 11 of the IRD 1 corresponds to that of the controller 31 of the DVCR 3. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 37, however, the Reservation registration operation can be performed even if the time of the counting operation performed by the controller 11 does not correspond to the time of the counting operation performed by the controller 31. More specifically, in this mode, upon reaching a predetermined time stored in the SA descriptor 211, the controller 11 reserves the channel and band that are required to transfer the data through the bus 2, and also sends an activation signal to the controller 31 of the DVCR 3. The controller 11 also controls the tuner subunit 12 to receive a predetermined channel signal and to transfer it to the DVCR 3 via the bus 2. In response to the activation signal from the IRD controller 11 1, the controller 31 of the DVCR 3 causes the VCR sub-unit 33 to start recording the data transferred from the IRD 1. Then, upon reaching the completion time of the reservation registration operation, the controller 11 stops the operation of the tuner subunit 12 and also sends an activation signal indicating the end of the registration operation to the controller 31 of the DVCR 3. In response to the activation signal, the controller 3 1 ends the registration operation performed by the VCR sub-unit 33. Figure 38 illustrates a further embodiment of the configuration of a network system. In this embodiment, the timer operations performed by all the electronic machines connected to the bus 2 are controlled by the super timer 271 of the personal computer 261. More specifically, a user stores a reservation registration information in a descriptor of SA 282 that the super timer 271 forms. Upon reaching a predetermined time stored in the SA descriptor 282, a controller 281 reserves the channel and band that are required to transfer the data through the bus 2, and also requests that the IRD 1 receive a signal of the predetermined channel and transfer it to the DVCR 3 via the bus 2. In response to this request, the controller 11 causes the tuner subunit 12 to receive the designated channel and transfer the data to the DVCR 3 through the bus 2 The controller 281 also requests the controller 31 of the DVCR 3 to register the data to be transmitted from the IRD 1 in the VCR subunit 33. In response to this From the personal computer 261, the controller 31 of the DVCR 3 controls the sub-unit of VCR 33 to register the data transferred from the IRD 1. The completion of the registration operation is also executed by sending a command from from the personal computer 261 to both IRD 1 and DVCR 3. The AV / C Resource Programming Board is a board in the Bulletin Board sub-unit AV / C. This board is to avoid the occurrence of a double reservation when making a reservation processing between units connected to the network. A unit that must reserve another unit within the network writes the RSB reservation program within the Bulletin Board AV / C subunit of the target unit. If another unit makes a reservation for the same white unit, it refers to RSB to obtain the reservation program before carrying out the actual reservation operation. Thus, the occurrence of a double reservation can be avoided. Figure 39 illustrates another embodiment of the network system. The object ID can be stored not only in the RSB but also in the SAB. This makes it possible to easily detect the occurrence of a double reservation. It is now considered that an IRD 321, as well as the IRD 1 and the DVCR 3, is connected to the bus 2, as illustrated in Figure 39. The BBS 14 of the IRD 1 is provided not only with the RSB 51 and the SAB 52 , but also with a Subunit Identifier Descriptor (SID) 341. SID 341 stores information to identify which types of board (in this , RSB 51 and SAB 52) are supported within the BBS 14 to which it belongs the SID 341. The BBS 34 of the DVCR 3 is equipped not only with the RSB 61, but also with a SID 311. The IRD 321 also has a controller 322 and a display unit 323. The operation performed by the system illustrated in FIG. Figure 39 is discussed in detail below. The user enters a reservation information in the controller 11 of the IRD 1. In the embodiment illustrated in figure 39, a reservation is entered to select the X channel from 20:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on August 12 and record the data of the selected program in the DVCR 3. The controller 11 writes the content of the reservation in an integrated memory and writes the reservation information in the RSB 51 and the SAB 52 of the BBS 14. The controller 11 also writes the scheme to use the DVCR 3 as the target in the RSB 71 of the BBS 34 of the DVCR 3. Simultaneously, the controller 11 sets the Object ID to be stored in the individual entries of the RSB 51, the SAB 52, and the RSB 61 as the same value. Accordingly, according to the aforementioned system illustrated in FIG. 39, a description is provided below with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 40 of the processing executed when the IRD 321 makes a reservation to use the DVCR 3 in the time period that splices the time of the reservation made by the IRD 1. In step Slll the 322 controller of the IRD 321 checks the RSB 61 of the white DVCR 3, and determines if there is a reservation made by another controller in the time period that it connects with the reservation time made by IRD 321. If the result of step Sil is no, the process continues until step S115 where the controller 322 executes a reservation processing similar to that described above. That is, the controller 322 writes the reservation time information on the RSB 61 of the DVCR 3. If it is found in step Slll that the VCR subunit 33 of the DVCR 3 has been reserved by another controller in the time that splices, the process continues until step S112. In step S112, the controller 322 reads the Object ID of the entry related to the reservation, and determines the node ID of the unit that has written the entry from the upper 8-byte (64-bit) GUID of the object. As previously stated, the GUID is inherent in each unit and does not vary each time the bus is reinitialized. Accordingly, the controller 322 reviews the GUIDs and the node IDs of the units connected to the bus 2, and then creates a reference table for the two IDs in correspondence between them in advance. Therefore it is possible to determine the node ID from the GUID by referring to the reference table. Subsequently in step S113, the controller 322 designates the same object ID as the input of the splice reservation from the SAB of the unit determined in step S112 (in this case, SAB 52 of the IRD 1), and reads the content of the entry. In step S114, the controller 322 sends the contents of the splice reservation to the display unit 323 and displays it. This allows the IRD 321 user to identify previously reserved content. The series described above can be executed by the team. Alternatively, you can use the programmatic, in this case, you can install a program that implements the above operations in a computer built into a controller specifically used as a computer. Alternatively, the above program can be installed on a general-purpose personal computer that can perform the various functions by installing several programs. As shown in Figure 41, a general purpose personal computer 101 has, for example, an integrated central processing unit (CPU) 111. An input / output interface 116 is connected to the central processing unit 111 through of a bus 115. In response to an instruction provided by a user from an input unit 118, such as keyboard, mouse, etc., through the input / output interface 116, the central processing unit 111 reads a program that implements the operations described above from a recording medium, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 112 or a hard disk 114, or a recording medium loaded in a unit 120, such as for example a magnetic disk 131, an optical disk 132, or xx ± i magneto-optical disk 133. The central processing unit 111 then installs the read program in a random access memory (RAM) 113 and executes said program. The program installed on the hard disk 114 can be a program stored in a recording medium and distributed by the user, or it can be a program transferred through a satellite or a network and received by a communication unit 119, and then installed on the hard disk 114. After the processing of the program, the central processing unit 111 sends an image signal to a display unit 117, such as for example a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit or a liquid crystal display tube. cathode rays (CRT) through the input / output interface 116. As can be seen from the above description, the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the recording medium of the present invention offer the following advantages. The time in which the target should be used becomes the first reference time used by the target according to the information regarding the first reference time. Therefore, it is possible to precisely control the target even when the target uses the reference time different from the reference time used by the information processing apparatus. The information regarding the second reference time is stored, and sent to an external information processing device in response to a request from the information processing apparatus. This allows the external information processing device to handle events in a correct time. The validity of stored events is designated. Accordingly, it is possible to collectively control a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to a network by a single information processing apparatus while obtaining the information of the individual events. Even when the processing of events changes temporarily, a temporary processing can be executed while keeping detailed information of the events in the individual information processing devices. Since the termination time or the waiting time of the event is designated by a relative time, it can be entered into each information processing device as a fixed value, thus facilitating the creation of the application. Even when the end time or waiting time is postponed or moved forward, no change is required. The connection information required to transmit and receive data through a network is stored for each event, thus quickly determining contention in the network. The event is executed in accordance with any of the waiting, starting, ending, suspending and resuming stages. Thus, the event can be managed in accordance with each stage, thus improving easy access for the execution of the event.

User information is stored for each event. Therefore it is easy to manage and look for a plurality of events.

Claims (9)

1. 8:
2. REVITALIZATIONS an information processing apparatus operated based on a second reference time and employing a target operated on a first reference time through a network, dichc information processing apparatus comprises: a first acquisition device to acquire a time represented by dichc second reference time in which said target must be used; a second acquisition device for acquiring information regarding said first reference time from said target; and a conversion device for converting the time represented by said second reference time acquired by said first acquisition device at a time represented by said first reference time in which said target must be used in accordance with the information regarding said first reference time acquired by said second acquisition device. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recording device for recording the time converted by said conversion device into said target.
3. 3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition device acquires, as the information relating to said first reference time, information regarding a difference of said first reference time from a third time. reference shared between said information processing apparatus and said target.
4. 4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second acquisition device further acquires information that refers to the polarity of said third reference time as the information concerning said first reference time.
5. 5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition device acquires a code representing a country where said target is located as the information concerning said first reference time.
6. 6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time in which said target is to be used includes a start time at which the use of said target starts. . An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time basis and employing a target operated on a first reference time through a network, said method of processing information comprises: a first acquisition step to acquire a time represented by said second reference time in which said target must be used; a second acquisition step for acquiring information concerning said first reference time from said target; and a conversion step for converting the time represented by said second reference time acquired by processing said first acquisition step at a time represented by said first reference time when said target must be used in accordance with the information concerned. said first reference time acquired by processing said second acquisition step. A registration means for registering an executable information processing program with a computer, said information processing program for use in an information processing apparatus that is operated based on a second reference time and employs a target operated in base in a first reference time through a network, said information processing program comprises: a first acquisition step to acquire a time represented by said second reference time in which said target must be used; a second acquisition step for acquiring information that refers to said first reference time from said target; and a conversion step for converting the time represented by said second reference time acquired by processing said first acquisition step at a time represented by said first reference time in which said target must be used in accordance with the information in as regards said first reference time acquired by the processing of said second acquisition step. An information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time basis and used by an external information processing apparatus operated on the basis of a first reference time through a rd, said information processing apparatus comprising: a first storage device for storing an event that is started at a predetermined time; a second storage device for storing an event start time; a third storage device for storing information that relates to said second reference time; and an output device for producing the information relating to said second reference time stored in said third storage device to said external information processing apparatus in response to a request from said external information processing apparatus. 10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said third storage device stores, as the information referring to said second reference time, information concerning a difference of said second reference time from of a third reference time shared between said information processing apparatus and said external information processing apparatus. 11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said third storage device further stores information regarding a polarity of said third reference time as the information concerning said second reference time. 12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said third storage device further stores a code representing a country in which said information processing apparatus is located as the information concerning said second reference time. . . An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus that is operated on a second reference time basis and is employed by an external information processing device operated on a first reference time through a network, said information processing method comprises: a first storage control step for controlling the storage of an event that is initiated at a predetermined time; a second storage control step to control the storage of an event start time; a third storage control step for controlling the storage of an information relating to said second reference time; and an output step for producing the information regarding said second reference time stored by the processing of said third storage control step to said external information processing apparatus in response to a request from the external information processing apparatus . . A registration means for recording an executable information processing program by a computer, said information processing program for use in an information processing apparatus operated on a second reference time and used by an external processing device of information based on a first reference time through a network, said information processing program comprises: a first storage control step for controlling the storage of an event that is initiated at a predetermined time; a second storage control step to control the storage of an event start time; a third storage control step for controlling the storage of an information relating to said second reference time; and an output step for sending the information relating to said second reference time stored by the processing of said third storage control step to said external information processing apparatus in response to a request from said external processing device. of information. 15. An information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, comprising: a storage device for storing events to be processed; an execution device for executing the events stored in said storage device; a time designation device to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a validity designation device for designating a validity of the events stored in said storage device. 16. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said validity designation device designates the validity of all stored events of said storage device. 1
7. 7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said validity designation device designates the validity of the individual events stored in said storage device. 1
8. 8. An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing method comprising: a storage control step to control the storage of events to process; an execution step for executing the stored events by processing said storage control step; a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a validity designation step to designate a validity of stored events by storage control processing. . A registration means for recording an information processing program executable by a computer and used in the transmission and reception of data through a network, said information processing program comprising: a control step of storage control to control the storage of events to be processed; an execution step for executing the events stored by the processing of said storage control step; a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a validity designation step for designating a validity of stored events by processing said storage control step. . An information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network comprising: a storage device for storing an event to be processed; an execution device for executing the event stored in said storage device; and a time designation device for designating one of a termination time and an event wait time for a relative time. . An information processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said time designation device further designates a valid period of the event stored in said storage device. . An information processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said time designation device designates one of the final time and the waiting time of the event for a relative time calculated from the start time of the event. . An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing method comprising: a storage control step for controlling the storage of an event to be processed; an execution step for executing the stored event by processing said storage control step; and a time designation step to designate one of a final time and an expected time of the event for a relative time. a registration means for registering an information processing program executable by a computer and used in the transmission and reception of data through a network, said information processing program comprising: a storage control step to control the storage of data; an event to be processed; an execution step for executing the stored event by processing said storage control step; and a time designation step to designate one of a final time and an expected time of the event for a relative time. an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network comprising: an event storage device for storing events to be processed; an execution device for executing the events stored in said event storage device; a time designation device to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a connection information storage device for storing connection information of each of the events required for transmission and reception of data through said network. . An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing method comprising: an event storage control step to control the storage of events to process; an execution step for executing the stored events by processing said event storage control step; a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a step of storing connection information to store a connection information of each of the events required to transmit and receive data through said network. . A registration means for recording an information processing program and employee for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing program comprising: an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed; an execution step for executing stored events by processing said event storage control step; a time of designation of time to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; and a step of storing connection information to store a connection information of each of the events required to transmit and receive data through said network. . An information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, comprising: an event storage device for storing an event to be processed; a device to designate. of time to designate a time in which the event should be executed; and an execution device for executing the event stored in said storage device in accordance with any of the waiting, starting, ending, suspending, and resuming stages of the event. 2
9. 9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a device for designation of stage validity to designate a validity of each of the steps. 30. An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing method comprising: an event storage control step for controlling the storage of data; an event to be processed; a time designation step to designate a time in which the event should be executed; and an execution step for executing the stored event by processing said event storage control step in accordance with any of the waiting, starting, ending, suspending, and resuming stages of the event. 31. A means of registering to record an information processing program executable by a computer and used in the transmission and reception of data through a network, said information processing program comprising: an event storage control step for control the storage of an event to process; a time designation step to designate a time in which the event should be executed; and an execution step for executing the stored event by processing said event storage control step in accordance with any of the waiting, starting, ending, suspending, and resuming stages of the event. . An information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, comprising: an event storage device for storing events to be processed; a time designation device to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; an execution device for executing the events stored in said event storage device; and a user information storage device for storing user information of each of the events. An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving data through a network, said information processing method comprising: an event storage control step for controlling the storage of events to process; a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; an execution step for executing the stored events by processing said event storage control step; and a step of storing user information to store user information of each of the events. . A registration means for registering an information processing program executable by a computer and used in the transmission and reception of data through a network, said information processing program comprising: an event storage control step to control the storage of events to be processed; a time designation step to designate a time in which each of the events must be executed; an execution step for executing the stored events by processing said event storage control step; and a step of storing user information to store a user information of each of the events.