JPH1168803A - Data communication system, data communication method, information processing unit and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the data communication system where a device on an IEEE1394 bus without any network interface accesses a network and of which the cost is reduced or the like and to provide the data communication method, the information processing unit and the information processing method. SOLUTION: A 1st computer 14 connected between a network 16 and an IEEE1394 bus has an interface function interfacing the network 16 and the system has a communication control function that sends/receives data based on a program controlling data from the network 16 to an optional electronic device on the IEEE1394 bus sequentially and controlling transmission of data from the IEEE1394 bus conversely to an optional electronic device on the network 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data communication system, a data communication method, and an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, and more particularly, to a data communication bus capable of performing communication by mixing control signals and data. The present invention relates to a data communication system, a data communication method, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method suitable for connecting a plurality of electronic devices (hereinafter, abbreviated as devices) with each other and performing data communication between the devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, IEEE (Institute of Electron)
rical and Electronics Enginers), an IEEE 1934 bus defined by the American Electrical and Electronic Engineers Association, and Ethe
r Net (Ethernet: Xerox, DEC, USA
And a bus-structured local area network jointly developed by the three Intel companies.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, since the IEEE 1394 bus and the Ether Net operate independently of each other, the conventional IEEE 1394 bus and the Ethernet
When trying to exchange data with a network using devices connected by the 394 bus, all the devices that want to exchange data need to have a network interface.

[0004] For example, it is assumed that a computer in a system connected by an IEEE 1394 bus has an interface to a network. In that case, the other computers connected to the network
There is a problem in that even if an attempt is made to print using a printer in the system connected by the IEEE 1394 bus, printing cannot be performed unless the printer has a direct network interface.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been developed in consideration of an IE having no network interface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data communication system, a data communication method, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method that enable a device on an EE1394 bus to access a network and reduce a system cost. Aim.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus. At least one electronic device among the devices includes an interface unit that interfaces with a network, and a communication control unit that transmits and receives data between the network and the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the bus is an IEEE 1394 bus.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the network is an Ether Net.

In order to achieve the above object, a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the communication control means transmits and receives the data based on a program for transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the at least one electronic device is a computer having the interface means and the communication control means, and is connected between the network and the bus. It is characterized by the following.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the at least one electronic device is a connection device having the interface means and the communication control means, and is connected between the network and the bus. It is characterized by being.

In order to achieve the above object, a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus.

[0013] To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that an output device such as a printer is connected to the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, a ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an input device such as a scanner is connected to the bus.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication method for a system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices is provided. One electronic device has an interface step of interfacing with a network, and a communication control step of transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 11 is characterized in that the bus is an IEEE 1394 bus.

In order to achieve the above object, a twelfth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the network is an Ether Net.

In order to achieve the above object, a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the communication control step, the data transmission / reception is performed based on a program for transmitting / receiving data between the network and the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a computer as the at least one electronic device connected between the network and the bus has the interface step and the communication control step. It is characterized by.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, a connection device as the at least one electronic device connected between the network and the bus includes:
It has the interface step and the communication control step.

[0021] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 16 is characterized in that a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 17 is characterized in that an output device such as a printer connected to the bus has an output step for performing printing or the like.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 18 is characterized in that an input device such as a scanner connected to the bus has an input step for reading an image or the like.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 19 is an information processing apparatus connected to a network and a bus system, wherein when the data from the bus system is received, the data is received by the information processing apparatus main body. If not, a transfer means for transferring data to the network, and a processing means for processing the received data when receiving data from the bus system and receiving the data to the information processing apparatus main body when receiving the data. Features.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 20 is characterized in that the transfer means transfers data to the bus system when receiving data from a network and not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body. The processing means processes the received data when the data is received from the information processing apparatus when the data is received from the network.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 21, the bus system is an IEEE 1394 bus system, and the network is an Ethernet Net.
It is characterized by being.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 22 is an information processing method for an information processing device connected to a network and a bus system, wherein the information processing device main body receives data from the bus system. A transfer step of transferring data to the network if the data is not received, and a processing step of processing the received data if the data is received to the information processing apparatus main body when data is received from the bus system. It is characterized by having.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 23 is characterized in that, in the transfer step, when data is received from a network and not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, data is transferred to the bus system. In the processing step, when the data is received from the information processing apparatus when the data is received from the network, the received data is processed.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the bus system is an IEEE 1394 bus system, and the network is an Ethernet Net.
It is characterized by being.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[1] First Embodiment In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which the present invention is applied to two interfaces of IEEE1394 and a network (for example, a network such as EtherNet). FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the data communication system according to the first embodiment. The data communication system according to the first embodiment includes a printer 11, a digital video 12, a scanner 13, a first computer 14,
The configuration includes a network 16 and a second computer 17. The configuration of the data communication system is not limited to the illustrated one.

The structure of each part will be described. The IEEE 1394 system connection 1 which is an area surrounded by a dotted line in FIG.
5 is a printer 11, a digital video 12, a scanner 1
3. This indicates that the first computer 14 is a system connected by an IEEE 1394 bus. The printer 11 can perform printing based on print data transmitted from the first computer 14 or the second computer 17. The digital video 12 records / records images.
Perform playback. The scanner 13 reads an image.

The first computer 14 is an IEEE 13
In addition to being connected by 94, it has an interface with the network 16 in addition to IEEE 1394, so that access to the network 16 is possible. The first computer 14 has a network 16
A program for controlling the transmission of data from the IEEE 1394 bus to an arbitrary device on the IEEE 1394 bus and the control for transmitting the data from the IEEE 1394 bus to the arbitrary device on the network 16 on the contrary is installed.

In the figure, there are actually various devices on the network 16, one of which is the second computer 17 described above.
The network 16 is configured as, for example, a network such as EtherNet.
The IEEE includes the printer 11, the digital video 12, the scanner 13, and the first computer 14 described above.
The system connection 15 and the second computer 17 are connected. The second computer 17 has an interface with the network 16 and can access the network 16.

From the first computer 14 to the printer 11
In the case of performing printing by using, data is transferred via the IEEE 1394 bus and printing is performed. This is IEEE139
It can be executed using the functions of four buses. In the first embodiment, printing from the second computer 17 and the printer 11 via the first computer 14 and the IEEE 1394 bus is enabled.

Next, in the data communication system according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the second computer 17 on the network 16 transmits the IEEE 139
A processing method for transmitting data to the printer 11 on the four buses and printing the data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the program incorporated in the first computer 14 described above.

First, usually, the network 16, the IEEE
There is no access to the 1394 bus and it is in a communication standby state. First, the operation of this program is based on IEEE1.
It is checked whether there is data reception from the 394 bus (step S21), and then it is checked whether there is data reception from the network 16 (step S2).
2). If it is determined in step S21 and step S22 that there is no data reception, the process enters a standby state in which steps S21 and S22 are looped.

Here, when the second computer 17 transmits data to the printer 11, the data is first transmitted to the first computer 14, but the internal data of the data or the network communication before the data transfer is performed. It is possible to determine that this data is for the printer 11 by exchange in the protocol. When the first computer 14 receives the data (step S2)
2) It is determined whether the data is for the first computer 14 (step S23).

Since the data is data to the printer 11 as described above, No is selected in step S23, and the data transfer to the printer 11 is performed via the IEEE 1394 bus (step S26). In this process, the second computer 17 on the network 16
Can be printed by the printer 11.

If it is desired to transfer data from the second computer 17 to the first computer 14, the data is received from the network 16 (step S2).
2) Since it is determined that the data is for the first computer 14 itself (the answer to step S23 is Yes),
In the first computer 14, the first computer 1
4 (step S).
25).

On the other hand, in step S21, the IEEE13
If it is determined that data has been received from the 94 bus, it is determined whether the received data is data to the first computer 14 (step S24), and it is determined that the data is not data to the first computer 14. If so, the data is transferred to the designated device on the network 16 (step S27).

If it is determined in step S24 that the data is for the first computer 14, data is received (step S25), and the process returns to step S21. When the processing in step S25 is completed, when the processing in step S27 is completed, or when there is no data reception from the network 16 in step S22, the process returns to step S21.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the first computer 14 connected between the network 16 and the IEEE 1394 bus uses the network 16
Interface function to interface with
Sequentially transfers data from network 16 to IEEE 1394
Control to send to any device on the bus, and vice versa
Since it has a communication control function of transmitting and receiving data based on a program for controlling transmission of data from the 1394 bus to an arbitrary device on the network 16, the IEEE 1394 does not have an interface with the network 16.
This has the effect that devices on the bus can access the network 16. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

[2] Second Embodiment In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the present invention is formed as an apparatus and realized as a connection apparatus between a network and an IEEE 1394 bus. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a data communication system according to the second embodiment. The data communication system according to the second embodiment includes:
A printer 31, a first computer 32, a scanner 33, and an IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34
, A network 36, and a second computer 37. The configuration of the data communication system is not limited to the illustrated one.

The structure of each part will be described. The IEEE 1394 system connection 3 which is an area surrounded by a dotted line in FIG.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a printer 31, a first computer 32, a scanner 33, an IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34.
Indicates that the system is connected by an IEEE 1394 bus. The printer 31 is capable of printing based on print data transmitted from the first computer 32 or the second computer 37. Scanner 3
Reference numeral 3 reads an image.

The first computer 32 is an IEEE 13
Access to other devices on the 94 bus is possible. The IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34
It has an interface for both the IEEE 1394 bus and the network 36, connects between the IEEE 1394 bus and the network 36, and enables alternate data communication. Further, the IEEE 1394-Ether connection device control unit 54 (see FIG. 5) of the IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34 has a control for sequentially transmitting data from the network 36 to any device on the IEEE 1394 bus, and vice versa. A program for controlling transmission of data from the bus to any device on the network 36 is incorporated. IEEE139
The 4-Ether connection device 34 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In the figure, various devices actually exist on the network 36. One of them is the second computer 37 described above.
The network 36 is configured as, for example, a network such as Ether Net.
The printer 31 described above and the first computer 3
2, an IEEE system connection 35 including a scanner 33 and an IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34, and a second computer 37 are connected. The second computer 37 has an interface with the network 36, and can access the network 36.

FIG. 5 shows an IEEE 1 according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal structure of the 394-Ether connection device 34. The IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34 is an IEEE 1394-Ether connection device main body 5.
2, IEEE 1394 interface (I / F)
53, an IEEE 1394-Ether connection device control unit 54, and an Ether Net interface (I /
F) 55.

The configuration of each unit will be described.
The 394 interface (I / F) 53 is an IEEE1
An interface for connecting the 394-Ether connection device 34 and the IEEE 1394 bus 51. IEEE
The 1394-Ether connection device control unit 54 uses the IEEE
It controls each unit in the 1394-Ether connection device main body 52, and incorporates the above-described program. Ether Net interface (I / F) 5
5 is connected to a network 36 such as EtherNet by IE.
An interface for connecting the EE1394-Ether connection device 34.

On the IEEE 1394 bus 51, as a general use, an image can be taken from the scanner 33 to the first computer 32, edited, and then printed by the printer 31.
In the second embodiment, the IEEE 1394-Ether
By using the connection device 34, data transfer between the buses can be freely performed. For example, from the second computer 37, an IEEE1394-
Printing by the printer 31 via the Ethernet connection device 34 and the IEEE1394 bus 51 is enabled.

Next, in the data communication system according to the second embodiment configured as described above, the IEEE 139 is transmitted from the second computer 37 on the network 36.
A processing method for transmitting data to the printer 31 on the four buses and printing the data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the program incorporated in the above-mentioned IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34.

First, usually, the network 36, IEEE
There is no access to the 1394 bus and it is in a communication standby state. First, the operation of this program is based on IEEE1.
It is checked whether or not data has been received from the 394 bus (step S41), and then it is checked whether or not data has been received from the network 36 (step S4).
2). If it is determined in steps S41 and S42 that there is no data reception, the process enters a standby state in which steps S41 and S42 are looped.

Here, when the second computer 37 transmits data to the printer 31, first, the IEEE 139
The data is transmitted to the 4-Ether connection device 34, and it is possible to determine that the data is for the printer 31 by the internal data of the data or the exchange in the network communication protocol before the data transfer. ing. The IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34 receives the data, flows the data to the IEEE 1394 bus 51, and transfers the data to the printer 31 (step S43).

On the other hand, in step S41, the IEEE13
If it is determined that data has been received from the 94 bus 51, the data is transferred to the designated device on the network 36 (step S44). It should be noted that when the processing in step S43 is completed, when the processing in step S44 is completed, or when the network
When it is determined that there is no data reception from the step S6, the process returns to the step S41.

As a modification of the second embodiment,
In order to simplify the data transfer protocol, IEEE1
A method of assigning a network address to a device on the 394 bus 51 is also conceivable. In that case, IEEE13
Access to devices on the bus 51 is via the network 36
If it occurs on the above, the effect is described in IEEE1394-Ethe
The r connection device 34 performs an access process on the network 36 in place of the device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51, and transfers data from the network 36 to the IEEE 1394 bus 5.
1 can be transferred from a device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51 to a device on the network 36.

Next, the operation of the IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 34 will be described with respect to the above-described network address assignment. As shown in FIG.
The E1394-Ether connection device 34 is an IEEE13
It has two types of interfaces, a 94 interface 53 and an Ether Net interface 55, and allows data between the interfaces to be transferred via this apparatus.

IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 3
4 is an IEEE1394-Ether connection device control unit 54
Controlled by, for example, the IEEE 1394 bus 51
When data is transferred from an upper device to a device on the network 36 via the present device, a device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51 transfers data to the present device.

The data includes the address of the device on the network 36 in order to transmit the data to the device on the network 36. IEEE13
The 94-Ether connection device 34 connects the device indicated by the address on the network 36 to the Ethernet Net.
The data itself is transferred from the interface 55.
IEEE 1394 bus 5 from devices on network 36
When it is desired to transfer data to the device on the first device, the data transfer is performed according to a similar procedure, following the reverse route.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the IEEE 1394-Ether connection device 3 connected between the network 36 and the IEEE 1394 bus 51
Reference numeral 4 denotes an IEEE 1394 interface 53 for interfacing with the IEEE 1394 bus 51, control for sequentially transmitting data from the network 36 to any device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51, and vice versa.
An IEEE 1394-Ether connection device control unit 54 for transmitting and receiving data based on a program for controlling transmission of data from the 1394 bus 51 to an arbitrary device on the network 36, and an Ether Net interface 55 for interfacing with the network 36. Therefore, there is an effect that a device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51 having no interface with the network 36 can access the network 36. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

Further, in order to control the assignment of the network address to the devices on the IEEE 1394 bus 51, the devices on the IEEE 1394 bus 51 are controlled from the IEEE 1394 bus 51.
Network 3 via 394-Ether connection device 34
In the case of transferring data to devices on the network 36, or from the devices on the network 36 to IEEE 1394-Ethe
When data is transferred to a device on the IEEE 1394 bus 51 via the r-connection device 34, the data transfer protocol is simplified by transferring data to the device indicated by the network address.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. A storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus executes the program code stored in the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by executing the reading.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program codes, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS or the like running on the computer is actually executed based on the instructions of the program codes. It goes without saying that a part or all of the above-described processing is performed, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

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

[0066]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus. Since at least one electronic device has interface means for interfacing with a network and communication control means for transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus, the electronic device on the bus having no interface with the network is There is an effect that it becomes possible to access to.
This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the bus has
The use of the IEEE 1394 bus has the effect that electronic devices on the IEEE 1394 bus that do not have an interface with the network can access the network. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the network is an EtherNet, an electronic device on an IEEE 1394 bus having no interface with the network (EtherNet) can access the network (EtherNet). There is an effect that it becomes possible. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the communication control means transmits / receives data based on a program for transmitting / receiving data between the network and the bus, and thus has no interface with a network (Ether Net). An electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus can access a network (Ether Net). This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the invention of claim 5, the at least one electronic device is a computer having the interface means and the communication control means, and is connected between the network and the bus. An electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus that does not have an interface with the Internet (Net) is connected to the network (Ether Net) via the computer.
There is an effect that it becomes possible to access to. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the invention of claim 6, the at least one electronic device is a connection device having the interface means and the communication control means, and is connected between the network and the bus. There is an effect that an electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus that does not have an interface with the Ethernet (Net) can access a network (Ether Net) via the connection device. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the invention of claim 7, since a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus, the data transfer protocol is simplified by transferring data to the electronic device indicated by the network address. Has the effect of becoming

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since an output device such as a printer is connected to the bus, the electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus that does not have an interface with a network (Ether Net) can be connected to the computer or the computer. Network (Ethe
r Net) can be accessed,
There is an effect that data output such as printing can be performed by the output device such as the printer. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since an input device such as a scanner is connected to the bus, the electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus which does not have an interface with a network (Ether Net) can be connected to the computer or the computer. Network (Ethe
r Net) can be accessed,
There is an effect that data input such as image reading by the input device such as the scanner can be performed. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication method for a system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices is provided. Since it has an interface step of interfacing with a network and a communication control step of transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus, it is possible for electronic devices on the bus that do not have an interface with the network to access the network. This has the effect of becoming This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the eleventh aspect, the bus is
The use of the IEEE 1394 bus has the effect that electronic devices on the IEEE 1394 bus that do not have an interface with the network can access the network. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, since the network is an Ethernet, an electronic device on an IEEE 1394 bus having no interface with the network (Ether Net) can access the network (Ether Net). There is an effect that it becomes possible. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the communication control step, since the data is transmitted and received based on a program for transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus, there is no interface with a network (Ether Net). An electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus can access a network (Ether Net). This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the at least one connected between the network and the bus is provided.
Since a computer as one electronic device has the interface step and the communication control step, an electronic device on an IEEE 1394 bus that does not have an interface with a network (EtherNet) is connected to the network (Ethernet) via the computer.
r Net) can be accessed. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the at least one connected between the network and the bus is provided.
Since the connection device as one electronic device has the interface step and the communication control step, the electronic device on the IEEE 1394 bus that does not have an interface with the network (Ether Net) is connected to the network (Ether Ne) through the connection device.
There is an effect that it is possible to access t). This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the sixteenth aspect, since a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus, the data transfer protocol is simplified by performing data transfer to the electronic device indicated by the network address. Has the effect of becoming

According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, since the output device such as a printer connected to the bus has an output step of performing printing or the like, the network (Ether)
IEEE13 which does not have an interface with Net)
An electronic device on the 94 bus can access a network (Ether Net) via the computer or the connection device, and can output data such as printing by the output device such as the printer. This has the effect. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, since the input device such as a scanner connected to the bus has an input step of reading an image or the like, a network (Et) is used.
IE without an interface with her Net)
An electronic device on the EE1394 bus is connected to a network (Ether Ne) through the computer or the connection device.
This makes it possible to access t) and to input data such as image reading using an input device such as the scanner. This also has the effect of reducing the cost of the system.

According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus connected to a network and a bus system, wherein when data from the bus system is not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, Since it has a transfer means for transferring data to the network and a processing means for processing the received data when receiving data from the bus system and receiving the data to the information processing apparatus main body, information on the bus system is provided. The processing device can access the network, and can transfer or process data according to whether the data is received by itself.

According to the twentieth aspect, the transfer means transfers the data to the bus system when the data is received from the network but not to the information processing apparatus main body. In the case of receiving data from the network, if the data is received to the information processing device main body, the received data is processed, so that the information processing device on the bus system can access the network. In addition, there is an effect that data transfer or processing can be performed according to whether or not data reception is performed for itself.

According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, since the bus system is an IEEE 1394 bus system and the network is Ethernet Net,
The information processing device on the E1394 bus system can access a network (Ether Net) and can transfer or process data according to whether or not the data is received by itself. There is.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for an information processing device connected to a network and a bus system, wherein when data from the bus system is received, data reception to the information processing device main body is performed. A transfer step for transferring data to the network when there is no data, and a processing step for processing the received data when the data is received to the information processing apparatus when data from the bus system is received. The information processing device on the system can access the network and can transfer or process data according to whether or not the data is received for itself.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the transfer step, when data from the network is not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, the data is transferred to the bus system. In the case where the data is received from the network and the data is received by the information processing apparatus main body, the received data is processed, so that the information processing apparatus on the bus system can access the network. In addition, there is an effect that data transfer or processing can be performed according to whether or not data reception is performed for itself.

According to the twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the bus system is an IEEE 1394 bus system, and the network is an Ethernet, so that the
The information processing device on the E1394 bus system can access a network (Ether Net) and can transfer or process data according to whether or not the data is received by itself. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a data communication system when applied to a computer having both a network and an IEEE 1394 bus interface according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a first computer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a data communication system when applied to a connection device between a network and an IEEE 1394 bus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an IEEE13 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flowchart which shows the processing operation of a 94-Ether connection device.

FIG. 5 shows IEEE13 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a 94-Ether connection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 31 Printer 12 Digital Video 13, 33 Scanner 14, 32 First Computer 15, 35 IEEE 1394 System Connection 16, 36 Network 17, 37 Second Computer 34 IEEE 1394-Ether Connection Device 51 IEEE 1394 Bus 53 IEEE 1394 Interface 54 IEEE 1394- Ether connection device control unit 55 Ether Net interface

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A data communication system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices interfaces with a network. And a communication control means for transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus. 2. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein said bus is an IEEE 1394 bus. 3. The network according to claim 1, wherein said network is Ether Ne.
3. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein t is t. 4. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein said communication control means performs said data transmission / reception based on a program for transmitting / receiving data between said network and said bus. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device is a computer having the interface unit and the communication control unit, and is connected between the network and the bus. A data communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one electronic device is a connection device having said interface means and said communication control means, and is connected between said network and said bus. The data communication system according to any one of the above. 7. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus. 8. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein an output device such as a printer is connected to said bus. 9. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein an input device such as a scanner is connected to the bus. 10. A data communication method for a system capable of performing data communication between a plurality of electronic devices connected by a bus, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices interfaces with a network. A data communication method, comprising: an interface step; and a communication control step of transmitting and receiving data between the network and the bus. 11. The data communication method according to claim 10, wherein said bus is an IEEE 1394 bus. 12. The network according to claim 10, wherein said network is Ether N
12. The data communication method according to claim 10, wherein the data communication method is et. 13. The communication control step according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission / reception is performed based on a program for transmitting / receiving data between the network and the bus.
13. The data communication method according to any one of 0 to 12. 14. The computer as the at least one electronic device connected between the network and the bus, the computer having the interface step and the communication control step.
14. The data communication method according to any one of claims 13 to 13. 15. The connection device according to claim 10, wherein the connection device as the at least one electronic device connected between the network and the bus includes the interface step and the communication control step. A data communication method according to the above. 16. The data communication method according to claim 10, wherein a network address can be assigned to the electronic device on the bus. 17. The data communication method according to claim 10, wherein an output device such as a printer connected to the bus has an output step of performing printing or the like. 18. The data communication method according to claim 10, wherein an input device such as a scanner connected to the bus has an input step of reading an image or the like. 19. An information processing apparatus connected to a network and a bus system, wherein when data from the bus system is not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, data is transferred to the network. An information processing apparatus comprising: means for receiving data from a bus system, and processing means for processing the received data when the data is received by the information processing apparatus main body. 20. The transfer means transfers data to the bus system when receiving data from the network and not data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, and the processing means transfers the data from the network. 20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein when the data is received, when the data is received to the information processing apparatus main body, the received data is processed. 21. The bus system comprises an IEEE 139
A four-bus system, wherein the network is Ethe
21. r Net.
An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 22. An information processing method for an information processing device connected to a network and a bus system, wherein when data from the bus system is not data reception to the information processing device main body, the data is transmitted to the network. And a processing step of processing the received data when the data is received by the information processing apparatus when data from the bus system is received. 23. In the transferring step, when the data received from the network is not the data reception to the information processing apparatus main body, the data is transferred to the bus system. In the processing step, the data from the network is transferred. 23. The information processing method according to claim 22, wherein when the data is received, when the data is received to the information processing apparatus main body, the received data is processed. 24. The bus system according to claim 1, further comprising:
A four-bus system, wherein the network is Ethe
24. r Net
The information processing method described.