Patent ID: 6314476
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A network adapter that interconnects a network and a terminal device, and enables bidirectional communication between the terminal device and a computer connected to the network and bidirectional communication between the terminal device and a managing device connected to the network to manage the terminal device, the network adapter transferring to the terminal device a status request output by the computer to request that if the terminal device enters a predetermined status, the terminal device will transmit status information indicating the predetermined status, and the network adapter transferring the status information transmitted by the terminal device in response to the status request, to the computer, the network adapter comprising:a status request generating device that generates a status request to request that if the status of the terminal device changes, the terminal device will transmit the status information indicating a present status, the status request generating device transmitting the status request to the terminal device;a status information storage device that stores the status information from the terminal device;a determining device that receives the status information transmitted by the terminal device in response to the status request, determines whether the status information received is a response to the status request output by the computer or a response to the status request transmitted by the status request generating device, transmits the status information to the computer if the status information is the response to the status request output by the computer, and transmits the status information to the status information storage device if the status information is the response to the status request transmitted by the status request generating device; anda transmitting device that receives a terminal status management command output by the managing device to manage the status of the terminal device, reads the status information from the status information storage device, and transmits the status information to the managing device.