Patent ID: 6667813
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A data communication apparatus comprising:an interface unit adapted to receive inquiries and commands from an external information processing terminal and to transmit responses to the external information processing terminal; a status monitor adapted to monitor a status of said data communication apparatus; and a memory adapted to store status information regarding the status of said data communication apparatus and status-change information indicating whether a change in the status of said data communication apparatus has occurred, wherein, when said status monitor determines that a change has occurred in the status of said data communication apparatus, the status information stored in said memory is updated and the status-change information stored in said memory is set to indicate that a change has occurred, wherein, when an inquiry about the status of said data communication apparatus is received from the external information processing terminal and if the status-change information is set to indicate that a change has occurred, said interface unit transmits the status information stored in said memory to the external information processing terminal in response, and then the status-change information stored in said memory is set to indicate no change, and wherein, when a command unrelated to status is received from the external information processing terminal, said interface unit transmits a response to the command and, if the status-change information stored in said memory is set to indicate that a change has occurred, said interface unit adds to the response an indication that a status change has occurred to prompt the external information processing terminal to inquire about the status of said data communication apparatus.