Patent ID: 6195645
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: G06Q,G07G,H04L

Abstract:
A data communication method for use in a data communication system having a plurality of data processing apparatuses connected via a communication line, wherein one of the data processing apparatuses causes one or more other processing apparatus to execute data processing, the method comprising:enabling one of the data processing apparatuses serving as a master unit to generate a work designation message containing a program statement for performing predetermined data processing, and to transmit the work designation message to another apparatus according to a predetermined order;enabling the apparatus which receives the work designation message to perform data processing on data stored in that apparatus in accordance with the program statement contained in the work designation message;enabling the apparatus which receives the work designation message to return a completion notice to the apparatus from which the work designation message was transmitted when the data processing is completed;enabling the apparatus which receives the work designation message to add a result of the data processing performed by that apparatus to the work designation message;enabling the apparatus which receives the work designation message to transmit the work designation message, including the result of the data processing performed and added by that apparatus, to a next apparatus according to the predetermined order;enabling the apparatus which has transmitted the work designation message to re-transmit the work designation to still another apparatus according to the predetermined order when the completion notice is not received in a predetermined time period from a previous apparatus to which the work designation message had been transmitted; andenabling the master unit to perform data processing based on all results of the data processing included in the work designation message when the master unit receives the work designation message from a last apparatus according to the predetermined order.