Patent ID: 6539433
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: G05B,G06F,H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus for having a plurality of electrical appliances perform cooperative operations specified by programs sent from a transmitting device, each of the plurality of electrical appliances being provided with a processor, the apparatus being connected to the transmitting device via a first communication channel and being connected to the plurality of electrical appliances via a second communication channel, the apparatus comprising:a receiving means for receiving a first bytecode for a first virtual machine, the first bytecode being a program sent from the transmitting device via the first communication channel and specifying a cooperative operation; an appliance specifying means for specifying an electrical appliance that should execute the received first bytecode, out of the plurality of electrical appliances; a converting means for converting the received first bytecode into program code for a processor provided in the specified electrical appliance; and a distributing means for distributing the program code generated by the converting means to the specified electrical appliance via the second communication channel.