Patent ID: 8862251

Claim:
A controller for a machine tool connectable to an external data processing device provided as a separate device via a telecommunication line network and configured to cause the data processing device to perform data processing, wherein: the controller has display means for screen display and cooperative-processing instructing means which, when accepting a data processing request, transmits via the network to the data processing device a cooperative processing signal for causing the data processing device to execute workpiece-related data processing for the data processing request in cooperation with the controller, and thereby causes the data processing device to execute data processing corresponding to the data processing request, and which receives information on the result of the data processing from the data processing device via the network; and the cooperative-processing instructing means is configured to receive image information to be displayed on a display screen of the data processing device from the data processing device via the network and display the image information on the display means, transmit via the network to the data processing device a remote operation signal for causing the data processing device to execute the data processing as the cooperative processing signal, the remote operation signal being input through the display screen of the data processing device displayed on the display means, and thereby cause the data processing device to execute the data processing, and receive information obtained after the completion of the data processing from the data processing device directly or indirectly via the network.