Patent ID: 7694033

Claim:
An information processing apparatus connectable to extension units including a plurality of types of peripheral devices insertable into an extension slot, comprising: a first storing unit to store therein a specific function program for the plurality of types of peripheral devices, a plurality of types of peripheral device associated programs corresponding to the plurality of types of the peripheral devices which are executed when the peripheral devices are in use, and an identification program identifying a type of the peripheral device connected to the information processing apparatus; a specific function program activator configured to activate the specific function program, and a control unit to execute the specific function program, the peripheral device associated programs, and the identification program, wherein one type of a peripheral device includes a drive unit to read information from a second storing unit that stores other plurality of types of peripheral device associated programs corresponding to other plurality of types of the peripheral devices, and wherein the control unit: compares a type of a currently connected peripheral device with a type of a currently usable peripheral device stored in the first storing unit, when the currently usable peripheral device is replaced with the currently connected peripheral device, requests insertion of the drive unit into the extension slot and stores in the first storing unit, when the type of the currently connected peripheral device does not coincide with the type of the currently usable peripheral device stored in the first storing unit, from the second storing unit inserted in the drive unit, a peripheral device associated program associated with the currently connected peripheral device, and configures activating the peripheral device associated program associated with the currently connected peripheral device, in response to the specific function program activator.