Patent ID: 7047367

Claim:
An information processing device for connecting to one or more external devices, the information processing device comprising: a storage area configured to store information relating to a predetermined set of external devices, which is referenced when the one or more external devices to be connected to the information processing device are initialized, wherein the storage area comprises a first storage area for storing hardware type information including unique information assigned respectively to the predetermined set of external devices, and a second storage area for storing attribute information corresponding to the unique information assigned respectively to the predetermined set of external devices; and a processor configured to obtain hardware type information and base type information from a connected external device and to determine, for initializing the connected external device, whether or not the hardware type information obtained from the connected external device is stored in the first storage area, and if the obtained hardware type information is not stored in the first storage area, to initialize the connected external device by referring to the base type information relating to the connected external device obtained from the connected external device, and attribute information stored in the second storage area; wherein the processor is configured, if the obtained hardware type information is not stored in the first storage area, to initialize the connected external device as a specific one of the predetermined set of external devices if the base type information obtained from the connected external device is same as or interchangeable with the attribute information of the specific one of the predetermined set of external devices stored in the second storage area.