Patent ID: 7685326

Claim:
A control device which controls a controlled device via a network, said control device comprising: an ID request unit operable to request the controlled device to transmit a device ID; an ID reception unit operable to receive the device ID from the controlled device; a determination unit operable to determine whether or not the received device ID is an initial value; a generation unit operable to generate a new device ID in the case where the received device ID is determined to be the initial value; an update request unit operable to request the controlled device to update the device ID to the new device ID; a storing unit operable to store the new device ID as a device ID of the controlled device; and a control unit operable to control the controlled device, using the device ID stored in said storing unit, wherein said determination unit is further operable to determine whether or not the device ID overlaps with any device ID stored in said storing unit when said determination unit determines that the device ID is not the initial value, said generation unit is operable to newly generate a device ID which is not the initial value and not stored in said storing unit when the device ID is determined to be overlapping with any device ID stored in said storing unit, the device ID does not include an IP address, and the network is a network in which each device does not have a device-unique address.