Patent ID: 8099612

Claim:
An information processing apparatus comprising: data processing means for performing predetermined data processing; a power supply circuit having a first operation mode in which power is supplied to the data processing means and a second operation mode in which no power is supplied to the data processing means; and mode switching control means for, upon receiving a mode switching request from an apparatus on a network via a communication protocol of a communication protocol layer higher than the network access layer, instructing the power supply circuit to switch between the first operation mode and the second operation mode in response to the mode switching request, wherein the mode switching control means includes, first address storing means for storing a first address that is unique address information for the information processing apparatus, second address storing means for storing a second address that is network address information of the information processing apparatus, and packet responding means for, upon receiving a packet for inquiry about the first address in a case that the power supply circuit is in the second operation mode, transmitting a response packet storing a relationship between the first address and the second address to an apparatus from which the packet has been transmitted.