Patent ID: 7136910

Claim:
An information device system comprising: at least two information devices connected via a bus or a network, said information devices having ID numbers, wherein each information device identifies the other information device using the ID number of the other information device, wherein of said information devices, a controlled information device which is controlled by the other information device comprises: storage means for storing device name data indicating a name of the controlled information device to provide information used for distinguishing an identification of the controlled information device from the other information device, and another storage means for storing function data including instruction data used for enabling the controlled information device to be controlled by the other information device, wherein the controlled information device sends to the other information device said function data in response to a request from the other information device and receives from the other information device information which is generated by the other information device based on said function data received so that the controlled information device is controlled by the other information device, wherein at least one of said at least two information devices further comprises: first storage means for storing device name data received from the other information device, and second storage means for storing function data sent from said the other information device, wherein said at least one of said at least two information devices, when performing control, requests an information device to be controlled among the other information devices in said system to send function data using said device name data stored in said first storage means and stores said function data sent from the controlled information device in said second storage means, generates control information based on said function data stored in said second storage means for controlling the controlled information device and sends the generated control information to control the controlled information device.