Patent ID: 7834938

Claim:
An information processing apparatus that is connectable to a network with other information processing apparatuses, and that is controllable by said other information processing apparatuses via said network, said apparatus comprising: output means for outputting control screen data for controlling itself to said other information processing apparatuses via said network; receiving means for receiving first command signals requesting said control screen data from said other information processing apparatuses and for receiving second command signals corresponding to input to said other information processing apparatuses when predetermined instructions are input by a user via a control screen, at said other information processing apparatus; and executing means for executing processing corresponding to said signals received by said receiving means, wherein said control screen includes graphical user interface (GUI) data of said information processing apparatus, and said second command signals notify said information processing apparatus of an operation performed by said user via said control screen, and said information processing apparatus further comprises an infrared photoreceptor unit that receives infrared signals representing commands produced by said user operating a remote commander, said first command signals and said second command signals received by the receiving means are panel sub-unit commands, the control screen data outputted by the output means includes the graphical user interface data and is outputted using an asynchronous connection, and the first command signals include a command by which the other information processing apparatuses confirm the version of the information processing apparatus and a request by the other information processing apparatuses for updated GUI data from the information processing apparatus, in which the panel sub-unit commands include a GUI update command and a user action command.