Patent ID: 7089337

Claim:
A controlling device connected to an IEEE1394 serial bus, the IEEE1394 serial bus connecting between the controlling device and an information reproduction apparatus, the controlling device comprising: an input device for entry of various operation commands for operating the information reproduction apparatus; a memory for memorizing status data regarding the information reproduction apparatus; an IEEE1394 digital interface board for sending control commands corresponding to the operation commands entered using the input device to the information reproduction apparatus via the IEEE1394 serial bus and receiving responses to the control commands from the information reproduction apparatus; and a processor for controlling the input device, the memory, and the IEEE1394 digital interface board, wherein, when an operation command is entered using the input device, the processor determines what kind of control command should be sent to the information reproduction apparatus based on the entered operation command and the status data memorized in the memory and controls the IEEE1394 digital interface board to send the control command according to the determination to the information reproduction apparatus; and wherein, when first and second operation commands are entered in succession using the input device, the processor updates the status data memorized in the memory on receipt of a response, from the information reproduction apparatus, indicating that a control command corresponding to the first operation command is normally accepted, without checking status of the information reproduction apparatus, and determines what kind of control command should be sent to the information reproduction apparatus in response to the second operation command, on entering the second operation command using the input device.