State information communications system and method

A state information communications system comprising:

• a bus means;
• a first terminal unit connected to said bus means, said first terminal unit comprising:
• control command generating means for generating a control command;
• information request command generating means for generating an information request command;
• first communications control means for sending said control command and said information request command to said bus means, and for receiving information data directed to said first terminal unit through said bus means;
• a second terminal unit connected to said bus means, said second terminal unit comprising:
• second communications control means for receiving said control command and said information request command from said bus means;
• terminal device means having an electrically operating device which operates in response to said control command;
• state code generating means for generating a fixed state code when said device is in a fixed state and a transient state code when said device is in a transient state changing from one fixed stated to another fixed state;
• first memory means for storing said state code produced from said state code generating means;
• a presumptive time generator for generating a presumptive time information indicative of a time length necessary to change from one fixed state to another fixed state;
• second memory means for storing said generated presumptive time information;
• information control means, operative in response to said information request command, for fetching said state code stored in said first memory means and said presumptive time information stored in said second memory means;
• and
• said second communications control means, operative in response to said information request command, for sending the fetched state code and the presumptive time information through said bus means to said first terminal unit;
• said first terminal unit further for resending said information request command after a predetermined time determined by said presumptive time information when said second terminal unit produces said transient state code in reply to the first one of said information request command.