Electronic device and data communication method

A system formed of a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus, the system comprising

• a third electronic device for acquiring first data format information of data which can be processed by a first electronic device on the network and second data format information of data which can be processed by a second electronic device on the network,
• wherein the third electronic device includes:
• detecting means for detecting, on the basis of the data format information acquired by the third electronic device, whether data which can be processed by the first electronic device can be processed by the second electronic device;
• searching means operable, if it is detected by the detecting means that data which can be processed by the first electronic device cannot be processed by the second electronic device, for searching for and identifying an electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into data which can be processed by the second electronic device;
• and
• control means, operable when an electronic device which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into data which can be processed by the second electronic device is identified by the searching means, for controlling the first electronic device to output data to the identified electronic device and controlling the detected electronic device to output converted data to the second electronic device.

A communication method on a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus, the method comprising:

• an acquisition step of acquiring first data format information of data which can be processed by a first electronic device on the network and acquiring second data format information of data which can be processed by a second electronic device on the network;
• a detecting step of detecting, on the basis of the acquired first and second data format information from the acquisition step, whether data which can be processed by the first electronic device can be processed by the second electronic device;
• a searching step of, if it is detected in the detecting step that data which can be processed by the first electronic device cannot be processed by the second electronic device, searching for and identifying an electronic device of the plurality of electric devices which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into the data having a format which can be processed by the second electronic device;
• and
• a control step of, when the electronic device which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into data having a format which can be processed by the second electronic device is identified by the searching step, controlling the first electronic device to output data to the identified electronic device and controlling the detected electronic device to output converted data to the second electronic device.

A recording medium which records a program for performing communication on a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices, wherein

• the program comprises:
• an acquisition step of acquiring first data format information of data which can be processed by a first electronic device on the network and acquiring second data format information of data which can be processed by a second electronic device on the network;
• a detecting step of detecting, on the basis of the acquired first and second data format information from the acquisition step, whether data which can be processed by the first electronic device can be processed by the second electronic device;
• a searching step of, if it is detected in the detecting step that data which can be processed by the first electronic device cannot be processed by the second electronic device, searching for and identifying an electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into data having a format which can be processed by the second electronic device;
• and
• a control step of, when the electronic device which can convert data which can be processed by the first electronic device into data having a format which can be processed by the second electronic device is identified by the searching step, controlling the first electronic device to output data to the detected electronic device and controlling the detected electronic device to output converted data to the second electronic device.

An electronic device on a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus, the device comprising:

• means for checking whether the plurality electronic devices on the network can perform a function for converting a format of data;
• and
• means for holding information of a format of convertible data;
• and
• means for instructing and controlling the plurality of electronic devices on the network to transmit data.

An electronic device on a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus, the device comprising:

• means for holding format information of convertible data;
• inputting means for receiving a control signal from another electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;
• and
• conversion means for converting a format of data input through the bus to output converted data to the bus.

A data communication method for performing data communication on a communication network having a bus and a plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus, the method comprising:

• a step of causing a controller to acquire information of a transmittable data format of a source device and information of a receivable data format of a destination device and to determine a transmission data format with reference to the acquired information;
• a step of, when the transmittable data format of the source device cannot be received by the destination device, causing the controller to search for and identify another electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices connected to the bus and having a data format converting function;
• a step of determining a transmission data format with reference to a data format which can be converted by the identified electronic device having the format converting function;
• a step of instructing the source device to transmit data to the identified electronic device having the format converting function;
• and
• a step of causing the identified electronic device which receives data and has the format converting function to convert a format of the data and to transmit the converted data to the destination device.