NETWORK CONNECTION APPARATUS AND NETWORK SYSTEM USING THIS

摘要

A scanner (1) and a printer (2) each includes a network interface unit (11/21) for exchanging data with a network (7), an apparatus information interpretation unit (12/22) for interpreting information from other apparatuses, an apparatus information updating unit (13/23) for updating apparatus information based on this interpretation, and a functional information storing unit (14/24) for storing in advance functional information of its own apparatus. For example, when a printer (2) is newly connected to a network (7) to which a scanner (1) is already connected, the printer (2) broadcasts functional information of its own apparatus stored in the function storing unit (24) by means of the network interface unit (21). The scanner (1) recognizes that a new apparatus has been connected and the functions of the new apparatus through the apparatus information interpretation unit (12) that interprets this information. <IMAGE>