Remote control method of external devices

Abstract

A method of controlling a plurality of external devices is performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes. The management process is called to display icons corresponding to the remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process. Further, the management process acts when a specified operation is applied to one of the icons on the display field for sending a screen open instruction to one of the remote control processes corresponding to the icon to which the specified operation is applied. The remote control process which receives the screen open instruction is activated to display a control screen for use in remotely controlling the corresponding external device.

1 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the method comprising the steps of: 
 using the management process to display icons corresponding to the remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process;    using the management process when a specified operation is applied to one of the icons on the display field, for sending a screen open instruction to one of the remote control processes corresponding to the icon to which the specified operation is applied; and    using the remote control process which receives the screen open instruction to display a control screen for use in remotely controlling the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 first allowing the management process to register a remote control process corresponding to an external device which should be managed by the management process, the remote control process being set up on the computer based on a remote control program installed in the computer; and    second allowing the management process to display an icon corresponding to the registered remote control process in the display field provided by the management process.    
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of first allowing can register two or more remote control processes for remotely controlling two or more external devices of the same type independently from each other, each of the two or more remote control processes being set up on the computer separately from each other based on the same remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         4 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the method comprising the steps of: 
 activating the management process to display icons corresponding to the remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process for remotely controlling the external devices;    allowing the management process when a save instruction operation is detected, for collecting first parameters representing current states of the external devices from the respective remote control processes corresponding to the icons displayed on the display field; and    combining second parameters representing a current state of the management process with the collected first parameters of the external devices to produce a setup file, and saving the setup file on a recording medium.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of: 
 first allowing the management process to register a remote control process corresponding to an external device which should be managed by the management process, the remote control process being set up on the computer based on a remote control program installed in the computer; and    second allowing the management process to display an icon corresponding to the registered remote control process in the display field provided by the management process.    
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of first allowing can register two or more remote control processes for remotely controlling two or more external devices of the same type independently from each other, each of the two or more remote control processes being set up on the computer separately from each other based on the same remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the method comprising the steps of: 
 activating the management process when a load instruction operation is detected, for reading a setup file containing parameters defining states of the external devices;    initiating the remote control processes corresponding to the external devices whose parameters are contained in the read setup file;    supplying the initiated remote control processes with the parameters contained in the read setup file for controlling the corresponding external devices; and    allowing the management process to display icons corresponding to the initiated remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process.    
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: 
 first allowing the management process to register a remote control process corresponding to an external device which should be managed by the management process, the remote control process being set up on the computer based on a remote control program installed in the computer; and    second allowing the management process to display an icon corresponding to the registered remote control process in the display field provided by the management process.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the step of first allowing can register two or more remote control processes for remotely controlling two or more external devices of the same type independently from each other, each of the two or more remote control processes being set up on the computer separately from each other based on the same remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         10 . A method of remotely controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control-processes, each remote control process being allocated with a parameter memory area for storing a configuration state of the corresponding external device, the method comprising: 
 a synchronization instruction step of allowing the management process to send a synchronization instruction simultaneously to the respective remote control processes; and    a total recall synchronization step of allowing the respective remote control processes to perform a synchronization operation in parallel to each other based on the synchronization instruction so as to synchronize the configuration state stored in each parameter memory area allocated to each remote control process and an actual state of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising a synchronization direction instruction step of selecting and specifying either a first synchronization direction of adjusting the actual state of the external device to the configuration state stored in the parameter memory area of the corresponding remote control process or a second synchronization direction of adjusting the configuration state stored in the parameter memory area of the remote control process to the actual state of the corresponding external device, so that the total recall synchronization step causes the respective remote control processes to perform the synchronization operation in the same synchronization direction as selected and specified by the synchronization direction instruction step.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising a synchronization availability determination step of determining individually whether or not each of the remote control processes performs the synchronization operation in the total recall synchronization step.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising a total recall synchronization confirmation step of displaying confirmation information before commencing the total recall synchronization step, the confirmation information indicating the remote control processes which have been determined by the synchronization availability determination step to perform the synchronization operation in the total recall synchronization step.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the parameter memory areas of the remote control processes stores the configuration state of the corresponding external device in the form of various parameters which are divided into a number of groups, the method further comprising a synchronization group setup step of allowing each remote control process to select and set one or more of the groups of the parameters subjected to the synchronization operation in the total recall synchronization step.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the total recall synchronization step includes: a step of allowing the remote control processes to notify the management process of a progress of each synchronization operation performed by the respective remote control processes; and a list screen display step of allowing the management process to display a list screen showing the progresses of the synchronization operations performed by the respective remote control processes during the total recall synchronization step.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the total recall synchronization step comprises the steps of: enabling the management process to detect a stop operation applied to a particular one of the remote control processes; sending a stop instruction to the particular remote control process in response to the detected stop operation; and causing the particular remote control process to receive the stop instruction and to stop the synchronization operation.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising a step of prioritizing at least one of the plurality of the remote control processes; and a prioritized synchronization step of enabling the prioritized remote control process to perform the synchronization operation prior to the total recall synchronization step, so that the total recall synchronization step is conducted for the remaining remote control processes after termination of the prioritized synchronization step.  
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs: a first display step of displaying a screen of the application work provided with a plurality of graphic controls corresponding to the plurality of the external devices; and a step of sending an issuance request instruction to the management process when an operation is applied to one of the graphic controls provided in the screen of the application work,    wherein the management process performs: a step of issuing a display instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application process; and a step of sending the issued display instruction to one of the remote control processes corresponding to the graphic control to which the operation is applied, and    wherein said one remote control process performs: a step of receiving the display instruction sent from the management process; and a second display step of displaying a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction for use in remote control of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the remote control process is plugged in the management process so that the application process indirectly manages the remote control process through the intermediate management process, or alternatively the remote control process may be plugged in the application process so that the application process directly manages the remote control process.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the management process performs a step of-registering a remote control process managed by the management process based on a remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         21 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work with allocating resources to the remote control processes while communicating with the management process, wherein 
 the management process performs the steps of:    receiving information indicating a first group of resources which are available for the application work from the application process;    holding a second group of resources among the first group of the resources for use in the remote control processes managed by the management process;    notifying the respective remote control processes of information indicating a third group of resource(s) which is included in the second group of the resources but which excludes resources already used by the respective remote control processes, hence the third group of the resource(s) includes one or more resources allocatable to the respective remote control processes; and    receiving information indicating a fourth group of resource(s) containing one or more of allocated resources from the respective remote control processes.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the remote control process is plugged in the management process so that the application process indirectly manages the remote control process through the intermediate management process, or alternatively the remote control process may be plugged in the application process so that the application process directly manages the remote control process.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the management process performs a step of registering a remote control process managed by the management process based on a remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         24 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting at least a reproduction work of a music piece using resources while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs the steps of:    allocating a resource to each of plural tracks of the music piece;    outputting musical performance information reproduced from the plural tracks of the music piece in accordance with the respective resources allocated to the respective tracks;    receiving resource information from the management process, the resource information indicating a group of resources used by the respective remote control processes;    identifying an external device in response to a request for displaying a remote operation screen of one track based on the resource allocated to said one track and the resource information received from the management process, the identified external device being supplied with the musical performance information reproduced from said one track in accordance with the allocated resource; and    sending an issuance request instruction to the management process for requesting an issuance of a display instruction to one remote control process corresponding to the identified external device,    wherein the management process performs the steps of:    collecting the resource information from the respective remote control processes, the resource information indicating the group of the resources used by the respective remote control processes; and    issuing the display instruction to said one remote control process in response to the issuance request instruction, and    wherein said one remote control process performs the step of: displaying a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction from the management process, so that the external device corresponding to said one track can be remotely controlled on the displayed remote operation screen.    
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the remote control process is plugged in the management process so that the application process indirectly manages the remote control process through the intermediate management process, or alternatively the remote control process may be plugged in the application process so that the application process directly manages the remote control process.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the management process performs a step of registering a remote control process managed by the management process based on a remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         27 . A method of controlling a plurality of external devices, being performed on a computer which is set up with a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs a step of sending an issuance request instruction to the management process for requesting an issuance of an operation instruction to one of the remote control processes managed by the management process,    wherein the management process performs a step of issuing the operation instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application process, and transferring the operation instruction to said one remote control process, the operation instruction specifying an operation to be performed by said one remote control process, and    wherein the said one remote control process performs the specified operation in response to the operation instruction sent from the management process.    
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the application process further performs the steps of: sending a request instruction to the management process when a save operation is detected for requesting state information about a current state; combining data maintained in the application process with the information about the current state supplied from the management process in response to the request instruction; and saving a setup file containing combined results of the data of the application process and the information of the management process, 
 wherein the management process further performs the steps of: collecting first parameters representing current states of the remote control processes from the respective remote control processes in response to the request instruction from the application process; and combining the collected first parameters with second parameters representing a current state of the management process; and supplying the application process with combined results of the first and second parameters as the information about the current state.    
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the application process further performs the steps of: reading a setup file when a load operation is detected, the read setup file containing configuration data specifying a state of the management process and states of the remote control processes; and supplying the management process with the configuration data, and 
 wherein the management process further performs the steps of: initiating one or more of the remote control process associated with parameters described in the configuration data; and supplying the initiated remote control process with the parameters described in the configuration data.    
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the management process performs the step of transferring the operation instruction specifying the operation including at least one of: a synchronization operation to synchronize a current state of said one remote control process with a current state of the corresponding external device controlled by said one remote control process; and a display operation to display a remote operation screen for use in remote control of the external device corresponding to said one remote control process.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the remote control process is plugged in the management process so that the application process indirectly manages the remote control process through the intermediate management process, or alternatively the remote control process may be plugged in the application process so that the application process directly manages the remote control process.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the management process performs a step of registering a remote control process managed by the management process based on a remote control program installed in the computer.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices; and    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules,    wherein the management module displays icons corresponding to the remote control modules in a display field provided by the management module,    wherein the management module acts when a specified operation is applied to one of the icons on the display field, for sending a screen open instruction to one of the remote control modules corresponding to the icon to which the specified operation is applied, and    wherein the remote control module receives the screen open instruction to display a control screen for use in remotely controlling the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         34 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices; and    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules,    wherein the management module displays icons corresponding to the remote control modules in a display field provided by the management module for remotely controlling the external devices,    wherein the management module acts when a save instruction operation is detected, for collecting first parameters representing current states of the external devices from the respective remote control modules corresponding to the icons displayed on the display field, and    wherein the management module combines second parameters representing a current state of the management module with the collected first parameters of the external devices to produce a setup file, and saves the setup file on a recording medium.    
     
     
         35 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices; and    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules,    wherein the management module acts when a load instruction operation is detected, for reading a setup file containing parameters defining states of the external devices,    wherein the remote control modules are initiated, corresponding to the external devices whose parameters are contained in the read setup file,    wherein the initiated remote control modules are supplied with the parameters contained in the read setup file for controlling the corresponding external devices, and    wherein the management module displays icons corresponding to the initiated remote control modules in a display field provided by the management module.    
     
     
         36 . An apparatus for remotely controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, each remote control module being allocated with a parameter memory area for storing a configuration state of the corresponding external device; and    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules,    wherein the management module sends a synchronization instruction simultaneously to the respective remote control modules, and    wherein the respective remote control modules perform a synchronization operation in parallel to each other based on the synchronization instruction so as to synchronize the configuration state stored in each parameter memory area allocated to each remote control module and an actual state of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices;    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules; and    an application module for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management module,    wherein the application module displays a screen of the application work provided with a plurality of graphic controls corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and sends an issuance request instruction to the management module when an operation is applied to one of the graphic controls provided in the screen of the application work,    wherein the management module issues a display instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application module, and sends the issued display instruction to one of the remote control modules corresponding to the graphic control to which the operation is applied, and    wherein said one remote control module receives the display instruction sent from the management module, and displays a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction for use in remote control of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         38 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices;    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules; and    an application module for conducting an application work with allocating resources to the remote control modules while communicating with the management module,    wherein the management module receives information indicating a first group of resources which are available for the application work from the application module, then holds a second group of resources among the first group of the resources for use in the remote control modules managed by the management module, then notifies the respective remote control modules of information indicating a third group of resource(s) which is included in the second group of the resources but which excludes resources already used by the respective remote control modules, hence the third group of the resource(s) includes one or more resources allocatable to the respective remote control modules, and thereafter receives information indicating a fourth group of resource(s) containing one or more of allocated resources from the respective remote control modules.    
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices;    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules; and    an application module for conducting at least a reproduction work of a music piece using resources while communicating with the management module,    wherein the application module allocates a resource to each of plural tracks of the music piece, then outputs musical performance information reproduced from the plural tracks of the music piece in accordance with the respective resources allocated to the respective tracks, then receives resource information from the management module, the resource information indicating a group of resources used by the respective remote control modules, then identifies an external device in response to a request for displaying a remote operation screen of one track based on the resource allocated to said one track and the resource information received from the management module, the identified external device being supplied with the musical performance information reproduced from said one track in accordance with the allocated resource, and sends an issuance request instruction to the management module for requesting an issuance of a display instruction to one remote control module corresponding to the identified external device,    wherein the management module collects the resource information from the respective remote control modules, the resource information indicating the group of the resources used by the respective remote control modules, and issues the display instruction to said one remote control module in response to the issuance request instruction, and    wherein said one remote control module displays a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction from the management module, so that the external device corresponding to said one track can be remotely controlled on the displayed remote operation screen.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus for controlling a plurality of external devices, comprising: 
 a plurality of remote control modules corresponding to the plurality of the external devices;    a management module for managing the remote control modules while communicating with the remote control modules, and    an application module for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management module,    wherein the application module sends an issuance request instruction to the management module for requesting an issuance of an operation instruction to one of the remote control modules managed by the management module,    wherein the management module issues the operation instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application module, and transfers the operation instruction to said one remote control module, the operation instruction specifying an operation to be performed by said one remote control module, and    wherein said one remote control module performs the specified operation in response to the operation instruction sent from the management module.    
     
     
         41 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the program set being executable by the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of: 
 using the management process to display icons corresponding to the remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process;    using the management process when a specified operation is applied to one of the icons on the display field, for sending a screen open instruction to one of the remote control processes corresponding to the icon to which the specified operation is applied; and    using the remote control process which receives the screen open instruction to display a control screen for use in remotely controlling the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         42 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the program set being executable by the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of: 
 activating the management process to display icons corresponding to the remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process for remotely controlling the external devices;    allowing the management process when a save instruction operation is detected, for collecting first parameters representing current states of the external devices from the respective remote control processes corresponding to the icons displayed on the display field; and    combining second parameters representing a current state of the management process with the collected first parameters of the external devices to produce a setup file, and saving the setup file on a recording medium.    
     
     
         43 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, the program set being executable by the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of: 
 activating the management process when a load instruction operation is detected, for reading a setup file containing parameters defining states of the external devices;    initiating the remote control processes corresponding to the external devices whose parameters are contained in the read setup file;    supplying the initiated remote control processes with the parameters contained in the read setup file for controlling the corresponding external devices; and    allowing the management process to display icons corresponding to the initiated remote control processes in a display field provided by the management process.    
     
     
         44 . A program set for use in remotely controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, and a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes, each remote control process being allocated with a parameter memory area for storing a configuration state of the corresponding external device, the program set being executable by the computer to perform a method comprising: 
 a synchronization instruction step of allowing the management process to send a synchronization instruction simultaneously to the respective remote control processes; and    a total recall synchronization step of allowing the respective remote control processes to perform a synchronization operation in parallel to each other based on the synchronization instruction so as to synchronize the configuration state stored in each parameter memory area allocated to each remote control process and an actual state of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         45 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs: a first display step of displaying a screen of the application work provided with a plurality of graphic controls corresponding to the plurality of the external devices; and a step of sending an issuance request instruction to the management process when an operation is applied to one of the graphic controls provided in the screen of the application work,    wherein the management process performs: a step of issuing a display instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application process; and a step of sending the issued display instruction to one of the remote control processes corresponding to the graphic control to which the operation is applied, and    wherein said one remote control process performs: a step of receiving the display instruction sent from the management process; and a second display step of displaying a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction for use in remote control of the corresponding external device.    
     
     
         46 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work with allocating resources to the remote control processes while communicating with the management process, wherein 
 the management process performs the steps of:    receiving information indicating a first group of resources which are available for the application work from the application process;    holding a second group of resources among the first group of the resources for use in the remote control processes managed by the management process;    notifying the respective remote control processes of information indicating a third group of resource(s) which is included in the second group of the resources but which excludes resources already used by the respective remote control processes, hence the third group of the resource(s) includes one or more resources allocatable to the respective remote control processes; and    receiving information indicating a fourth group of resource(s) containing one or more of allocated resources from the respective remote control processes.    
     
     
         47 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting at least a reproduction work of a music piece using resources while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs the steps of:    allocating a resource to each of plural tracks of the music piece;    outputting musical performance information reproduced from the plural tracks of the music piece in accordance with the respective resources allocated to the respective tracks;    receiving resource information from the management process, the resource information indicating a group of resources used by the respective remote control processes;    identifying an external device in response to a request for displaying a remote operation screen of one track based on the resource allocated to said one track and the resource information received from the management process, the identified external device being supplied with the musical performance information reproduced from said one track in accordance with the allocated resource; and    sending an issuance request instruction to the management process for requesting an issuance of a display instruction to one remote control process corresponding to the identified external device,    wherein the management process performs the steps of:    collecting the resource information from the respective remote control processes, the resource information indicating the group of the resources used by the respective remote control processes; and    issuing the display instruction to said one remote control process in response to the issuance request instruction, and    wherein said one remote control process performs the step of: displaying a remote operation screen in response to the display instruction from the management process, so that the external device corresponding to said one track can be remotely controlled on the displayed remote operation screen.    
     
     
         48 . A program set for use in controlling a plurality of external devices, the program set being installable in a computer to set up therein a plurality of remote control processes corresponding to the plurality of the external devices, a management process for managing the remote control processes while communicating with the remote control processes and an application process for conducting an application work using the external devices while communicating with the management process, 
 wherein the application process performs a step of sending an issuance request instruction to the management process for requesting an issuance of an operation instruction to one of the remote control processes managed by the management process,    wherein the management process performs a step of issuing the operation instruction in response to the issuance request instruction from the application process, and transferring the operation instruction to said one remote control process, the operation instruction specifying an operation to be performed by said one remote control process, and    wherein the said one remote control process performs the specified operation in response to the operation instruction sent from the management process.