Electronic equipment, method of receiving data, method of transmitting data, method of setting channel and method of grouping electronic equipment into channels

Abstract

It becomes possible for a user to set a transmission or reception channel arbitrarily and easily. Each of equipment connected to an IEEE 1394 bus may include a register provided within a RAM 113 to thereby set a transmission or reception default channel. If channels used in the transmission and the reception are not set when the transmission is started, then default channel may be used. When equipment is set to a channel setting mode by operating an operation section 116 , a control section 112 may display a channel setting picture on a display section 115 . In this state, a user may select a set channel by operating an up-key 116 a and a down-key 116 b of the operation section 116 . Thereafter, when a user operates a “YES” key 116 c , the control section 112 may write a selected channel in the above-mentioned register, and ends a default channel setting operation. A user can set the transmission or reception channel arbitrarily and easily.

1 . An apparatus for receiving data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 memory means for storing a reception channel;    operation means for setting the reception channel in said memory means, where said reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel; and    reception means for receiving data of said reception channel based on said reception channel set to said memory means.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said memory means comprises a register.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising display means for displaying a setting picture for setting said reception channel in said memory means by said operation means.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus for receiving data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 memory means for storing a reception channel;    reception means for receiving a communication command;    determination means for determining whether said communication command received at said reception means is a communication command concerning setting a reception channel;    setting means for setting said reception channel in said memory means when said communication command received at said reception means is the communication command concerning setting a reception channel, where said reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel; and    reception means for receiving data of said reception channel based on said reception channel set to said memory means.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said communication command comprises a packet of a predetermined format and said packet includes: 
 a command discrimination element for indicating that said communication command is a communication command concerning the setting of a transmission channel, a transmission and reception discrimination element for determining whether a set channel is a reception channel or a transmission channel, and a channel number discrimination element for indicating a set channel number.    
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for transmitting data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 memory means for storing a transmission channel;    operation means for setting a transmission channel in said memory means, where said transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel; and    transmission means for transmitting data from said transmission channel based on said memory means to which said transmission channel was set.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said memory means comprises a register.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising display means for displaying a setting picture for use in setting said transmission channel to said memory means by said operation means.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for transmitting data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 memory means for storing a transmission channel;    reception means for receiving a communication command;    determination means for determining whether said communication command received at said reception means is a communication command concerning setting a transmission channel;    setting means for setting said transmission channel in said memory means when said communication command is a communication command the setting the transmission channel, where said transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel; and    transmission means for transmitting data form said transmission channel based on said transmission channel set to said memory means.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus connected to electronic equipment, said electronic equipment comprising: 
 issue means for issuing a communication command used to set at least one of a reception channel and a transmission channel of said electronic equipment, where the reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel and where the transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel; and    transmission means for transmitting said communication command issued by said issue means to said electronic equipment.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said issue means includes generation means for generating a packet of a predetermined format and said packet thus generated includes: 
 a command discrimination element for indicating that said communication command is a communication command concerning the setting of a channel,    a transmission and reception discrimination element for determining whether a set channel is a reception channel or a transmission channel, and    a channel number discrimination element for indicating a set channel number.    
   
   
       12 . A data reception method for receiving data of a predetermined channel, comprising the steps of: 
 setting a reception channel, where the reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel;    storing said reception channel in a memory; and    receiving data of said reception channel based on said reception channel memorized said memory means.    
   
   
       13 . The data reception method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein step of setting operation process includes displaying a set picture for use in setting said reception channel and memorizing in said memory.  
   
   
       14 . A data reception method for receiving data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 a reception process for receiving a communication command;    a determination process for determining whether said communication command received at said reception process is a communication command concerning setting a reception channel;    a setting process for setting a reception channel in memory when said communication command is the communication command concerning setting the reception channel, where the reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel; and    a reception process for receiving data of said reception channel based on said reception channel set to said memory.    
   
   
       15 . A data transmission method for transmitting data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 a transmission channel setting operation for performing an operation to set a transmission channel, where the transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel;    a transmission channel setting process for storing said transmission channel in a memory based on said transmission channel setting operation; and    a transmission process for transmitting data from said transmission channel based on said transmission channel stored in said memory.    
   
   
       16 . The data transmission method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said transmission channel setting operation includes a display step for displaying a set picture used for setting said transmission channel to said memory.  
   
   
       17 . A data transmission method for transmitting data of a predetermined channel, comprising: 
 a reception process for receiving a communication command;    a determination process for determining whether said communication command received at said reception process is a communication command concerning setting a transmission channel;    a setting process for setting a transmission channel in said memory means when said communication command is the communication command concerning setting the transmission channel, where the transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel; and    a transmission process for transmitting data from said transmission channel based on said transmission channel set to said memory means.    
   
   
       18 . A channel setting method for setting a channel of an apparatus connected to electronic equipment, comprising the steps of: 
 an issue process for issuing a communication command used to set at least one of a reception channel and a transmission channel of the electronic equipment, where the reception channel is set at any desired time and is any desired reception channel and where the transmission channel is set at any desired time and is any desired transmission channel; and    a transmission process for transmitting said communication command issued at said issue process to said electronic equipment.