Method and apparatus for data communication through composite network

Claim 1

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command.

Claim 2

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command.

Claim 10

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said furnishing step includes identifying and fetching a command from said composite command in a work station having the address associated with the command upon reception of said composite command, deleting the associated address and command fetched in said work station from said composite command on the basis of said identification, and successively transmitting said composite command thus processed by said deleting step through succeeding work stations; and wherein said composite command includes at least a field indicating a station transit command, a field indicating a number of stations subjected to collection of information, address fields for addresses of work stations subjected to collection of information, and operation command fields for work stations subjected to collection of information.

Claim 11

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said furnishing step includes identifying and fetching a command from said composite command in a work station having the address associated with the command upon reception of said composite command, deleting the associated address and command fetched in said work station from said composite command on the basis of said identification, and successively transmitting said composite command thus processed by said deleting step through succeeding work stations; and wherein said composite command includes at least a field indicating a station transit command, a field indicating a number of stations subjected to collection of information, address fields for addresses of work stations subjected to collection of information, and operation command fields for work stations subjected to collection of information.

Claim 12

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations form which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said information collecting center includes a program for testing work stations for maintenance to perform a management for said work stations.

Claim 13

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations form which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said information collecting center includes a program for testing work stations for maintenance to perform a management for said work stations.

Claim 14

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said composite command includes at least a field indicating a station transit command, a field indicating a number of stations subjected to collection of information, address fields for addresses of work stations subjected to collection of information, and operation command fields for work stations subjected to collection of information.

Claim 15

A method of data communication through a composite network system in which a plurality of networks are connected to one another, wherein a center having an information collecting function connected to a first network performs data communication with a plurality of work stations connected to a second network, comprising the steps of: formating at said center a composite command in the form of a data unit in which plural pairs of information including addresses of the work stations from which information is collected and commands to said work stations associated with said addresses are contained collectively; transmitting said formated composite command to said second network through said first network; and furnishing the composite command successively to work stations in said second network, and extracting respective commands to the work stations by individual work stations from the composite command on the basis of the addresses associated with the commands as contained in said composite command; wherein said composite command includes at least a field indicating a station transit command, a field indicating a number of stations subjected to collection of information, address fields for addresses of work stations subjected to collection of information, and operation command fields for work stations subjected to collection of information.