Abstract: A network server determines a certain procedure to be executed by household device based on data received from a user terminal, and transmits data for making the household device execute the procedure to the household device by way of data communication through the Internet. Data from the user terminal, which the network server receives for determination of the procedure, represents a data used by the network server for selection of one or more of prescribed procedures to be executed by the household device among a plurality of them stored in the network server. A third party service provider is able to reduce investment on device in establishing a communication network by synergistic use of a home network owned by the homeowner covenanter, which enables it to provide the services extremely inexpensively.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic apparatus that can recover easily even when failing to update version up of a program and can be started without resort to special operation even when the program changes to change the storage format of setting information. The apparatus has a central processing unit for controlling the whole of the apparatus, a writable and nonvolatile memory for storing programs and setting information and a random access memory uses as a work area. The nonvolatile memory has at least three program areas.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic apparatus that can recover easily even when failing to update version up of a program and can be started without resort to special operation even when the program changes to change the storage format of setting information. The apparatus has a central processing unit for controlling the whole of the apparatus, a writable and nonvolatile memory for storing programs and setting information and a random access memory uses as a work area. The nonvolatile memory has at least three program areas.

Abstract: Instead of setting the type of a dial signal for a central office line connected to a private branch exchange to either a DTMF signal or a pulsed signal externally of the private branch exchange, the line is acquired and a DTMF signal is transmitted from the private branch exchange to the line so that the line is recognized as a dial line for the DTMF signal when a dial tone coming from the line disappears but as a dial line for the pulsed signal when the dial tone does not disappear. Results of recognition are set in the private branch exchange and the type of the dial signal for the line is set automatically in accordance with the results.

Abstract: In a telephone-call distributor of the present invention, a dial data signal to be transmitted is generated by a control unit (1301, 2301, 3301) and DTMF signal generator (1328, 3328) in accordance with the dial data given to the control unit through a DTMF signal receiver (1327, 2323, 3327).