A gateway realizes a connection between a network where HAVi devices are hooked
up and another network in accordance with a Play-and-Plug spec. (e.g. the internet
protocol (IP)) other than the HAVi spec. An HAVi plug-in detector detects a plug-in
of a device to the HAVi network. A virtual device functions as a gateway for accessing
from a device plugged-in the IP network to the device plugged-in the HAVi network.
A virtual device controller provides the virtual device with an IP identifier for
accessing to the virtual device from the IP network, and turns the virtual device
to a standby status waiting for connection. A pseudo address generator generates
a pseudo address for the virtual device to communicate with the device in the HAVi
network, and provides the virtual device with the pseudo address. An address-correspondence-controller
controls the correspondence between an HAVi address and the IP identifier both
provided to the virtual device.