A device of this invention solely executes a power saving operation
without influencing a repeater operation on a serial bus interface to
which a plurality of devices are cascade-connected.A device such as a
digital camera, printer, or the like, which is cascade-connected using an
IEEE1394 serial bus interface, uses an IC prepared by forming both
physical and link layers on a single chip. This IC has a port connected
to a bus. When a power supply on the bus side is OFF, this port can
insulate the bus in DC term. This device transits to a power saving mode
such as a sleep mode, suspend mode, shutdown mode, or the like after an
elapse of a predetermined wait time. In the shutdown mode, the system
power supply of the device is turned off, but the IC can operate by
electric power supplied from a cable. With this operation, a signal can
be relayed between devices, and a packet for the link layer can be
received. Upon receiving a LINK_ON packet, the device is restored from
the power saving mode to a normal drive state.