A memory includes a set of sequentially stored data. Each of the data
includes a variable-length data and length information indicative of a
data length of the variable-length data. An MPU creates a read
instruction for reading the set of data. A DMS chip, upon receiving the
read instruction, reads length information from the memory, calculates a
storage location of subsequent data in the memory, and reads the
subsequent data from the first memory. Thus, the DMS chip reads the
subsequent data from the memory instead of the MPU thereby reducing load
on the MPU.