An object of the present invention is to realize an in-home network system that is capable of smoothly controlling an appliance even when a new kind of appliance that has not been obtained conventionally is connected to an in-home network or even when an unusual, special use form is set in a network. A controller of the present invention compares a device type of an appliance connected to an in-home network with a skeleton stored in a skeleton DB. When a skeleton rule in accordance with the appliance type is not stored in the skeleton DB, a request for acquisition of the skeleton rule of the appliance is transmitted to a service agent. In addition, when the location of an appliance is moved, the controller sends a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to the movement to the service agent.