US Patent 7320040 Data distribution system

A transfer apparatus receives, from a controller, a bit string including a plurality of individual data addressed to plural input/output units. The bit string is divided into data fragments. The data fragments are specified as corresponding to a target input/output unit. The specified data fragment is processed without performing a bit shift operation, and transmitted to the target input/output unit as a target data fragment. The input/output unit receives and stores template information that indicates an area within the target data fragment where the individual data is stored. The individual data is extracted from the target data fragment based on the template information.