To provide a setting method that facilitates the setting of a serial interface circuit between each device to be controlled and a controller and the setting of response control data.

Application software is used to select and set the serial interface circuit to eliminate the necessity of an on/off switch that is needed for the setting of switching. The selection and setting of the serial interface circuit about the device to be controlled that is connected to a controller 2 can be managed by a database 26 to avoid setting errors. Since transmit/receive data and parameter information can be set by means of setting software, even a person without the ability to create programs can customize the response control of the device to be controlled that is connected to the controller.