By a simple operation, data held in a portable information terminal can be transmitted to a desired apparatus and processed appropriately. A receiving apparatus 410 includes a wireless LAN communication unit 420 and an infrared receiving unit 82, and processing units 422 and 424 responsive to reception of data by the infrared receiving unit 82 from the same apparatus of the data received by wireless LAN communication unit 420, for performing a process determined by the data received by the infrared receiving unit 82 on the data received by the wireless LAN communication unit 420. Transmission of data as the object of processing and the process thereon can be designated by the data transmitting side, without requiring the side of receiving apparatus 410 to designate the method of processing.