To provide a relay device capable of increasing the number of connected nodes in a bus-type network, and a connector providing the relay device. An active-star coupler as the relay device includes a bit width distortion correction circuit and a ringing pulse absorption circuit, corrects bit width distortion in bit units using the bit width distortion correction circuit and absorbs and eliminates ringing pulses in a terminus of a communication frame using the ringing pulse absorption circuit.

A serial transmission peripheral device for transmitting serial transmission data with a variable data length includes a pulse forming unit; and a register programmable to set a desired transmission length. The peripheral device is operable to determine an actual transmission length and calculate a length of a pause pulse and to add the pause pulse at the end of a transmission to generate a transmission having a constant length.