JP2003162599A - Content providing system, information processing device and method, recording medium and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to use content without storing information on a license and the content in a terminal. <P>SOLUTION: An intermediate server 3 manages identification information on content purchased through the terminal 1 as license information. The intermediate server 3, if identification information on the content for which the terminal 1 has requested to use is not included in the license information, for instance, performs billing processing for the purchase of the content so as to acquire the content from a server 5, and provides the terminal 1 with the content. Meanwhile, if the identification information on the content of which use is requested is included in the license information, the intermediate server 3, without performing processing for billing, acquires the content from the server 5, and provides the terminal 1 with the content. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content providing system, an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program, and in particular, the content can be used even if the user's recording medium does not store the license information and the content. The present invention relates to a content providing system, an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program capable of being performed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a system in which a terminal can be used to receive content from a predetermined server connected via a network.

[0003]

However, in the conventional system, when the content is provided (purchased), the information about the license of the content is stored in the recording medium via the terminal together with the content.

Therefore, conventionally, when the information about the license cannot be read because the recording medium is damaged, the user does the same as when purchasing a new one (for example, paying the same money). There was a problem that the content had to be purchased again.

Further, since the contents are stored in the recording medium of the terminal, there is a problem that the user has to prepare a large-capacity recording medium.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and makes it possible to use the contents without storing the information and contents relating to the license in the recording medium of the user.

[0007]

In the content providing system of the present invention, the terminal requests by the first requesting means for requesting the intermediate server to use the content and the first requesting means supplied from the intermediate server. The intermediate server stores the license information including the identification information of the content, and the storage unit stores the identification information of the content requested by the first requesting means of the terminal. And a determination unit that determines whether or not the content identification information requested by the first requesting unit of the terminal is not stored in the storage unit. Updating means for updating the license information stored in the storage means based on the license information of the content requested by the first requesting means; Second requesting means for requesting the distribution server to supply the content requested by the first requesting means, and content requested by the second requesting means supplied from the distribution server are received and supplied to the terminal. First
And the delivery server is a second intermediate server.
The detecting means for detecting the content requested by the requesting means, and the second supplying means for supplying the content detected by the detecting means to the intermediate server.

By the determination means of the intermediate server, the first of the terminals
The identification information of the content requested by the requesting means of
A processing unit may be further provided that performs a charging process when it is determined that the data is not stored in the storage unit.

The license information is the identification information of the content supplied to the terminal by the first supply means of the intermediate server,
And the identification information of the terminal to which the content is supplied, and the identification information of the content requested by the first requesting means of the terminal is stored in the storage means in the second requesting means of the intermediate server. When it is determined that the terminal has referred to the license information stored in the storage means, the first supply means determines the terminal to which the content requested by the first request means of the terminal has been previously supplied. When the detected terminal holds the content, the detected terminal can be requested to supply the content requested by the first requesting means of the terminal.

In the content providing system of the present invention, the terminal requests the intermediate server to use the content, the requested content supplied from the intermediate server is used, and the intermediate server includes the content identification information. When the license information is stored, it is determined whether the identification information of the requested content is stored, and when it is determined that the identification information of the requested content is not stored, the license of the requested content is licensed. The stored license information is updated based on the information,
A delivery server is requested to supply the requested content,
The requested content supplied from the distribution server is received and supplied to the terminal, the distribution server detects the requested content, and the detected content is supplied to the intermediate server.

The information processing apparatus of the present invention determines whether or not the storage means for storing the license information containing the identification information of the content and the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal are stored in the storage means. Determination means to
When the determination unit determines that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the storage unit, the license information stored in the storage unit is determined based on the license information of the content requested to be used. Update means for updating, acquisition means for acquiring the content requested to be used from the server, and acquired by the acquisition means,
And a supply unit that supplies the content requested to be used to the terminal requesting the use of the content.

[0012] When the determination means determines that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the storage means, it may further include a processing means for performing a charging process.

The license information is the identification information of the content supplied to the terminal by the supply means and the identification information of the terminal to which the content is supplied, and the acquisition means is the identification information of the content requested to be used by the determination means. But,
When it is determined that the content is stored in the storage unit, the license information stored in the storage unit is referred to, and the supply unit detects the terminal to which the content requested to be used has been previously supplied, When the detected terminal holds the content, the content requested to be used can be acquired from the detected terminal.

The information processing method of the present invention determines whether the storage step of storing license information including the identification information of the content and the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal are stored in the processing of the storage step. In the determination step of determining, and in the processing of the determination step, when it is determined that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the processing of the storing step, based on the license information of the content requested to be used, An updating step of updating the license information stored in the processing of the storing step, an acquiring step of acquiring the content requested to be used from the server, and an acquiring step acquired in the processing of the acquiring step,
And a supplying step of supplying the content requested to be used to the terminal requesting the use of the content.

In the program of the recording medium of the present invention, the storage control step for controlling the storage of license information including the identification information of the content and the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal are stored by the processing of the storage control step. If the determination control step that controls whether or not the content is requested is determined that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the processing of the storage control step in the processing of the determination control step, the use is requested. An update control step for controlling the update of the license information stored in the process of the storage control step based on the license information of the content that has been requested; an acquisition control step for controlling the acquisition of the content requested to be used from the server; It is necessary to use the content of the content requested to be used that was acquired in the acquisition control step processing. Characterized in that it comprises the a supply control step of controlling the supply to the terminal.

According to the program of the present invention, the storage control step for controlling the storage of license information including the identification information of the content and the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal are stored in the storage control step. The content requested to be used when it is determined in the processing of the determination control step and the processing of the determination control step that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the processing of the storage control step. An update control step for controlling the update of the license information stored in the storage control step based on the license information, an acquisition control step for controlling the acquisition of the content requested to be used from the server, and an acquisition control step Of the content requested to be used, which was acquired in the process Against, characterized in that to execute a process comprising a supply control step of controlling the supply to the computer.

In the information processing apparatus and method and the program of the present invention, license information including content identification information is stored, and it is determined whether or not the content identification information requested to be used by the terminal is stored. , When it is determined that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored, the stored license information is updated based on the license information of the content requested to be used, and the content requested to be used is The content requested to be used, which is acquired from the server, is supplied to the terminal requesting the use of the content.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an example of use of a content providing system that provides the present invention.

N terminals 1-1 to 1-N (hereinafter,
When there is no need to distinguish them individually, they are simply referred to as terminals 1) and are connected to the intermediate server 3 via, for example, a wireless LAN 2 provided as a home network in the building A. When the user specifies the content and operates to use the content, the terminal 1 requests the intermediate server 3 to use the specified content.

The intermediate server 3 stores license information including identification information of contents purchased via the terminal 1. When the intermediate server 3 does not store the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal 1 as license information, the intermediate server 3 performs a billing process for purchasing the content and acquires the content from the distribution server 5,
It is supplied to the terminal 1 that has requested the use of the content.

On the other hand, when the identification information of the content requested to be used is stored as the license information, the intermediate server 3 does not process the content, but the content is distributed to the distribution server 5, or the like. The terminal 1 that previously acquired the content and acquired it from another terminal 1 that holds the content, and requested it to use the content
Supply to.

The distribution server 5 transmits the content to the intermediate server 3 in response to the request.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the intermediate server 3. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 is a ROM (Rea
d Only Memory) 13 or a program stored in a recording medium such as a magnetic disk 31, an optical disk 32, a magneto-optical disk 33, or a semiconductor memory 34 mounted in the drive 20, a RAM (Random Access Memor)
y) Load to 12 and execute.

The wireless LAN controller 14 is a wireless device 15
To communicate with the terminal 1 via the wireless LAN 2.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lin
e) The modem 16 is connected to the Internet 4 via the modular jack 17 and communicates with the distribution server 5.

The memory stick controller 18 reads or writes data from the mounted memory stick 19.

The memory stick 19 stores license information and the like. In addition, the memory stick 19
Such a semiconductor memory has high reliability in data retention, and is therefore suitable for storing important license information and the like.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of the intermediate server 3. The home network communication unit 52 is a wireless LAN.
For controlling the communication with the terminal 1.
That is, the home network communication unit 52 corresponds to the processing in the wireless LAN controller 14 and the wireless device 15 of FIG.

The Internet communication unit 54 processes a communication protocol for the Internet and controls communication with the distribution server 5. That is, the Internet communication unit 54
Is the ADSL modem 16 and modular jack 17 of FIG.
Corresponds to the processing in.

The license information management unit 53 stores the license information and controls its reading and writing. That is, the license information management unit 53
This corresponds to the processing in the memory stick controller 18 and the memory stick 19 of FIG.

The license information processing unit 51 performs processing relating to license information described below. This processing procedure is shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is,
In step S1, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 sends information about the client ID and the content of the user (user A in this example) transmitted from the terminal 1 (terminal 1-1 in this example). (For example,
Content name) via the home network communication unit 52, information about the content is transmitted to the distribution server 5 via the Internet communication unit 54, and the content ID of the content specified by the information is
It is acquired from the distribution server 5.

At this time, the user A operates the terminal 1-1 to input his / her client ID (ID assigned at the time of registration in the system) and to specify the content to be used. Therefore, the terminal 1-1 Transmits the input client ID and information regarding the specified content to the intermediate server 3.

At this time, the distribution server 5 detects the content ID corresponding to the information about the content from the intermediate server 3 from the data of the content that can be provided, its ID, and the information about it, which it holds. Is transmitted to the intermediate server 3.

Next, in step S2, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 receives the content I acquired in step S1 via the license information management unit 53.
It is determined whether D is included in the license information of the user A.

In the license information management unit 53 (memory stick 19), for each client ID (contractor), the content I of the content purchased by that contractor is displayed.
The D, the attribute flag indicating the attribute, and the device ID of the terminal 1 to which the content is supplied are stored as license information.

FIG. 5 shows the contents of the license information of user A. This license information includes the client ID (10 bytes) of user A, the authentication key (16 bytes), and the content ID (I
D1, ID2) (10 bytes each), its attribute flag (flag 1, flag 2) (1 byte each), and the device ID of the terminal 1 to which the content is supplied (device ID1, device ID)
2) (6 bytes each).

It should be noted that bit0 of the attribute flag is set to 1 when the content includes voice, and is set to 0 when the content does not include voice. Bit 1 is set to 1 when the content includes a video, and 0 is set when the content does not include the video. Bit 2 is set to 1 when the content includes a karaoke track, and is set to 0 when the content does not include the karaoke track. bit3 to bit7 are not currently used,
0 is set there.

When it is determined in step S2 that the content ID is not included in the license information, the process proceeds to step S3 and the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 is executed.
Is the client ID sent from terminal 1-1
And the authentication key (FIG. 5) registered in the license information of the user A corresponding thereto are transferred to the Internet communication unit 54.
To the distribution server 5 via.

Next, in step S4, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 sends the authentication result based on the client ID and the authentication key transmitted in step S3, which is transmitted from the distribution server 5, to the Internet communication unit. Received via 54.

The distribution server 5 performs processing for authenticating the user A based on the client ID and the authentication key transmitted from the intermediate server 3, and transmits the processing result to the intermediate server 3.

In step S5, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 determines whether or not the user A has been authenticated, based on the authentication result from the distribution server 5,
If it is determined that the user has been authenticated, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 notifies the terminal 1-1 of the fact of authentication via the home network communication unit 52. Then, the license information processing unit 51 receives the signal, which is transmitted from the terminal 1-1 in response to the notification, indicating that the charging is accepted or not accepted, and the terminal 1-1
In, it is determined whether or not the charge has been accepted.

When the terminal 1-1 receives from the intermediate server 3 a signal indicating that the user A has been authenticated, the terminal 1-1 displays a screen asking the user A whether or not to approve the charge, and
When the user A performs an operation for accepting the charge or an operation for not accepting the charge on the screen, the result of the operation is notified to the intermediate server 3.

If the content ID of the content designated by the terminal 1-1 is not included in the license information of the user A of the intermediate server 3 (step S2), the user A
Needs to accept billing and purchase content in order to use it.

When it is determined in step S6 that the billing is to be accepted, the process proceeds to step S7, in which the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 is designated by the user A from the distribution server 5 via the Internet communication unit 54. The downloaded content (the content of which the ID is acquired in step S1) is downloaded and is transmitted to the terminal 1-1 via the home network communication unit 52.

The terminal 1-1 receives the content transmitted from the intermediate server 3 and reproduces it. However, when the content data of a certain amount of data is received, the reproduction of that amount of data is started. The content data itself is not recorded (since it is played back while receiving the data).

In step S8, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 transmits a signal indicating that when the content is downloaded to the distribution server 5 via the Internet communication unit 54.

Next, in step S9, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 receives the content ID of the newly purchased content via the license information management unit 53 (content I acquired in step S1).
D), its attribute flag, and the device ID of the terminal 1-1 are registered in the license information of the user A.

If the user A is not authenticated in step S5, or if it is determined in step S6 that the charging is not approved, the process proceeds to step S10, and the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 causes the license information processing unit 51 to send a predetermined message. To the terminal 1-1 via the home network communication unit 52.
Send to.

When it is determined in step S2 that the content ID is included in the license information of the user A, the process proceeds to step S11, where the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 determines from the license information of the user A
The ID of the terminal 1 set in correspondence with the content ID acquired in step S1 is detected.

The device ID of the terminal 1 to which the purchased (downloaded) content is supplied by the above-described processing of steps S1 to S9 is the content ID.
Since the license information is registered with the license information, the terminal 1 having the device ID registered corresponding to the content ID is
Content having that ID may be stored. It should be noted that, like the terminal 1-1, the content is not recorded (is not left) in the terminal 1 that reproduces data while receiving the data from the intermediate server 3.

Next, in step S12, the license information processing section 51 of the intermediate server 3 communicates with the terminal 1 having the device ID detected in step S11 via the home network communication section 52, and then step S1 is performed there. It is determined whether or not the content having the content ID acquired in step 1 is held, and if it is determined that the content is held, the process proceeds to step S13.

In step S13, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 receives the device ID detected in step S11 via the home network communication unit 52.
Content ID obtained in step S1 from the terminal 1 of
And downloads the content having "" to the terminal 1-1.

If it is determined in step S12 that the terminal with the device ID detected in step S11 does not hold the content with the content ID acquired in step S1, the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 is the Internet communication unit 5
The client ID and the authentication key of the user A are transmitted to the distribution server 5 via 4, and the authentication result based on the client ID and the authentication key transmitted from the distribution server 5 is received in step S15.

Next, in step S16, the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 determines whether the user A has been authenticated based on the authentication result received in step S15, and determines that the user A has been authenticated. In this case, the process returns to step S7 and the subsequent processes are executed. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S16 that the authentication has not been performed, the process proceeds to step S17, and the license information processing unit 51 of the intermediate server 3 notifies the terminal 1-1 to that effect.

When the license information is updated in step S9, a predetermined message is sent to the terminal 1 in step S10.
-1, the content was downloaded in step S13, and when it was transmitted to the terminal 1-1, or in step S17, the terminal 1-1 was notified that the user A was not authenticated. Then, the process ends.

As described above, since the license information is stored in the intermediate server 3 (license information management section 53 (memory stick 19)), it is not necessary to separately store it in the recording medium.

Further, as in the case of the terminal 1-1,
If you can play while receiving the content,
The content can be played back without the terminal 1-1 holding the content itself. That is, the user does not need to prepare a recording medium (large-capacity recording medium) for recording the content.

The flowchart of FIG. 6 shows the processing procedure of the distribution server 5 corresponding to the processing of the intermediate server 3 described above.

The distribution server 5 receives the information about the content from the intermediate server 3 (step S in FIG. 4).
1), data of the content that can be provided and is provided,
The content ID corresponding to the received information about the content is detected from the ID and the information about the ID, and the detected content ID is transmitted to the intermediate server 3. Thereby, the intermediate server 3 can acquire the content ID (step S1).

In step S22, the distribution server 5
Is the client ID sent from the intermediate server 3.
And the authentication key (step S3 in FIG. 4) are received, and if it is determined that the authentication key has been received, the process proceeds to step S23 to authenticate the user A based on the received client ID and authentication key. And step S2
In 4, the processing result is transmitted to the intermediate server 3.
The intermediate server 3 receives it (step S4).

Next, in step S25, the distribution server 5 determines whether or not the download of the content is requested from the intermediate server 3, and if it is determined that the download is requested, the process proceeds to step S26, and the intermediate server in step S21. The content having the content ID transmitted to the third server 3 is distributed to the intermediate server 3. This allows the intermediate server 3 to download the content (step S in FIG. 4).
7).

Next, in step S27, when the distribution server 5 receives from the intermediate server 3 that the content download is completed, and in step S22 it is determined that the client ID and the authentication key have not been received. Alternatively, when it is determined in step S25 that the content download has not been requested, the process ends.

Although the above description has been made on the assumption that the distribution server 5 itself holds the content requested to be provided, the distribution server 5 may not hold the content. Therefore, next, the distribution server 5 itself
The operation of the distribution server 5 that can handle the case where the requested content is not owned will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7.

When the distribution server 5 receives the information about the content transmitted from the intermediate server 3 (step S1 in FIG. 4), it determines from the data of the content that can be provided, its ID, and the information about it. , Content I corresponding to the received information about the content
It is determined whether or not D can be detected. If it is determined that D cannot be detected, that is, if the requested content is not held, the process proceeds to step S39.

In step S39, the distribution server 5
Detects a distribution server that holds the content having the received content ID, and acquires the content ID from the detected distribution server.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the distribution server X
Holds the content, the distribution server X is detected, and the content ID is acquired from the distribution server X.

When it is determined in step S31 that the content ID can be detected, or when the content ID is acquired from another distribution server (distribution server X in the example of FIG. 8) in step S39, step S32 Then, the distribution server 5 transmits the content ID to the intermediate server 3.

In steps S33 to S36 and step S38, the same processes as those in steps S22 to S25 and step S27 of FIG. 6 are performed, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

In step S37, the distribution server 5
Supplies the content to the intermediate server 3, but if it does not own the content, the content server acquires the content from the distribution server (distribution server X in the example of FIG. 8) and stores it in the intermediate server 3. Send.

In the present specification, the steps for describing the program provided by the recording medium are not limited to the processing performed in time series according to the order described, but are not necessarily performed in time series, but may be performed in parallel. Alternatively, it also includes processes that are individually executed.

In this specification, the system means
It represents the entire apparatus composed of a plurality of devices.

[0074]

According to the content providing system of the present invention, the terminal requests the intermediate server to use the content,
Using the requested content supplied from the intermediate server, the intermediate server stores the license information including the identification information of the content, and determines whether or not the identification information of the requested content is stored, When it is determined that the identification information of the requested content is not stored, the stored license information is updated based on the license information of the requested content and the supply of the requested content is supplied to the distribution server. Since the requesting and receiving the requested contents supplied from the distribution server and supplying the requested contents to the terminal, the distribution server detects the requested contents and supplies the detected contents to the intermediate server. Since the terminal does not need to hold the license information, the management burden on the user can be reduced.

According to the information processing apparatus and method and the program of the present invention, the license information including the identification information of the content is stored, and it is determined whether the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal is stored. However, when it is determined that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored, the stored license information is updated based on the license information of the content requested to be used, and the content requested to be used is updated. Is supplied from the server, and the acquired content requested to be used is supplied to the terminal requesting the use of the content, so that the terminal does not need to hold the license information and the user's management burden is reduced. Can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage example of an intermediate server to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an intermediate server in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of an intermediate server in FIG.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the intermediate server of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of license information.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the distribution server of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another operation of the distribution server of FIG.

FIG. 8 is another diagram showing an example of use of an intermediate server to which the present invention has been applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 terminal, 2 wireless LAN, 3 intermediate server, 4
Internet, 5 distribution servers, 11 CPUs, 1
2 RAM, 13 ROM, 14 wireless LAN controller, 15 wireless device, 16 ADSL modem, 17 modular jack, 18 memory stick controller, 19 memory stick

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A content providing system comprising a terminal, an intermediate server, and a distribution server, wherein the terminal is provided with first requesting means for requesting the intermediate server to use the content, and the terminal is supplied from the intermediate server. Utilizing means for utilizing the content requested by the first requesting means, the intermediate server storing means for storing license information including identification information of the content, and the first requesting means of the terminal. Determination means for determining whether the requested identification information of the content is stored in the storage means, and the determination means for identifying the content requested by the first request means of the terminal When it is determined that the information is not stored in the storage means, it is requested by the first requesting means of the terminal. Update means for updating the license information stored in the storage means based on the license information of the content; and requesting the distribution server to supply the content requested by the first request means of the terminal. And a first supplying unit that receives the content requested by the second requesting unit and supplies the content to the terminal. A detection unit that detects the content requested by the second request unit of the intermediate server; and a second supply unit that supplies the content detected by the detection unit to the intermediate server. Characteristic content providing system. 2. The determination means of the intermediate server,
The processing unit according to claim 1, further comprising a processing unit that performs a charging process when it is determined that the identification information of the content requested by the first request unit of the terminal is not stored in the storage unit. Content provision system. 3. The content providing system comprising a plurality of the terminals, the intermediate server, and the distribution server, wherein the license information is supplied to the terminal by the first supplying means of the intermediate server. Identification information of the terminal to which the content is supplied, the second requesting means of the intermediate server is requested by the determining means by the first requesting means of the terminal. When it is determined that the identification information of the content is stored in the storage unit, the license information stored in the storage unit is referred to, and the first supply unit sets the first Detects the terminal to which the content requested by the requesting means has been previously supplied, and detects the detected terminal. The content providing system according to claim 1, wherein when the user has tents, it requests the detected terminal to supply the content requested by the first requesting unit of the terminal. . 4. A terminal that can use the content, and an information processing device connected to a server that provides the content, a storage unit that stores license information including identification information of the content, and usage is requested by the terminal. Determination means for determining whether or not the identification information of the content that has been stored is stored in the storage means, and the identification information of the content requested to be used by the determination means is not stored in the storage means When it is determined that the content is requested to be used from the server, update means for updating the license information stored in the storage means based on license information of the content requested to be used, and the content requested to be used from the server. The acquisition means for acquiring and the content requested to be used, acquired by the acquisition means, The information processing apparatus characterized in that it comprises a supply means for supplying to the terminal that requested the use of Ceiling. 5. The processing unit according to claim 4, further comprising a processing unit that performs a charging process when the determination unit determines that the identification information of the content requested to be used is not stored in the storage unit. The information processing device described. 6. The information processing apparatus connected to a plurality of the terminals and the server, wherein the license information includes the identification information of the content supplied to the terminal by the supply unit and the content. When the determination unit determines that the identification information of the content requested to be used is stored in the storage unit, the acquisition unit stores in the storage unit. By referring to the stored license information, the supply means detects the terminal to which the content requested to be used has been previously supplied, and the detected terminal holds the content. In this case, the information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the content requested to be used is acquired from the detected terminal. 7. A terminal capable of using contents, and an information processing method of an information processing device connected to a server for providing contents, the storing step of storing license information including identification information of the contents, said terminal. Determination step of determining whether the identification information of the content requested to be used by the storage step is stored, and in the processing of the determination step, the identification information of the content requested to be used is When it is determined in the process of the storing step that the content is not stored, an updating step of updating the license information stored in the process of the storing step based on license information of the content requested to be used; An acquisition step of acquiring the requested content from the server; Obtained in the processing of flop, the content usage is requested, the information processing method characterized by comprising a supply step of supplying to the terminal that requested the use of the content. 8. A storage control step for controlling storage of license information including identification information of content, which is a program of an information processing apparatus connected to a terminal that can use the content and a server that provides the content. A determination control step of controlling whether or not the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal is stored in the process of the storage control step; and a use is requested in the process of the determination control step. The license information stored in the process of the storage control step based on the license information of the content requested to be used when it is determined that the identification information of the content is not stored in the process of the storage control step. An update control step for controlling the update of the content of the content requested to be used. An acquisition control step for controlling acquisition from the device, and a supply control step for controlling supply of the content requested to be used, which is acquired in the process of the acquisition control step, to the terminal that has requested the use of the content. A recording medium having a computer-readable program recorded thereon. 9. A storage control step for controlling storage of license information including content identification information, which is a program of an information processing apparatus connected to a terminal that can use the content and a server that provides the content. A determination control step of controlling whether or not the identification information of the content requested to be used by the terminal is stored in the process of the storage control step; and a use is requested in the process of the determination control step. The license information stored in the process of the storage control step based on the license information of the content requested to be used when it is determined that the identification information of the content is not stored in the process of the storage control step. An update control step for controlling the update of the content of the content requested to be used. An acquisition control step for controlling acquisition from the device, and a supply control step for controlling supply of the content requested to be used, which is acquired in the process of the acquisition control step, to the terminal that has requested the use of the content. A program that causes a computer to execute processing including the above.