Distribution system, distribution apparatus, and reception apparatus for distributing contents having usage expiry

A digital content distribution apparatus for sending a content and expiry information to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to make a usage permission judgment of the content, comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by a timer included in the reception apparatus;
• a timer operable to clock a date-time and to output a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sender operable to send to the reception apparatus the expiry information generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the second date-time from the first date-time.

A digital content distribution apparatus for sending a content and expiry information of the content to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to judge a usage permission of the content, comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by the reception apparatus and an ID identifying the first date-time;
• a timer operable to clock a date-time and to output a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sender operable to send to the reception apparatus the received ID and the expiry information that is generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the second date-time.

A digital content reception apparatus for receiving, from a distribution apparatus, expiry information of a content to make a usage permission judgment of the content, the expiry information being generated by the distribution apparatus using information sent from the reception apparatus, comprising:

• a user date-time acquiring unit operable to acquire a user date-time that is designated by a user;
• a timer operable to clock a date-time and to output a first date-time clocked at an instant when the user date-time is acquired;
• a memory unit operable to store therein a difference in association with an ID identifying the difference, the difference being calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the user date-time;
• a playback request acquiring unit operable to acquire a playback request for a content that is designated by the user;
• a sender operable to send, to the distribution apparatus, the ID and an adjusted date-time that is calculated by adding the difference to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant when the playback request is acquired;
• a receiver operable to receive the ID and the expiry information from the distribution apparatus;
• and
• a judging unit operable to judge that usage of the content is permitted when a date-time shown by the received expiry information is later than a date-time calculated by adding a difference identified by the received ID to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant of the judgment.

A digital content reception apparatus for receiving, from each one of a first and a second distribution apparatus, a usage expiry date-time of a content to judge a usage permission of the content using the usage expiry date-time, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a timer operable to clock a date-time and to output (i) a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received, and (ii) a fourth date-time clocked at an instant when the second date-time is received;
• and
• a memory unit operable to store therein (i) a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the first ID, and (ii) a difference between the second date-time and the fourth date-time in association with the second ID.

A digital content reception apparatus for receiving, from each one of a first distribution apparatus and a second distribution apparatus that is dependent on the first distribution apparatus, a usage expiry date-time of a content to judge a usage permission of the content using the usage expiry date-time, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a timer operable to clock a date-time and to output a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a memory unit operable to store, when the receiver receives the first ID and the first date-time, a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the second ID.

A digital content distribution method for sending a content and expiry information to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to make a usage permission judgment of the content, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by a timer included in the reception apparatus;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sending step of sending to the reception apparatus the expiry information generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the second date-time from the first date-time.

A digital content distribution method for sending a content and expiry information of the content to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to make a usage permission judgment of the content, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by the reception apparatus and an ID identifying the first date-time;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sending step of sending to the reception apparatus the received ID and the expiry information that is generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the second date-time.

A digital content reception method for receiving, from a distribution apparatus, expiry information of a content to make a usage permission judgment of the content, the expiry information being generated by the distribution apparatus using information sent from the reception apparatus, comprising:

• a user date-time acquiring step of acquiring a user date-time that is designated by a user;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a first date-time clocked at an instant when the user date-time is acquired;
• a storing step of storing therein a difference in association with an ID identifying the difference, the difference being calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the user date-time;
• a playback request acquiring step of acquiring a playback request for a content that is designated by the user;
• a sending step of sending, to the distribution apparatus, the ID and an adjusted date-time that is calculated by adding the difference to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant when the playback request is acquired;
• a receiving step of receiving the ID and the expiry information from the distribution apparatus;
• and
• a judging step of judging that usage of the content is permitted when a date-time shown by the received expiry information is later than a date-time calculated by adding a difference identified by the received ID to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant of the judgment.

A digital content reception method for receiving, from each one of a first and a second distribution apparatus, a usage expiry date-time of a content to judge a usage permission of the content using the usage expiry date-time, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting (i) a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received, and (ii) a fourth date-time clocked at an instant when the second date-time is received;
• and
• a storing step of storing therein (i) a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the first ID, and (ii) a difference between the second date-time and the fourth date-time in association with the second ID.

A digital content reception method for receiving, from each one of a first distribution apparatus and a second distribution apparatus that is dependent on the first distribution apparatus, a usage expiry date-time of a content to judge a usage permission of the content using the usage expiry date-time, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus, a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a storing step of storing, when the receiver receives the first ID and the first date-time, a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the second ID.

A digital content distribution program for use by a distribution apparatus that sends a content and expiry information to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to makes a usage permission judgment of the content, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by a timer included in the reception apparatus;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sending step of sending to the reception apparatus the expiry information generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the second date-time from the first date-time.

A digital content distribution program for use by a distribution apparatus that sends a content and expiry information of the content to a reception apparatus, the expiry information relating to a usage expiry date-time of the content and being for use by the reception apparatus to make a usage permission judgment of the content, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the reception apparatus a first date-time clocked by the reception apparatus and an ID identifying the first date-time;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a second date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a sending step of sending to the reception apparatus the received ID and the expiry information that is generated by adding, to the usage expiry date-time of the content, a difference calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the second date-time.

A digital content reception program for use by a reception apparatus that receives, from a distribution apparatus, expiry information of a content to make a usage permission judgment of the content, the expiry information being generated by the distribution apparatus using information sent from the reception apparatus, comprising:

• a user date-time acquiring step of acquiring a user date-time that is designated by a user;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a first date-time clocked at an instant when the user date-time is acquired;
• a storing step of storing therein a difference in association with an ID identifying the difference, the difference being calculated by subtracting the first date-time from the user date-time;
• a playback request acquiring step of acquiring a playback request for a content that is designated by the user;
• a sending step of sending, to the distribution apparatus, the ID and an adjusted date-time that is calculated by adding the difference to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant when the playback request is acquired;
• a receiving step of receiving the ID and the expiry information from the distribution apparatus;
• and
• a judging step of judging that usage of the content is permitted when a date-time shown by the received expiry information is later than a date-time calculated by adding a difference identified by the received ID to a date-time clocked by the timer at an instant of the judgment.

A digital content reception program for use by a reception apparatus that receives, from each one of a first and a second distribution apparatus, a content and a usage expiry date-time of the content, and makes a usage permission judgment of each content using the usage expiry date-time of the content, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting (i) a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received, and (ii) a fourth date-time clocked at an instant when the second date-time is received;
• and
• a storing step of storing therein (i) a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the first ID, and (ii) a difference between the second date-time and the fourth date-time in association with the second ID.

A digital content reception program for use by a reception apparatus that receives a usage expiry date-time of a content from each one of a first distribution apparatus and a second distribution apparatus that is dependent on the first distribution apparatus, and makes a usage permission judgment of each content using the usage expiry date-time of the content, the first and second distribution apparatuses including a first timer and a second timer, respectively, and the respective usage expiry date-times being based on their timers, comprising:

• a receiving step of receiving from the first distribution apparatus a first ID identifying the first distribution apparatus and a first date-time clocked by the first timer, and from the second distribution apparatus, a second ID identifying the second distribution apparatus and a second date-time clocked by the second timer;
• a clocking step of clocking a date-time and outputting a third date-time clocked at an instant when the first date-time is received;
• and
• a storing step of storing, when the receiver receives the first ID and the first date-time, a difference between the first date-time and the third date-time in association with the second ID.