Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method

An information processing system which includes a first information processing apparatus which transmits and receives image data, and a second information processing apparatus which manages the image data, characterized in that

• said first information processing apparatus includes:
• first requesting means for issuing a request for transmission of indices to the images managed by said second information processing apparatus to said second information processing apparatus through a network;
• acceptance means for displaying the indices to the images transmitted from said second information processing apparatus and accepting selection of one of more of the images desired to be downloaded by a user;
• second requesting means for issuing a request for transmission of discrimination information of the image data corresponding to the image or images whose selection has been accepted by said acceptance means to said second information processing apparatus;
• discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the image data are downloadable based on the discrimination information transmitted from said second information processing apparatus;
• third requesting means for issuing a request for transmission of the image data to said second information processing apparatus if it is discriminated by said discrimination means that the image data are downloadable;
• and
• recording means for recording the image data transmitted from said second information processing apparatus onto a recording medium;
• and
• said second information processing apparatus includes;
• storage means for storing the image data transmitted from said first information processing apparatus for each user;
• specification means for accepting an access from said first information processing apparatus to specify the user of said first information processing apparatus;
• first transmission means for transmitting, in response to the transmission request for indices to the images from said first information processing apparatus, indices to the images to said first information processing apparatus;
• second transmission means for transmitting the discrimination information to said first information processing apparatus in response to the transmission request for discrimination information from said first information processing apparatus;
• and
• third transmission means for transmitting the image data to said first information processing apparatus in response to the transmission request for the image data from said first information processing apparatus.