Information management method, information playback apparatus, and information management apparatus

A portable media player for playing back content from a recording medium, the content stored at a storage of an information management apparatus, the portable media player comprising:

• communication means for communicating with an information management apparatus that manages playback permission for content with a table, and for receiving content with a reduced bit rate of the content that is stored at the information management apparatus, an original copy of the content is maintained on the storage of the information management apparatus, the reduced bit rate being based on capability information related to the portable player that is stored on the recording medium, and a destination identification associated to the portable player and the content with the reduced bit rate being registered at the information management apparatus in the table;
• playback controlling means for requesting the information management apparatus by the portable media player to issue playback permission for the received content with the reduced bit rate via the communication means, and temporarily permitting playback of the associated content on the recording medium after a temporary playback permission for temporarily permitting playback is received by the portable media player from the information management apparatus, after the information management apparatus has verified said table, via the communication means, and
• a control means for deleting the content with the reduced bit rate that is stored on the recording medium of the portable player, after said content with the reduced bit rate has been played back, and for updating a status for playback permission for the content at the table of the information management apparatus.

An information management apparatus for managing playback permission of content for a portable media player configured to play back content from a recording medium, the content recorded in a storage of the information management apparatus, the information management apparatus comprising:

• communication means for communicating with the portable media player, for sending content with a reduced bit rate of the content that is stored at the information management apparatus, an original copy of the content is maintained on the storage of the information management apparatus, the reduced bit rate being based on capability information related to the portable player that is stored on the recording medium, and a destination identification associated to the portable player and the content with the reduced bit rate being registered at the information management apparatus in a table and configured to receive a playback permission request from the portable media player, and to issue playback permission for the content based on playback-management information that is stored in the table at the information management apparatus after receiving the playback permission request and after the content of the reduced bit rate has been received at the portable media player;
• and
• playback-status management means for returning, when said playback-permission request for content entered into a playback-prohibition state in the portable media player is received from the portable media player via the communication means, temporary permission information for temporarily permitting playback only by the portable media player by verifying said table of the information management apparatus, when the content is not being played back by another portable media player, and after the content with reduced bit rate stored on the recording medium of the portable player is played back and deleted, updating a status for playback permission for the content at the table of the information management apparatus.

An portable media player for playing back content from a recording medium, the content stored at a storage of an information management apparatus, the portable media player comprising:

• a communication unit configured to communicate with an information management apparatus that manages playback permission for content by using a table, and configured to receive content with a reduced bit rate of the content that is stored at the information management apparatus, an original copy of the content is maintained on the storage of the information management apparatus, the reduced bit rate being based on capability information related to the portable player that is stored on the recording medium, and a destination identification associated to the portable player and the content with the reduced bit rate being registered at the information management apparatus in the table;
• a playback controller configured to request the information management apparatus to issue playback permission for the content via the communication unit after the content with the reduced bit rate has been received at the portable media player by the recording medium, and temporarily permitting playback of the received content on the recording medium after a temporary playback permission for temporarily permitting playback is received by the portable media player from the information management apparatus, after the information management apparatus has verified said table, via the communication unit;
• and
• a control unit configured to delete the content with the reduced bit rate that is stored on the recording medium of the portable player, after said content with the reduced bit rate has been played back, and configured to update a status for playback permission for the content at the table of the information management apparatus.