Patent ID: 7725399
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04N

Abstract:
1. A content usage device connected to (i) a server that is located outside a defined network in which a gateway apparatus is located and (ii) a plurality of other content usage devices within the defined network, each of the other content usage devices being for using content, and each of the other content usage devices and the content usage device being connected, from within the defined network, to the gateway apparatus that provides a connection to the server located outside the defined network, the server storing license information of a content, the content usage device comprising: a license management device configured to manage the license information of the content, the license information of the content enabling usage of the content; and an output device configured to output the content in compliance with the license information of the content, wherein the license management device of the content usage device receives a request for the license information of the content from the output device, wherein, upon receipt of the request for the license information from the output device and when the license management device of the content usage device does not contain the license information requested by the output device, the license management device of the content usage device (i) searches, from within the defined network, for and identifies a first content device of the plurality of other content usage devices that includes a license management device containing the license information of the content requested by the output device, (ii) requests, from within the defined network, the license management device of the identified first content usage device to transfer the license information of the content to the content usage device, (iii) receives, from the identified first content usage device having the license information of the content and being within the defined network, the license information of the content without receiving the license information of the content from the server, the license information of the content being received by the identified first content usage device from the server via the gateway apparatus, and (iv) passes the received license information of the content to the output device, and wherein the output device outputs the content in compliance with the license information passed from the license management device of the content usage device.