Patent ID: 7912787
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
1. An information processing apparatus configured to output license information for permitting a reproduction of a content in a domain to a plurality of external devices, the plurality of external devices participating in the domain for managing, as one group, the plurality of external devices which can be authorized by an identical license, the information processing apparatus including: a database configured to store key information sorted for each domain, for generating the license information, in association with at least domain identification information for identifying each domain, an expiration date which can be authorized by the identical license in each domain, and identification information of the content which is a target of permission by the identical license; and a communication unit configured to transmit participation information including the domain identification information and the expiration date to the external device, each time the external device participates in the domain, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to receive the participation information together with a request for a license from the external device via the communication unit, the information processing apparatus further includes: the information processing apparatus transmits the license information generated based on the key information corresponding to the domain identification information included in the received participation information and information on the determined specific privilege, to the external device via the communication unit, wherein the database further stores domain-related information which defines a plurality of the domains as one group, the validity confirmation unit includes: the privilege determination unit determines the specific privilege related to the license when the validity of all of the participation information items are confirmed, and the information processing apparatus includes a generation unit configured to generate the license information based on the key information common to all of the domains whose participation information items have been received, wherein the privilege determination unit includes: