Abstract:
This invention provides a method and a system for selling content capable of ensuring a fair profit of a copyrighter of a creation in content. More specifically, this invention provides a method and a system for selling content for judging whether an user terminal has purchase information of each creation in content including one or two creations or more or not and for calculating forwarding charge of the content based on whether the user terminal has purchase information of each creation in the content or not, in forwarding the content to the user terminal. The method and system for selling content enable to circulate the creation itself in the content as the object of dealing and to gain profit directly from the user of content. Therefore, the copyrighter can gain the fair profit without being influenced by the achievement of the content including the creation. This is also to encourage the creative urge of the creator and to improve the creative level of the creator. In addition, since the user of content can purchase the content including the creation having the purchase information with cheap price, consumption activity is to be vitalized effectively.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to system and method for selling such content as pictures, still pictures and computer games on such network as the Internet.  
           [0002]    The copyrighter&#39;s profit is usually to be ensured with the permission to use such works created by one creator as sentences and pictures. However, the situation is to be different in the case of such content created by plural creators as computer games and the like which are created based on such plural works as characters, music and program which are created individually.  
         RELATED ART  
         [0003]    In the case of this content, conventionally, a part of profit by selling content is returned to each copyrighter by predetermined ratio.  
           [0004]    However, in the above method for selling content, each copyrighter gains the profit indirectly through the profit of content and the profit of each copyrighter are influenced by the sales of content. For example, in the case of computer games described above, however wonderful the characters and music in the games are, and however much creative value the characters and music in the games have, the profit returned to the creators of the characters and music is to be lessen due to bad sales. To dissolve such trouble, a new system capable of circulating a creation itself in content as an object of dealing and of gaining profit directly from a user of content is required.  
           [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method and system for selling content capable of ensuring a fair profit of a copyrighter of a creation in content.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    To achieve the above object, according to first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for selling content for judging whether an user terminal has purchase information of each creation in content including one or two creations or more or not and for calculating forwarding charge of the content based on whether the user terminal has purchase information of each creation in the content or not, in forwarding the content to the user terminal.  
           [0007]    In addition, to achieve the above object, according to second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for selling content including one or two creations or more. The system comprises: an user terminal having purchase information storing means for storing purchase information of the creations, purchase condition inquiry means for requesting a condition server to inquire relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information and execution means for the content; a copyrighter terminal forwarding the purchase information to the user terminal; a content creator terminal creating content including one or two creations or more and forwarding the content to a content sales administration server; a content sales administration server having content storing means storing the content forwarded from the content creator terminal and sales administration means forwarding information including details and price of the content; and a condition server having condition storing means storing the relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information and calculating the price of content based on the purchase information and searching means for searching the condition storing means.  
           [0008]    The method and system for selling content enable to circulate the creation itself in the content as the object of dealing and to gain profit directly from the user of content. Therefore, the copyrighter can gain the fair profit without being influenced by the achievement of the content including the creation. This is also to encourage the creative urge of the creator and to improve the creative level of the creator. In addition, since the user of content can purchase the content including the creation having the purchase information with cheap price, consumption activity is to be vitalized effectively. Further, since it is not necessary for the creator of content to negotiate with the copyrighter of the creation over money, the trouble between the creator and the copyrighter can be avoided. Also, the range of creating content can be widened and improve the creative level of the content.  
           [0009]    In addition, according to third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for selling content including one or two creations or more. The system comprises: an user terminal having purchase condition inquiry means for requesting a condition server to inquire relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information and execution means for the content; a copyrighter terminal forwarding the purchase information to the user terminal; a content creator terminal creating content including one or two creations or more and forwarding the content to a content sales administration server; a content sales administration server having content storing means storing the content forwarded from the content creator terminal and sales administration means forwarding information including details and price of the content; and a condition server having purchase information storing means for storing purchase information of the creations, condition storing means storing the relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information and calculating the price of content based on the purchase information and searching means for searching the condition storing means.  
           [0010]    In this system, since purchase information storing means are set not in an user terminal but in a condition server, even such a terminal having a small capacity as a mobile data terminal can function as an user terminal in this system and the effect identical to the system in the second aspect of the present invention can be achieved.  
           [0011]    To achieve the above object, according to fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for selling content including one or two creations or more. The system comprises: an user terminal having execution means for the content; a copyrighter terminal forwarding the purchase information to the user terminal; a content creator terminal creating content including one or two creations or more and forwarding the content to a content sales administration server; a content sales administration server having content storing means storing the content forwarded from the content creator terminal, purchase condition inquiry means for requesting a condition server to inquire relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information, and sales administration means forwarding information including details and price of the content; and a condition server having purchase information storing means for storing purchase information of the creations, condition storing means storing the relation in conditions between the content and the purchase information and calculating the price of content based on the purchase information and searching means for searching the condition storing means.  
           [0012]    In this system, since purchase condition inquiry means are set not in an user terminal but in a content sales administration server, the effect identical to the systems in the second and third aspects of the present invention can be achieved. In addition, since it is not necessary for the user terminal to inquire relation in conditions, the user can be notified the price of content immediately to select the content. Also, the storage capacity of the user terminal can be smaller.  
           [0013]    Preferably, an authentication server for authenticating the validity of the user terminal, the copyrighter terminal, the content creator terminal, the content sales administration server and the condition server is included in the above system. In this configuration, tampering with data in exchanging information, especially in exchanging purchase information, among each terminal or each server can be avoided and ensure the reliability. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    The above and other features of the invention and the advantages will be better understood in view of the following description given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments. In the drawings:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates first embodiment of a system for selling content.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates purchase information stored in purchase information storing means.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 illustrates a screen for purchasing the purchase information.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 illustrates relation between the content stored in condition storing means and the purchase information.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 illustrates a flow of calculating a price of the content.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 illustrates an array A and an array B in calculating the price of the content.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 illustrates a flow of purchasing the content.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 illustrates a screen for purchasing the content:  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8( a ) illustrates an initial screen for selling games;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8( b ) illustrates a screen after selecting product and depressing discount calculation key; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8( c ) illustrates a screen after calculating discount price.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 illustrates second embodiment of a system for selling content.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 illustrates purchase information stored in purchase information storing means.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 illustrates a flow of calculating a price of the content.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 illustrates third embodiment of a system for selling content.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 illustrates a screen for purchasing the content. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Same reference numerals are attached to components having same functions in following description and the accompanying drawings and a description thereof is omitted.  
         [0032]    In this specification, such software as computer games and music circulating through such network as the Internet or on CD-ROMs as an object of dealing is referred to as content. In many cases, numerous graphics, sounds and animation in such content as this. The present invention relates to relation between the content and such a creation as graphics, sounds and animation included in the content.  
         [0033]    An important point in the present invention is that a user purchases the creation in advance included in the content and keeps purchase information with regard to the creation. The user terminal obtains the purchase information from a copyrighter terminal by purchasing the creation from the copyrighter terminal creating the creation. By keeping the purchase information, the user terminal can purchase the content including the creation at discount price in predetermined terms after obtaining the purchase information. In this specification, it is to be noted that purchasing creation does not necessarily mean assignment of creation and that a creation stated in this specification is not necessarily restricted to a creation protected by copyright. For example, novels with the copyright elapsed, creations which cannot be protected by the copyright and what is not regarded as creations under the Copyright Act, for example, train schedule can be dealt in the system of the present invention.  
         [0034]    (First Embodiment)  
         [0035]    The explanation with regard to first embodiment of the present invention is to be provided in reference to FIGS.  1 - 6 .  
         [0036]    As shown in FIG. 1, a content selling system  100  comprises an user terminal  110  used by an user of content, a copyrighter terminal  120  used by a copyrighter of a creation, a contents creator terminal  130  used by a creator of content who creating the content by using a creation, a content sales administration server  140 , a condition server  150  and an authentication server  160 , each of which are connected through a network  170 . The user terminal  110 , the copyrighter  120  and the contents creator terminal  130 , which are shown one by one in FIG. 1, may be shown by two or more. Actually, numeral terminals are connected through the network  170 .  
         [0037]    (User Terminal  110 )  
         [0038]    The user terminal  110  comprises content execution means  111  for executing such content as computer games, animation and music. More specifically, voice playback equipment with content of music and a computer game machine with content of computer game are correspond to the content execution means  111 .  
         [0039]    Further, the user terminal  110  comprises purchase information storing means  112  and purchase condition inquiry means  113 . The purchase information storing means  112  store the purchase information kept by the user terminal  110 . The purchase condition inquiry means  113  inquires a condition server  150  to be described later about relation between the purchase information kept by the user terminal  110  and conditions for purchasing content.  
         [0040]    As shown in FIG. 2, the purchase information in the user terminal  110  is stored in the purchase information storing means  112 . The purchase information comprises an identification number R 21 , a purchase date R 22  showing the time and date on which the purchase information is forwarded to the user terminal  110  and the purchase information R 23 . In the example of FIG. 2, record  1  shows that the user of content purchases a creation C 2  on Jan. 1, 2000. The relation between the purchase information and the content including the creation is to be further described later.  
         [0041]    (Copyrighter Terminal  120 )  
         [0042]    A creation is created in the copyrighter terminal  120 . The creation is released in the content selling system  100  and used to create content by the contents creator terminal  130  to be described later. The copyrighter terminal  120  indicates the purchase condition shown in FIG. 3 and forwards this condition to the user terminal  110 . The example of FIG. 3 shows the sales price of the creation determined according to expiration of the valid period for purchasing of the creation. The date and sales price of the purchase information can be set arbitrarily the creator terminal  120 . The creator terminal  120  forwards the purchase information to the user terminal  110  in response to the request of user terminal  110 .  
         [0043]    (Contents Creator Terminal  130 )  
         [0044]    The content creator terminal  130  creates content by using the creation created by the copyrighter terminal  120 . For example, in creating a computer game as content, by using such creation as characters, background music, stories and program. The content creator terminal  130  forwards the created content to the content sales administration server  140 .  
         [0045]    (Content Sales Administration Server  140 )  
         [0046]    The content sales administration server  140  sells content. It comprises content storing means  141  and sales administration means  142 . The content storing means  141  stores the content forwarded from the content creator terminal  130 . The sales administration means  142  shows the information for the content stored in the content storing means  141  to the user terminal  110 . The information includes the information relating to the creation in the content and the information relating to the price of the content.  
         [0047]    (Condition Server  150 )  
         [0048]    The condition server  150  stores the relation between the content and the purchase condition of the content. It comprises condition storing means  151  and searching means  152  for searching the condition storing means  151 .  
         [0049]    As shown in FIG. 4, the relation between the name of object content and the creation in the content are stored in the condition storing means  151 . The record of each content comprises an identification number R 41 , the object content&#39;s name R 42 , the purchase information&#39;s name R 43  and the purchase condition of object content R 42  in keeping the purchase information R 43 , for example, discount ratio R 44 .  
         [0050]    In FIG. 4, the record  1  shows that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information of creation C 2 , the user can purchase content C 1  at 30% discount. Also, record  2  shows that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information of creation C 3 , the user can purchase content C 1  at 10% discount.  
         [0051]    The relation can lead to an example that the content C 1  corresponds to a computer game and the creations C 2  and C 3  to the characters and music in the game. Since the sales of one game are influenced by the characters and music in the game to a certain extent, it is appropriate to return the profit brought by large sales for the game to each copyrighter of the game. Therefore, the user terminal  110  having the purchase information on the creations C 2  and C 3 , that is, the user terminal  110  having purchased the creations by paying the copyrighter of creations C 2  and C 3  can purchase the content C 1  at a certain discount ratio.  
         [0052]    In FIG. 4, record  3  shows that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information of creation C 4 , content C 2  can be purchased at 100% discount. This shows that the creations C 2  can also be purchased by having the purchase information on the creation C 4 . Also, record  4  shows that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information of creation C 5 , content C 4  can be purchased at 100% discount. This shows that the creations C 4  can also be purchased by having the purchase information on the creation C 4 .  
         [0053]    The relation can lead to an example that the creator C 5  corresponds to animation, the creation (content) C 4  to a scene in the animation and the creation (content) C 2  to the object in the scene, since the creation C 5  includes the creation C 4  and the creation C 4  includes the creation C 2 .  
         [0054]    Also, the contents of record  5  are led from those of the records  1  and  3 , that is, the contents of record  5  show that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information on the creation C 4 , the content C 1  can be purchased at 100%×30%=30% discount. Similarly, the contents of record  6  are led from those of the records  4  and  5 , that is, the contents of record  6  show that when the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information on the creation C 5 , the content C 1  can be purchased at 100%×30%=30% discount.  
         [0055]    Further, the contents of record  7  are led from those of the records  3  and  4 , that is, the contents of record  7  show that the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information on the creation C 5  the content C 2  can be purchased at 100%×100%=100% discount. Since the above examples are supposed to lead that the creation C 5  (animation) includes the creation C 2  (the object in one scene of the animation), the purchase information on the creation C 5  includes that on the creation C 2 .  
         [0056]    The conditions of records described above, especially those of the relation between the object content R 42  and the purchase information R 43  and of the discount ratio R 44  are determined by the creator of content or by the agreement between the creator of content and the copyrighter. The content sales administration server  140  may determine the conditions of each record. Also, like the records  5 ,  6  and  7 , the conditions of which are determined automatically according to those of other records, may be stored in the condition storing means  151  by the automatic generation of the condition server  150 .  
         [0057]    Next, the explanation with regard to the calculation of content&#39;s price based on the relation between the content stored in the condition storing means  151  and the purchase information is to be provided in reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. It is to be noted that the explanation is to be provided about the cases that the contents of the condition storing means  151  corresponding to that shown in FIG. 4, that the user terminal selects the content C 1  and that the purchase information kept by the user terminal  110  is only that on the creation C 2 .  
         [0058]    The condition server  150  receives the content ID of the content which are selected by the user terminal  110 , price of the content and the purchase information kept by the user terminal  110  from the user terminal  110  (step S 61 ). It is to be noted that the price of content may be received from the content sales administration server  140  in advance.  
         [0059]    The searching means  152  search the record in which the object content R 42  is C 1  from among the records stored in the condition storing means  151 . When the record stored in the condition storing means  151  has the contents shown in FIG. 4, the records  1 ,  2 ,  5  and  6  are stored in an array B (step S 62 ). Here, the array B is a temporally memory in which the record stored in the condition storing means  151  is temporally stored. The transition in the array B is shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0060]    The next step is to judge whether the array B is blank (step S 63 ). If the array B is blank, the price of content is calculated (step S 68 ) and the result of calculation is forwarded to the user terminal  110  (step S 69 ). If the array B is not blank, one of the records is picked up from the array B (step S 64 ). Then the record&#39;s purchase information R 43  is checked whether it is the same to the purchase information forwarded from the user terminal  110  or not (step S 65 , S 66 ).  
         [0061]    As a result of judgement on step S 66 , if the record&#39;s purchase information R 43  is the same to the purchase information forwarded from the user terminal  110 , in other words, if the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information R 43 , the record&#39;s discount ratio R 44  is stored in an array A (step S 67 ). Here, the array A is a temporary memory in which the record with the discount ratio applied is temporally stored. The transition in the array A is shown in FIG. 6. As a result of judgement on step S 66 , if the record&#39;s purchase information R 43  is not same to the purchase information forwarded from the user terminal  110 , the step returns to step S 63 .  
         [0062]    The record&#39;s purchase information R 43  is checked with the purchase information forwarded from the user terminal  110  to all of the records stored in the array B by repeating from step S 63  to step S 67  and the record in which the record&#39;s purchase information R 43  matches with the purchase information forwarded from the user terminal  110  is stored in the array A.  
         [0063]    On step S 63 , when the array B is blank, the price of content is calculated at the discount ratio in which the discount ratio R 44  of each record are summed up (step S 68 ). In this example, since only the record  1  is stored in the array A, the price of content C 1  is 30% discount. Next, the result of the calculation is forwarded to the user terminal  110  (step S 69 ).  
         [0064]    (Authentication Server  160 )  
         [0065]    In reference to FIG. 1 again, the authentication server  160  administrates the information for authenticating whether the user terminal  110 , the copyrighter terminal  120 , the content creator terminal  130  and the content sales administration server  140 , are registered properly to the system. The authentication server  160  also administrates the information for assuring that the purchase information has been forwarded without being tampered with in forwarding and receiving the information among the user information  110 , the copyrighter terminal  120  and the condition server  150 . In forwarding the information by using public key cryptography, for example, the authentication server  160  saves the public key of each terminal or server.  
         [0066]    The explanation with regard to the flow of actual selling content in the system is to be provided in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. It is to be noted that FIG. 7 is the flow chart of selling content and that FIG. 8 is an example of a screen on the user terminal  110 .  
         [0067]    First, the user terminal  110  downloads the title of content and the price of content, and displays the screen (step SS 0 ). At this time, the screen (initial screen) shown in FIG. 8( a ) is displayed on the user terminal  110 .  
         [0068]    Next, the user terminal  110  waits for the user&#39;s input (step SS 1 ) and judges whether the input is title selection (step S 52 ). If the input is the title selection, the total sum of the selected titles&#39; price is calculated and displayed (step S 53 ). At this time, the screen shown in FIG. 8( b ) is displayed on the user terminal  110 . FIG. 8( b ) shows the screen in which the content of a game named “Adventure of Robo-JiJi” has been selected. In this embodiment, the total sum is displayed as 8,000 yen on selecting the title.  
         [0069]    Again, the user terminal  110  waits for the user&#39;s input (step SS 1 ) and the title selection by the user is repeated.  
         [0070]    On step S 52 , if the input is not the title selection, in other words, if “discount calculation” key or “going on to next screen” key is depressed, the stage of title selection ends. The next step is to judge whether the “discount calculation” key has been depressed (step S 54 ). As shown in FIG. 8( b ), when the “discount calculation” key has been depressed, the purchase condition inquiry means  113  forward the selected title and the purchase information stored in the purchase information storing means  112 , and inquire of the condition server  150  (step S 55 ).  
         [0071]    The discount price is calculated by the condition server  150  according to the inquiry. The result is displayed on the user terminal  110  as shown in FIG. 8( c ) (step S 56 ). This example shows that if the user terminal  110  keeps the purchase information on the creation, for example, characters in the “Adventure of Robo-JiJi”, included in the “Adventure of Robo-JiJi”, the user can purchase the content “Adventure of Robo-JiJi” at 30% discount.  
         [0072]    Further again, the user terminal  110  waits for the user&#39;s input (step S 51 ) and the title selection by the user and discount calculation by the user terminal are repeated.  
         [0073]    As a result of judgement on step S 54 , when the “discount calculation” key has not been depressed, in other words, when the “going on to next screen” key has been depressed, the process progresses to following procedure (step S 57 ). The process of the following procedure includes such process as inputting a user ID and a password and selecting method of paying.  
         [0074]    In this embodiment, the creator can circulate the creation itself in the content as the object of dealing and gain profit directly from the user of content. Therefore, the copyrighter can gain the fair profit without being influenced by the achievement of the content including the creation. In addition, the user can purchase the content including the creation the user having the purchase information with cheaper price.  
         [0075]    (Second Embodiment)  
         [0076]    The explanation with regard to second embodiment of the present invention is to be provided in reference to FIGS.  9 - 11 . This embodiment shows the configuration suitable for the case that since the user terminal has a small capacity the purchase information storing means  112  can not be set on the user terminal, for example, the case that the user terminal is a mobile data terminal.  
         [0077]    As shown in FIG. 9, a creation price calculation system  200  comprises an user terminal  210  used by an user of content, a copyrighter terminal  220  used by a copyrighter of a creation, a contents creator terminal  230  used by a creator of content creating content by using a creation, a content sales administration server  240 , a condition server  250  and an authentication server  260 , each of which are connected through a network  270 .  
         [0078]    The user terminal  210  is comprised by eliminating the component corresponding to the purchase information storing means  112  from the user terminal  110  in the first embodiment and comprises content execution means  211  and purchase condition inquiry means  213 . The content execution means  211  and the purchase condition inquiry means  213  are essentially identical to the content execution means  111  and the purchase condition inquiry means  113  in the first embodiment.  
         [0079]    The copyrighter terminal  220 , the content creator terminal  230 , the authentication server  260  and the network  270  are essentially identical to the copyrighter terminal  120 , the content creator terminal  130 , the authentication server  160  and the network  170  in the first embodiment.  
         [0080]    The condition server  250  is comprised by adding the component corresponding to the purchase information storing means  112  to the condition server  150  in the first embodiment and comprises condition storing means  251 , searching means  252  and purchase information storing means  253 .  
         [0081]    The system of this embodiment is characterized in that the purchase information storing means are set not on the user terminal  210  but on the condition server  250 , compared with the content selling system  100 .  
         [0082]    As shown in FIG. 10, the purchase information is stored in the purchase information storing means  253 . The purchase information comprises an identification number R 51 , a purchase date R 52  showing the time and date on which the user terminal  210  purchased the creation, the purchase information R 53  and the user terminal ID R 54 . In the example of FIG. 10, record  1  shows that the user terminal  210  of user ID “U 1 ” purchases a creation C 2  on Jan. 1, 2000. The system of this embodiment is configured to enable to recognize to which user terminal the information stored in the purchase information storing means  253  belongs to.  
         [0083]    The example of screen on the user terminal  210  and the flow of process are identical to those of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7. It is to be noted that in this embodiment the user terminal does not store the purchase information and that the discount price is calculated by forwarding the user terminal ID to the condition server  250 .  
         [0084]    Since the purchase information storing means are located on the condition server  250 , the flow of process on the condition server  250  is as shown in FIG. 11. The difference from the process in the first embodiment is shown on steps S 91  and S 92 . In this embodiment, the condition server  250  receives the content ID of the content selected by the user terminal  210 , the price and the user terminal ID on step S 91 . The searching means  252  search the purchase information on the user terminal  210  based on the user terminal ID from the purchase information storing means  253 . The following steps S 93 - 99  are essentially identical to steps S 63 - 69  in the first embodiment.  
         [0085]    In this embodiment, since purchase information storing means is located in the condition server  250 , even user terminal having a small capacity as a mobile data terminal can function as the user terminal  210  in this system and the effect identical to the content selling system  100  in the first embodiment can be achieved.  
         [0086]    (Third Embodiment)  
         [0087]    The explanation with regard to third embodiment of the present invention is to be provided in reference to FIGS.  12 - 13 .  
         [0088]    As shown in FIG. 12, a creation price calculation system  300  comprises an user terminal  310  used by an user of content, a copyrighter terminal  320  used by a copyrighter of a creation, a contents creator terminal  330  used by a creator of content creating content by using a creation, a content sales administration server  340 , a condition server  350  and an authentication server  360 , each of which are connected through a network  370 .  
         [0089]    The user terminal  310  is comprised by eliminating the component corresponding to the purchase condition inquiry means  213  from the user terminal  210  in the second embodiment and comprises content execution means  311 . The content execution means  311  are essentially identical to the content execution means  211  in the second embodiment.  
         [0090]    The copyrighter terminal  320 , the content creator terminal  330 , the authentication server  360  and the network  370  are essentially identical to the copyrighter terminal  220 , the content creator terminal  230 , the authentication server  260  and the network  270  in the second embodiment. In addition, the condition server  350  is essentially identical to the condition server  250  in the second embodiment and comprises condition storing means  351 , searching means  352  and purchase information storing means  353 .  
         [0091]    The content sales administration server  340  is comprised by adding the component corresponding to the purchase condition inquiry means  213  to the content sales administration server  240  in the second embodiment. The content sales administration server  340  comprises content storing means  341 , sales administration means  342  and purchase condition inquiry means  343 .  
         [0092]    In this configuration, the sales administration means  342  can inquire of the condition server  350  about the purchase information on the user terminal  310  beforehand in forwarding the information on content to the user terminal  310 . Consequently, as shown in FIG. 13, the discount price can be presented on the screen of user terminal  310  at the stage of initial screen for selling games.  
         [0093]    In this embodiment, since purchase condition inquiry means are located in the content administration server  340 , the effect identical to the content selling systems in the first and second embodiments can be achieved. In addition, since it is not necessary for the user terminal  310  to inquire relation in conditions, the user can be notified the price of content immediately to select the content. Also, the storage capacity of the user terminal  310  can be smaller.  
         [0094]    Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not restricted to such embodiments.  
         [0095]    In the first embodiment, for example, the user terminal  110  inquires of the condition server  150  about only the discount price of selected content. However, the system can be so set that the user terminal  110  inquires of the condition server  150  about all the discount price of the content displayed on the user terminal  110  to display. This is the same with the second embodiment.