Patent ID: 7054834

Claim:
An online distribution system, comprising: a search server; a data distribution server; a download terminal connected to said search server through said data distribution server; a personal terminal to which said search server is connectable; said search server including a database for storing a plurality of titles of distribution information, title search means for searching the titles stored in said database for a title designated for subscription from said personal terminal, and subscription information storage means for storing the title searched out by said title search means and identification information transmitted from said personal terminal; said data distribution server including distribution information storage means for storing the distribution information; said download terminal including identification information acquisition means for acquiring identification information inputted from the outside, first readout means for reading out, based on the identification information acquired by said identification information acquisition means, the title stored in said subscription information storage means of said search server which corresponds to the identification information, second readout means for reading out the distribution information corresponding to the title read out by said first readout means from said distribution information storage means of said data distribution server, and recording means for recording the distribution information read out by said second readout means onto a recording medium; and a cache server in which part of the distribution information stored in said distribution information storage means of said data distribution server is stored in advance, and wherein said download terminal acquires, when the distribution information of the title corresponding to the identification information stored in said subscription information storage means of said search server is stored in said cache server, the distribution information from said cache server, but acquires, when the distribution information is not stored in said cache server, the distribution information from said distribution information storage means of said data distribution server.