Patent ID: 7130816

Claim:
A digital distribution method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of products for browsing over a network; receiving a selection by a product buyer of a desired product from a plurality of browsed products and a shipping charge for delivery of the product; receiving an order, from the buyer, for the product over the network; incorporating the digital contents representing content of the product into a control program controlling the digital contents; transmitting the control program to a computer over the network, thereby allowing access to the digital contents via the computer; and sending the product to a physical address specified by the buyer so that the product arrives at the physical address when a required delivery period has elapsed from a time the order is placed, said required delivery period being determined based on said shipping charge; wherein the control program erases the digital contents or the control program including the digital contents when a contents availability period has elapsed, said contents availability period being set in said control program and being longer than the required delivery period, thereby terminating the use of the digital contents.