Patent ID: 7752433

Claim:
A content duplication management apparatus that manages content duplications performed on an apparatus, comprising: a request receiving unit configured to receive, from the apparatus, a management request indicating one of a duplication request for duplicating a content or a deletion request for deleting the content; a management unit configured to execute the management request received from said request receiving unit in order of arrival; a holding unit configured to hold duplication restriction information indicating a number of permitted content duplications, wherein said management unit, (1) when the management request that has been received first among the management requests that have not been executed is the deletion request, adds a predetermined value to the number of permitted content duplications, and (2) when the management request that has been received first is the duplication request and (i) if the number indicated by the duplication restriction information is greater than the predetermined value, duplicates the content for the apparatus, and subtracts the predetermined value from the number indicated by the duplication restriction information, (ii) if the number indicated by the duplication restriction information is less than the predetermined value, rejects the duplication request, and (iii) if the number indicated by the duplication restriction information is less than the predetermined value and the deletion request exists subsequent to the duplication request, executes, on an exceptional basis, the deletion request prior to the duplication request, and adds the predetermined value to the number indicated by the duplication restriction information, wherein said management unit, (1) when the management request is the duplication request and the apparatus is fudged to belong to a predetermined group, and (i) if the in-group remaining number is not zero, duplicates the content for the apparatus, and subtracts the predetermined value from the in-group remaining number, and (ii) if the in-group remaining number is zero, rejects the management request, and (2) when the management request is the duplication request and the apparatus is judged to not to belong to the predetermined group, and (i) if the out-group remaining number is not zero, duplicates the content for the apparatus, and subtracts the predetermined value from the out-group remaining number, and (ii) if the out-group remaining number is zero, rejects the management request.