Patent ID: 7103678

Claim:
A distribution apparatus, which distributes digital contents to an addressee terminal, comprising: a contents storage unit, which stores said digital contents; a data receiving unit, which receives a type of said addressee terminal from a requester which is different than said addressee terminal and requests to distribute said digital contents; an addressee terminal data managing unit which selects a coding format for distribution data by referring to a format selecting table which includes an addressee terminal type field and a path data field; a converting unit, which converts said digital contents into said distribution data based on said type of said addressee terminal; and a distribution unit, which connects to said addressee terminal in a condition that said converting unit has completed converting said digital contents into said distribution data, said distribution unit distributing said distribution data to said addressee terminal, wherein said addressee terminal data managing unit manages a format of distribution data for said addressee terminal by matching said type of said addressee terminal with one of a plurality of types of addressee terminals, and selects said coding format of said distribution data for said addressee terminal based on said type of said addressee terminal received by said data receiving unit, wherein said converting unit converts said digital contents into said distribution data of said format selected by said addressee terminal data managing unit, wherein said addressee terminal data managing unit manages a degree of encryption for said addressee terminal with said format of said distribution data, and wherein said converting unit converts said digital contents into said distribution data of said encryption selected by said addressee terminal data managing unit.