Patent ID: 8448253

Claim:
An activation authorization apparatus for authorizing activation of an application program in an audio signal processing system comprising a plurality of system component apparatuses that include a plurality of audio signal processing apparatuses, at least one of the plurality of audio signal processing apparatuses being adapted to be provided with a recording section capable of recording therein access key information for authorizing the activation of the application program, said activation authorization apparatus comprising: an activation instruction section which accepts an activation instruction for activating the application program; a detection section which searches through the plurality of system component apparatuses, constituting the audio signal processing system, to detect at least one system component apparatus of the plurality of system component apparatuses provided with the recording section having recorded therein the access key information corresponding to the application program; an authorization control section which authorizes the activation of the application program in the plurality of system component apparatuses when a system component apparatus of the plurality of system component apparatuses provided with the recording section having recorded therein the access key information has been detected by said detection section, but does not authorize the activation of the application program when no system component apparatus of the plurality of system component apparatuses provided with the recording section having recorded therein the access key information has been detected by said detection section; and a signal processing start control section which, when the activation of the application program has been authorized by said authorization control section, causes the plurality of audio signal processing apparatuses, having a function for performing signal processing on an audio signal among the plurality of system component apparatuses, to start the signal processing based on the application program.