Patent ID: 7853704

Claim:
A content acquisition method comprising: sending file request information that requests an acquire/use file storing acquire/use content identification information and content attribute information, to an acquire/use information providing device in response to a request for content data; receiving via a proxy device said acquire/use file that stores the content identification information and said attribute information of said content data sent by said acquire/use information providing device in response to the content data request, said content identification information and content attribute information are stored in a data area such that no information is removed from said content identification information and content attribute information when the acquire/use file passes through said proxy device, said receiving via a proxy device including receiving said acquire/use file sent in compliance with HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) from said acquire/use information providing device, said proxy device complying with an HTTP standard except that a file size is never removed from the acquire/use file when passing the acquire/use file through the proxy device; sending content request information requesting said content data from a content providing device according to said acquire/use information contained in said acquire/use file; and receiving said content data sent by said content providing device in response to the transmission of said content request information.