Patent ID: 7120604

Claim:
A method for use in an information processing apparatus for receiving distributed contents and transmitting the contents to a portable reproduction apparatus, comprising the steps of: transmitting a request from a user for the content including content specifying information to a content server; receiving an encrypted content transmitted from the content server in response to the request from the user for the content; storing the encrypted content received in the step of receiving; at a time following storing the encrypted content, transmitting a request for a content key and a use condition to an administration center when the user wishes to reproduce the stored content; receiving the content key and the use condition transmitted from the administration center in response to the requests for the content key and the use condition; transmitting the encrypted content to the portable reproduction apparatus, for reproduction threreby wherein the portable reproduction apparatus is detachable from the information processing apparatus; encrypting the content key and the use condition with a session key shared with the portable reproduction apparatus; and transmitting the content key and the use condition encrypted with the session key to the portable reproduction apparatus.