Patent ID: 8060637

Claim:
A playback apparatus configured to receive stream data transmitted from a server connected to the playback apparatus via a network and play back the stream data, the playback apparatus comprising: attribute information request means for requesting the server to transmit attribute information associated with the stream data and receiving the attribute information in an order in which to play back the stream data; an attribute information buffer configured to temporarily store the attribute information sequentially received from the server and retain at least first attribute information associated with second stream data of a second content item to be played back next after first stream data of a first content item being currently played back; a stream data buffer of a first-in-first-out type configured to sequentially store the stream data received from the server and to sequentially output the stream data to playback processing means; and stream data request means for: requesting, on the basis of the attribute information stored in the attribute information buffer, the server to transmit selected stream data corresponding to the attribute information, reading the first attribute information from the attribute information buffer when an end part of the first stream data of the first content item being currently played back has been stored in the stream data buffer, the first attribute information being associated with the second stream data of the second content item, requesting, on the basis of the first attribute information, the server to transmit the second stream data of the second content item to be played back next, and causing the stream data buffer to store the requested second stream data of the second content item and the first stream data of the first content item.