Patent ID: 7272629

Claim:
A portal server connecting with a plurality of content supply servers and also connectable with a client terminal via a communication network, each of said plurality of content supply servers having music content and being connectable with the client terminal by itself, said portal server comprising: a first transmission section that transmits, to said client terminal, a list of music content, suppliable by at least one of said plurality of content supply servers, at least two items of music content of a same music piece being enumerated on the list, each of the items of music content of the same music piece having added thereto display information pertaining to a musical characteristic of the music content, whereby, in said client terminal, desired music content can be selected based on the list transmitted by said portal server; a first reception section that receives selection information, based on selection of the desired music content in said client terminal, transmitted by said client terminal; and a second transmission section that, based on the selection information received by said first reception section, transmits instruction information to urge at least one of said plurality of content supply servers to transmit the desired music content to said client terminal, whereby said at least one of said plurality of content supply servers having received the instruction information is capable of transmitting the desired music content to said client terminal directly or via said portal server.