Patent ID: 8368916

Claim:
A data distribution processing system including a plurality of apparatuses which are interconnected via a network and are capable of data communications, wherein a first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses comprises: (a) a data acquisition unit adapted to acquire data to be outputted to a second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses, (b) a determination unit adapted to determine a plurality of recipients of the plurality of apparatuses, (c) a splitting unit adapted to split the acquired data into a plurality of data blocks, (d) a generation unit adapted to generate dummy data which is delivered separately from the plurality of data blocks split by the splitting unit, wherein the dummy data does not include the acquired data at all, or in part, (e) a delivery unit adapted to deliver each of the plurality of data blocks to a different one of the plurality of recipients determined by said determination unit, and deliver the dummy data to an apparatus other than the plurality of recipients determined by said determination unit, (f) an output unit adapted to output restoration information including information about the plurality of recipients and information for reconstruction of the data, and (g) a specifying unit adapted to specify a second apparatus which recombines the plurality of data blocks into data ready for output, wherein the second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses comprises: (a) an information acquisition unit adapted to acquire the restoration information outputted by the output unit, (b) a collection unit adapted (1) to collect the plurality of data blocks and the dummy data from the apparatuses to which the plurality of data blocks and the dummy data were delivered, based on the restoration information or (2) to collect the plurality of data blocks from the plurality of recipients, based on the restoration information, (c) a reconstruction unit adapted to reconstruct the data split by the splitting unit, using each of the plurality of data blocks collected by the collection unit based on the restoration information, and (d) a checking unit which checks whether the second apparatus is the apparatus identified by the restoration information and permitted to reconstruct data, wherein the output unit generates and outputs restoration information including information for use to identify the plurality of recipients and information for use to identify the second apparatus which collects data blocks from the plurality of recipients and permits data reconstruction, and wherein the second apparatus reconstructs a single set of data from the plurality of data blocks if the checking unit confirms that the second apparatus is the apparatus permitted to reconstruct data.