Patent ID: 8291100

Claim:
A service managing apparatus for managing an information transmission service in which digital content is sent in real time between communication devices connected to each other over a network, the apparatus comprising: a communication controlling means for controlling the communication with each of the communication devices; an information registering means for maintaining registration information on more than one piece of digital content available from those of the communication devices that are registered as an information provider; and an information managing means for dynamically generating, based on the registration information, choices-window information from which selection is made of a desired one of the plurality of pieces of offered digital content by those of the communication devices that are to receive the desired piece of offered digital content, the information managing means updating, when the registration information has been updated based on updating information reflecting the current status of the information provider, the choices-window information on the basis of the updated registration information, wherein the choices-window information includes information indicative of whether the communication device that is the information provider can currently provide the offered digital content in real time, and wherein the communication controlling means controls the connection between the communication device that receives the desired piece of offered digital content and the communication device that is the information provider, with the desired piece of offered digital content being provided in real time when it is indicated as currently available in real time.