Patent ID: 8713126

Claim:
An information control method adopted in an information reproduction system comprising at least one information-provision apparatus and a plurality of information reproduction apparatuses each used for reproducing information received from said information-provision apparatus, said information control method comprising the steps of: letting one of said information reproduction apparatuses request said information-provision apparatus to transmit a predetermined content data item to a first one of said information reproduction apparatuses by transmitting pieces of information to said information-provision apparatus as content identification information used for identifying said predetermined content data item and apparatus identification information used for designating said first information reproduction apparatus as an information reproduction apparatus to receive said predetermined content data item transmitted by said information-provision apparatus, said predetermined content data item comprising first and second portions, the first portion being designated for reproduction prior to the second portion; letting said information-provision apparatus transmit said predetermined content data item to said first information reproduction apparatus; letting said first information reproduction apparatus reproduce said predetermined content data item; letting said first information reproduction apparatus request said information-provision apparatus to transmit said predetermined content data item to a different information reproduction apparatus of said plurality of information reproduction apparatuses by transmitting apparatus identification information to said information-provision apparatus as information designating said different information reproduction apparatus as a second information reproduction apparatus to newly receive said predetermined content data item transmitted by said information-provision apparatus, said request occurring as reproduction of the first portion of said predetermined content data item completes; letting said information-provision apparatus start transmitting the second portion of said predetermined content data item to said second information reproduction apparatus; letting said second information reproduction apparatus reproduce the second portion of said predetermined content data item; and ending an operation to transmit said predetermined content data item to said first information reproduction apparatus in response to a predetermined period of time having lapsed since a start of an operation to transmit said content data item to said second information reproduction apparatus.