Patent ID: 7729295

Claim:
A connection mode setting apparatus for setting a mode of connection among a distributing device for distributing distribution information and a plurality of receiving devices for receiving the distribution information provided in a tree type distribution system in which the distributing device is positioned at the highest hierarchical level, the plurality of receiving devices form a plurality of hierarchical levels, the devices are connected in a tree shape via communication paths, and the distribution information distributed by the distributing device is sequentially transferred from the receiving device at a higher hierarchical level to the receiving device at a lower hierarchical level, the apparatus comprising: an effective bandwidth information obtaining unit for obtaining effective bandwidth information indicative of an effective bandwidth of each of the communication paths attached to the receiving devices so that each of the receiving devices is connected to the receiving device or the distributing device at the higher hierarchical level; an effective bandwidth comparing unit for comparing the effective bandwidths of the communication paths; and a connection mode setting unit for setting a mode of connection among the devices on the basis of a result of comparison of the effective bandwidth comparing unit.