Patent ID: 7739610

Claim:
An information processing apparatus managing a first service of distributing contents of a first terminal in real time according to a reservation made in advance by the first terminal, and, to second and third terminal requesting the use of the first service and the use of a second service of providing a chat space, comprising: an acquiring unit configured to acquire reservation information including a channel selection, sent by the first terminal, to the information processing apparatus from a reservation data base in order to provide the first service to the second and third terminals; a reservation information providing unit configured to provide to the second and third terminals information including shared authentication data, a description of the first service, scheduling information and hyperlink data of a webpage of a user of the first terminal; a generation unit configured to generate the chat space corresponding to the reservation at a predetermined time prior to a distribution start time designated by the reservation; and an authenticating unit to authenticate the second and third terminals by the use of the shared authentication data, the shared authentication data being the same for both the second and third terminals; a providing unit configured to provide the second service of the chat space to the first terminal, and the second service of the chat space and the first service to the second and third terminals designated to be distributed by the first terminal, the second service of the chat space and the first service being provided to the second and third terminals simultaneously upon authentication, via actuation of the hyperlink in accordance with the scheduling information of the distribution notice, the providing unit delivering simultaneous access to the second service of the chat space and the first service upon authentication of the shared authentication data at the information processing apparatus.