Patent ID: 7082399

Claim:
An information providing apparatus comprising: first receiving means for receiving intellectual property rights information held by a registered party and entered by said registered party, and charge processing information for charging fees to said registered party; storing means for storing the intellectual property rights information which is entered by said registered party and received by said first receiving means; transmitting means for publicly transmitting to general public readers the intellectual property rights information stored in said storing means about said intellectual property right held by said registered party; second receiving means for receiving intellectual property right infringement-related information transmitted by a general public reader concerning possible infringement on said intellectual property right held by said registered party; and charge processing means for charging fees to said registered party based on the charge processing information received by said first receiving means and entered by said registered party, said charge processing means charging a contingent fee to said registered party if said registered party gains benefit from said intellectual property right information held by said registered party through the use of said intellectual property right infringement-related information provided by said general public reader, said contingent fee being paid to said general public reader.