Patent ID: 8595399

Claim:
A video/sound signal transmitting system, comprising: a video/sound signal switching and distributing device: including: one or more video/sound signal receiving section; and two or more video/sound signal transmitting sections, one or more video/sound signal transmitting device digitally connected to the video/sound signal receiving section; and two or more video/sound signal receiving devices digitally connected to the two or more video/sound signal transmitting sections, wherein the video/sound signal switching and distributing device performs mutual authentication between itself and the video/sound signal transmitting device and between itself and the two or more video/sound signal receiving devices when a startup signal indicating startup of the video/sound signal transmitting system is detected, thereby transiting to a state where authentication of a system encompassing the video/sound signal transmitting device and the two or more video/sound signal receiving devices is established; and wherein the video/sound signal switching and distributing device holds key selection information that is individually generated as a result of performance of the mutual authentication between itself and the two or more video/sound signal receiving devices and that shows completion of the mutual authentication, even after the connection to any of the two or more video/sound signal receiving devices is terminated.