Patent ID: 8032005

Claim:
An information processing apparatus having a function for distributing content to a playback apparatus, comprising: a storage unit adapted to, if playback of the content has been suspended by the playback apparatus, store a suspension position in the content; a generation unit adapted to, if playback of the content has been suspended by the playback apparatus, generate virtual content information used so that a user instructs the playback of the content from the suspension position stored by the storage unit based on the content; a notification unit adapted to notify the playback apparatus of the virtual content information generated by the generation unit with information of the content in response to a request for the content from the playback apparatus; a distribution unit adapted to, if the information of the content notified by the notification unit has been selected, distribute the content from the beginning, or, if the virtual content information notified by the notification unit has been selected, distribute the content from the suspension position stored in the storage unit; and a deletion unit that, when the playback of the content has ended in the playback apparatus, does not delete the virtual content information if the content is distributed from the beginning by the distribution unit, and deletes the virtual content information if the content is distributed from the suspension position by the distribution unit.