Patent ID: 8424108

Claim:
A contents supplying system comprising: a contents supplying server apparatus that supplies contents for downloading via a communication network; and a plurality of information processing terminals associated with a user, the contents from the contents supplying server apparatus being downloadable to each information processing terminal from the contents supplying server apparatus via a communication network, wherein the contents supplying server apparatus comprises: a server storing device storing, together with numerous contents, user information for the user, including user ID information representing a plurality of information processing terminals associated with the user and contents purchase information comprising contents ID information and copy control data, wherein the copy control data includes a total number of times the downloaded contents are allowed to be copied to an external apparatus or recording medium; and a server controller that, in response to a copy permission request from the user via one of the information processing terminals: supplies the copy control data of the user to the one information processing terminal, and decrements the total number of times the downloaded contents are allowed to be copied from any of the information processing terminals associated with the user, and wherein each of the information processing terminals comprises: a terminal storing device that stores the downloaded contents from the contents supplying server apparatus; and a terminal controller that sends, via a communication interface, to the contents supplying server apparatus a copy permission request for copying the downloaded contents to the external apparatus or recording medium each time before the downloaded contents are to be copied to the external apparatus or recording medium.